Julina Kaakunga
Beata Nuuyoma is a 27-year-old who wrote a novel titled ‘Hidden Treasures’, about sharing life lessons acquired by a young girl (Princess) for whom every day is an exam.
The book is targeted at an audience of the age between 16-35 years. “At these ages is where all the curses, demons, reviling and life begins,” said Nuuyoma. She hopes that her readers learn that life is a battlefield, that self-pity and self-victimization is a sabotage to destiny and growth, urging them to get up and fight the fight of faith. Motivated by victory over hurt, suffering, and brokenness, Princess realised that beneath all of her grief and sorrow, good and bad are both essential for development and that rather than discarding individuals because of their past transgressions, we should welcome their struggles because they ultimately give birth to warriors who are queens and kings.
Her journey as a writer began in April-July 2020, to pour or release all that has been inside her. “I didn’t know how to shout that I need help but I knew how to write, that was my way of letting go,” she explained. Writing has taught Nuuyoma that a story is a cage broken: “Get an editor, get a trustable proofreader, use professionals and not people you know,” she said. One of her major accomplishments as a writer, she noted was being longlisted by The Doek Literary Magazine, Bank Windhoek Doek Literally Awards for a poem ‘Her Yearning Soul’. She has edited other books titled, ‘In the Chaos of the Storm’, ‘Passion and Regard’, and ‘Wounded Women’ and currently editing ‘Men Are Not the Same’ and she currently has another one on hold. At the moment, ‘Hidden Treasures’ is the only one published.
Sarafia Shapumba, one of the readers, describes the novel as life-changing, stating that everyone deserves a getaway bus from the setbacks because they are not permanent. “I have also learned to appreciate the little good things because they outweigh a million bunch of bad ones. Moreover, the most important lesson is that we’re all destined for something greater and we should embrace our fears just like the writer said, any other fear apart from God’s fear is an illusion, it’s powerless and it only holds the potency we give it,” she said. She also has an admiration for the writers’ unique way of writing. “I have to say it’s the first of its kind I have read so far. It sets as an inspiration for new writers and they should definitely look it up.”
A multitude of writers have inspired Nuuyoma’s writing such as Rick Warren, Shannon Enthridge, Joshua Harris, an American author whom she signed up with via the link and who tutored her on the don’ts and dos. “Write your thoughts down, put your scars on the paper and there will be your healing, grief and sorrow shared which sets you free. Also, write, write and leave the editing for the professionals but proofread with a second eye,” Nuuyoma advices upcoming writers.
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