Du Chisiza

Dunduza Chisiza Junior (1963 – 24 February 1999) was a Malawian playwright, director and actor and founder of the first professional theatre company in Malawi, the Wakhumbata Ensemble Theatre. He wrote more than 20 plays and was involved in the writing and directing of some 25 others. Many of his plays had a political and human rights message during the one party state under Banda. He was the son of the prominent Malawian activist and politician Dunduzu Chisiza.

Chisiza was the third son of Dunduzu K. Chisiza, a prominent activist of Malawian Independence who was killed in 1962 before Du's birth. His uncle, Yatuta Chisiza, was also a nationalist involved in politics, serving as bodyguard to Banda during the struggle for independence. He was killed following independence during an attempted take-over of the Presidency in 1967.

Chisiza became interested in drama at the Henry Henderson Institute in Blantyre as a secondary school student. He wrote and directed 'The Deceased's Attack', which won first prize at the National Schools Drama Festival in 1982. He later moved to the US and was awarded a BFA in Performing Arts at the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts. He also became a martial arts enthusiast obtaining a black belt and becoming an instructor at the Philadelphia Arts Centre. He returned to Malawi soon after graduation.

In 1983, he formed the Wakhumbata Workshop Theatre before he went to the U.S. Wakhumbata in Chichewa and Tumbuka means among them "one who hugs", "one who hatches eggs" and "those who grieve". This workshop helped develop the performing arts in Malawi. After Du Chisiza's death from an AIDS related illness the theatre was led by Gertrude Webster Kamkwatira.

Du Junior was Malawi's best known playwright. He wrote about controversial topics in Malawi during one party rule and during multi party rule. He was a fearless writer that dared to write about controversial topics that many would not dare to during the Banda regime. One of his popular works includes Fragments, which he produced after he returned from the U.S. and after learning that he would need to do much of his work abstract in order to get his message across without being banned. Another play, Tatuya Futi was a tribute to his uncle Yatuta Chisiza. Other plays include Papa's Empire, Phumashakire, De Summer Blow, Sir Daniels, Storm On Litada, Operation Tidy, Kabuha Tragedy, Mitsidi Burning, Black Cross, Black Blawizo, and Democracy Boulevard. He was best known for his abstract themed political plays but continued to write and produce during his political career.

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