Jack Mapanje was born in Malawi in 1944, growing up in Kadango village in the Mangochi district. His first collection, Of Chameleons and Gods, was published in the UK in 1981 by Heinemann. In 1985 this collection was withdrawn from circulation in Malawi by the government of dictator Hastings Banda, and Mapanje was subsequently arrested and detained without charge or trial in Mikuyu Prison in Malaw. During his time in prison, Mapanje wrote his second collection, The Chattering Wagtails of Mikuyu Prison (1993), and much of his third, Skipping without Ropes (1998). Mapanje’s subsequent collections include The Last of the Sweet Bananas: New & Selected Poems (2004), Beasts of Nalunga (2007), and Greetings from Grandpa (2016).

This collection includes correspondence, press cuttings, books and draft manuscripts relating to Mapanje’s time as a political prisoner in Malawi, the campaign for his release, and the publication of his poetry. A collection level description is available at Archives Hub. Readers wishing to consult the collection in person at the University Library Special Collections may complete our request form. Further information about Special Collections, including accessibility and opening hours, can be found here.