Magadza Research

Christopher Magadza's life story is a pretty inspiring one. His rise from a poor farm boy to acclaimed ecologist is anything but probable. He was born in Burma Valley, in Manicaland, Zimbabwe in 1939. His family served as laborers on this farm, not even owners. Magadza, despite his humble beginnings, went on to be accepted into both St. Augustine's Mission, and Fletcher High secondary school, both prestigious institutions. This was mostly through self-teaching and dedication. He went on to the University of Rhodesia where he received his Bachelor's and Master's degree, and achieved his PhD in Auckland, New Zealand. He became a limnologist, one who studies the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of lakes, and quickly returned to Zimbabwe to work. He established himself as a ecologist and moved on to co-found both the African Academy of Sciences and the Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences. Throughout his life, his work, specifically with nature, and the residue of British imperialism combine to form his major themes in his poetry. He lived through Zimbabwe's independence and renaming (South Rhodesia), and has many thoughts on how the British altered their ancestors' way of life. In later life, Magadza moved to teaching, and became a professor at his alma mater, the university of Zimbabwe. He is now retired and continues to write poetry, though keeps most of it for himself and his family.

When researching Chris Magadza's poetry, certain themes are bound to spring up. These themes are closely related to the history of Zimbabwe and its strides toward independence from Britain that just came to fruition in 1923. Many colonies of European imperialism view now show a disdain for European influence. This is a theme in Magadza's poem "Old Tree." Immediately, Magadza idealizes the tree as a deity and goes from there. He explains how it has endured for a very long time and has witnessed both the pre-imperial aspect of life and the decolonization efforts, and everything in between. Magadza, born in Zimbabwe, still reeling from the effects of being a British colony called Rhodesia, has seen the difference the British made, and reacts through his poetry in a generally bad way, but still sees hope, as in the last few lines of "Old Tree."