Tsitsi Dangarembga and the Greenies story
Tsitsi Dangarembga accepts a surprise gift at the IIFF closing ceremony on Saturday evening (29 Nov)
When Tsitsi was a little girl she joined the Brownies. Her young sister Rudo was upset that she too could not join as she was still too young.
Tsitsi came up with an idea. She would start a new group called the “Greenies” which her little sister could be a part of. So she told all her friends about this new group and had them pay 10 cents to join. Read more
Hope’s songs of redemption
The Making of a Unique Band
“By the rivers of Babylon I sat and wept,” thus sang the long- suffering Hebrews in their time of Babylonian captivity. They found themselves singing God’s song in a strange land. But though the song speaks of tears, it is actually a song of hope and redemption. The very act of singing it meant that the singers had in actual fact symbolically freed themselves. And, in these turbulent times we live in, we need songs and singers with enormous emotional power that can heal our grief, assuage our anxieties and allow us to hope for a better future. Hope Masike neKakuwe have it in them to do just this and more.
Hope, second from left, and members of Kakuwe
The dream and vision to form Kakuwe was born long before Hope decided to enrol at the Zimbabwe College of Music. Born with music in her blood, an independent feisty spirit, Hope was always someone who marched to a different drum, and so it was not surprising that when she decided to take her music seriously, she wanted to form a unique band with a different sound. Read more
Tichawangana promoting Zim language unknowingly?
Filed under: How Zimbabwe can be better, Zimbos who rock
Last week I made a ’startling’ observation about my good friend James Tichawangana. Before I mention this discovery I must confess I have decided to copy this pattern because I think its a good thing. So all those critics wanting to brand me a “Murondatsimba” spare me just this once, because if there is one thing my old mom taught me it is to copy anything good.
I have realized that James names his ventures in the Shona, (I suspect this is a deliberate). It started with Venekera (which I think means light up) and now we have Aripano (I stand to be corrected but I think it means He is Here). Very relevant names if you ask me. To me it shows confidence in African talent; a reflection of positive self-image and self-worth. if we could all identify our ventures in our own languages then it will show the pride we attach to being our Zimbabwean selves. It is similar to Akio Morita’s “Made In Japan” marks or better still “Proudly South African” marks from our brothers next door.
As I said earlier I will also be naming all my endevours in local languages from now on. So next time you hear “Venekera Aripano Copywriters Pvt Ltd” know that its my stuff!!!!!!!
Tom Deuschle launches reformation blog
Filed under: Religion, Spirituality for such a time, Zimbos who rock
Senior Pastor of Celebration Ministries International, Pastor Tom Deuschle today launched his blog entitled Reformation Report.
Pastor Tom, and his wife Pastor Bonnie, preach the message of reformation in a church which now spans four continents: Africa, America, Asia and Europe. New churches have been recently opened in South Africa, Kenya, Kuala Lumpur, London, Botswana and in other countries.
He plans to use the blog to drive the reformation message home. Read more
Hope is the magic behind Kakuwe
New. Exciting. Hope Masike (Photo: Pamberi Trust).
Portrait of a Rising Star
An new exciting sound, filled with a fragrance of hope rooted in Zimbabwe, imbued with echoes of Africa and the African Diaspora, has come to the fore. The force behind the magical renaissance is Hope Masike and Kakuwe Band.
Kakuwe’s sound is eclectic fusion music with deep earthy traditional rhythms driven by pulsating nyunganyunga (mbira) strains, infectious West African djembe drumming, a soul nourishing thumping bassline and mystical marimba melodies, with a poignant recorder weaving through it all like a cool breeze.
These are infectious melodies born of a vision nurtured by talented Zimbabwe College of Music Ethnomusicology students in search of their musical identity. They call themselves Kakuwe, after the “Go Away Bird” whose call in the forest warns the rest of forest’s inhabitants of impending danger. The group’s vision and sound is steeped in the Zimbabwean landscape, with its questing spirit reaching out to vibrant Pan- African elements to come with a unique style. Read more
Macheso to entertain McCain and Obama?
Imagine US presidential hopefuls John McCain & Barak Obama doing the the Borrowdale, Razorwire and Kangaroo dances! It surely will be a good way to ease them nerves before the November 4 election.
According to the Herald of Saturday, 20 September Alick Macheso and Orchestra Mberikwazvo will be touring the US for the first time.
The itinerary is as follows:
October 10 : Washington DC
October 11: Philadelphia
October 12:Boston
October 17 : Atlanta,Georgia
October 18 : Indianapolis, Indiana
October 25: Dallas
This is surely a chance for the King of Sungura to go international as his popularity has largely been limited to Zim, England, Southern Africa and Australia. This could also be an opportunity to sell Sungura “Museve” music to the outside world.
It is my hope that Sungura fans in the US will come en masse to support Chikopokopo and also introduce their foreign friends to Sungura Music.
Its a pity ‘Mabhanan’ana’, as Macheso’s dancing group is affectionately known as, will not make it on this tour. Don’t despair Matoki and Company there is always next time. Check for future updates on the tour on this page this page.
Zimbabwe bloggers shine a light
From the Los Angeles Times
By Robyn Dixon
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - The blogger calls himself a “fat white man” and jokes about the right way to approach a cordon of Zimbabwean riot police: Don’t wear an opposition T-shirt, or ask for the results of the recent one-man presidential runoff. Instead, greet them with a breezy “Good morning! How are you, sirs?”
“I note that there are no officers in the line, which is good as it means there’s nobody to order the cops to start hitting me,” he writes. “But then again if they do start hitting me there’s no one to tell them to stop.” Read more
Danai Gurira to give theatre presentation
Filed under: Art life, Entertainment, Events, Zimbos who rock
Danai Gurira pictured at the US premier of "The Visitor". Photo: Wire Image.
Creating and Performing Contemporary African Theatre & Film
A presentation by Danai Gurira based on the play “In the Continuum”
The Mannenberg Jazz Club
Fife Ave Mall
Wednesday 17 September 2008
5.30 for 6pm
Zimbabwean actress and playwright Danai Gurira, currently based in New York, visited home for ZIFF 2008. She joined their opening celebrations with the film ‘The Visitor’, in which she stars, and which won five film awards including the Best Supporting Actress Award for Gurira’s role at the 2008 edition of the Method Fest Independent Film Festival in California.
Courtesy of the US Embassy Public Affairs Section, Danai Gurira will make a presentation ‘Creating and Performing Contemporary African Theatre & Film’ at The Mannenberg Jazz Club on Wednesday 17 September, 5.30pm. It will be based on her own award-winning play ‘In the Continuum’, with excerpts from the play read by Danai and discussion to follow. The 5.30pm presentation at the Fife Avenue venue will focus on getting the HIV/Aids message across through theatre and other forms of the arts. Entrance is free and artists, groups, organisations and all people are welcome. Read more
The Uncertainty of Hope by Valerie Tagwira- a discussion
Filed under: Art life, Books & literature, Events, Zimbos who rock
Valerie Tagwira
LITERARY DISCUSSION @ THE BOOK CAFÉ
“THE UNCERTAINTY OF HOPE” By Valerie Tagwira
Thursday 18 September 2008, 5.30-7pm, FREE
Thursday 18 September brings another early evening literary discussion at The Book Café, based on the award-winning novel “THE UNCERTAINTY OF HOPE” by Valerie Tagwira.
“Through the various and complex lives of Onai Moyo - a market woman and responsible mother of three children, and her best friend Katy Nguni - a vendor and black-market currency dealer - we are given an insight into the challenges that face those who only survive by their wits, their labour and their mutual
support.” (www.africanbookscollective.com/books/the-uncertainty-of-hope). Read more
Zim actress, Danai Gurira, stars in American film at ZIFF
The Visitor stars Zimbabwean actress Danai Gurira
Zimbabwean actress Danai Gurira stars in the film “The Visitor” which was the opening film at this year’s edition at ZIFF. We last saw Danai at HIFA 2006 when she performed the play “In the Continuum” with Nikkole Slater.
A synopsis of the film: Years after losing his wife, 62-year-old Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) has also lost his passion for writing and teaching. In an effort to fill the empty void that his life has become, Walter makes a half-hearted attempt to learn to play classical piano.
Later, when Walter’s college sends him to a conference in Manhattan, he is surprised to discover that a young couple has moved into his seldom-used apartment in the city. Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and his Senegalese girlfriend Zainab (Danai Gurira) have fallen victims to an elaborate real-estate scam, and as a result they no longer have a place to call home. Read more
On The Zimbo Jam- Alick Macheso- Lucky Guitarist or Musical Genius?By Memory Chirere Although many Zimbabwean music lovers are agreed that Alick Macheso is the King of Sungura, the Zimbabwean brand of Rhumba, that is as far as the agreement will go. As Masimba Kuchera admits in an article on the Chesopower website, ‘there have been many schools of thought on the (real) strength of Macheso- some arguing about his skills with the bass guitar, some contending that it is his vocals and others proffering his dancing skills, it is generally agreed that the musician is of immense talent.’ When people agree that you are extremely talented but go on to debate hotly about exactly whether your strength lies in theway you walk or the way you run, then that is a mark of genius. You actually put people in a crisis of naming aspects of a phenomenon.
- A Dance Farewell for Isabel MatolaBy Ruvimbo Hope Masike Here is one of the most beautiful things about Zimbabwe. It is inimitably Zimbabwean. We Zimbabweans love peace, of course, among other things. We love fun, joy and we are naturally celebratory people even when there isn’t much to celebrate about. For instance young children jump around joyously chanting “Ndege! Ndege!” when an aeroplane passes over them. Now when there is something worthy of the celebration, the joy is electric, understandably so, considering how almost everything else around us is seemingly dull and confusing and uninspiringly so. As a result, when Isabel Matola’s Mozambique Dance Festival came by, it turned out to be one of the brightest lights in town, which was a well deserved acclaim.
- Kanda Bongo Man Lands in Harare With One Guitar[Herald] France-based rhumba maestro Kanda Bongo Man had just one guitar when he set out to perform at the Harare International Conference Centre on Wednesday evening, and his day was saved by a local musician who offered him his instruments on the 11th hour to avert what could have turned out to be an international disaster.
- Alick Macheso- Lucky Guitarist or Musical Genius?
