music

Music, the ‘Liberation Doctrine’ in Zimbabwe’s war – Chronicle

DURING Zimbabwe’s war of independence, music morphed from a source of entertainment into a potent weapon. Songs delivered powerful messages of political and social protest through a blend of popular styles like Chimurenga music, a genre known for its revolutionary energy.

Scholars like Professor Rangarirayi Zindi argue that music “became a form of liberation doctrine.” Musicians like Thomas Mapfumo, Solomon Skuza, the Zanla Choir, Zipra Choir, the original Light Machine Gun Choir (LMG), Impi Yesiko and Dickson “Chinx” Chingaira emerged as crucial figures. They composed and performed songs that critiqued the Rhodesian regime, exposing its brutality and discriminatory policies.

The LMG Choir played a significant role in the liberation of Zimbabwe. It was established by the late Vice-President Dr Joshua Nkomo to motivate freedom fighters during the protracted war of liberation. The choir’s music, particularly the song Kubuhlungu Emoyeni (There is pain in my heart), evoked the emotions of the liberation struggle and was used to boost the morale of combatants.

The LMG Choir became synonymous with the heroes’ celebrations in Zimbabwe and their songs were often played during significant national events, such as the burial of national heroes at the National Heroes’ Acre or during the commemoration of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Day and Heroes’ Day. The songs not only motivated the fighters during the struggle but also spoke to the plight of some ex-combatants after the war, reflecting on the challenges they faced in adjusting to life post-liberation.

The choir’s contributions were so impactful that they were made the official Zipra Choir in Zambia in 1978, and their music continued to encourage revolutionaries during the war.

Thomas Mapfumo

Mapfumo’s songs became instant hits and landed him in trouble with the authorities. Tracks like Hokoyo, Nyoka Musango and Tumira Vana Kuhondo became anthems. Mapfumo’s music also anchored the inspiration of ancestral spirits like Nehanda, Kaguvi and veteran nationalists like Herbert Chitepo, weaving their legacy into the fight for freedom.

Another iconic musician, Oliver Mtukudzi, used his music as a tool for social commentary and activism. Songs like Dzandimomotera highlighted the harsh realities of life under colonial rule, like forced labour and poor living conditions. Yet, they also instilled hope and resilience among listeners. Despite threats and suppression, Mtukudzi remained steadfast in speaking the truth through his music.

Songs like Hayo Makomo and Moyo Wangu acknowledged the hardships and losses faced by guerrillas operating in the harsh bush terrain. Yet, they also celebrated the fighters’ unwavering pursuit of freedom and their enduring spirit.

Sung in Shona, Ndebele, and other local languages, these songs transcended tribal lines. As highlighted by Bindura University of Science Education researchers (Communicating Through Music: An Analysis of Selected Songs from the Second Chimurenga The Zimbabwean Liberation War), music fostered a sense of shared purpose among the diverse group of fighters, uniting them under a common banner of liberation.

Music served as a powerful rallying point. Songs with revolutionary messages were disseminated throughout the country, often exceeding language barriers and uniting the people in their fight for freedom. Scholars like Jacqueline Musiwa and Christopher Ndlovu highlight how music transcended tribal lines and fostered a sense of national belonging. Songs like Mapfumo’s powerful Tumira Vana Kuhondo (Send the Children to War) were rallying cries, urging young people to join the fight for liberation.

Dorothy Masuka

According to Terence Ranger, musicians played a pivotal role in keeping the cultural traditions alive during a time when the colonial regime attempted to suppress them. By incorporating aspects of traditional rhythms and instruments like the mbira (thumb piano) and hosho (gourd shakers) into their liberation songs, they ensured the continuation of cultural heritage while linking it to the struggle for independence.

Music provided a platform for expressing the frustrations and injustices faced by the people under colonial rule. Lyrical themes often addressed issues of land dispossession, racial discrimination and the brutality of the regime. Scholars like Sabelo Gatsheni-Ndlovu underline how music became a channel for defiance and resistance against the colonial order. Liberation songs offered a voice to the voiceless and a platform to challenge the status quo.

Women musicians also played a pivotal role in the liberation struggle, defying expectations in a male-dominated industry. Figures like Dorothy Masuka and Stella Chiweshe challenged the status quo with their powerful voices. Their contributions, though often overlooked, significantly shaped the cultural landscape of Zimbabwe and inspired future generations of female musicians.

Liberation songs resonated deeply during night gatherings called pungwes.

Here, fighters would sing, dance and share stories, their spirits bolstered by the music and the sense of community. The impact wasn’t limited to the fighters. Songs like Mtukudzi’s Gunguwo (The Crow), with its subtle yet powerful critique of the Rhodesian regime, spread dissent and defiance among the general population, subtly encouraging resistance.

music

Breaking news – Chronicle

Blitzkrieg pirates of books, music

Stephen Mpofu

THERE is indisputable power in joint operations against any form of legal violations in any and all sectors of a country’s economy and so operations between the police on one hand and those in the book and music industries on the other cannot fail to blitzkrieg once and for all those engaged in rampant pirating of books and music in our country.

In these columns last Saturday, Musaemura Zimunya, a veteran writer, spoke of rampant piracy in the music and book sectors which deprived those legally engaged in those sectors their due monetary benefits.

In support of Zimunya’s statement, Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday stressed the need for constant joint operations between the police, the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura), writers, publishers, colleges and other educational institutions in order to drive pirates into the shade.

He mentioned that the police and Zimura had previously conducted joint operations against pirates to nip their illegal activities in the bud.

Pirates deprive authors and musicians and all those others engaged in the book and music value chains of what is due to them while the saboteurs go scot-free all the while pushing bellies swollen with what is not rightly due to them.

Workers at some book publishing houses say that pirates photocopy popular books, particularly school textbooks, which they also sell on the streets and for much less than what the publications fetch at bookshops.

Book publishers might also wish to engage, through our diplomatic missions, particularly in the West, to ascertain that books by Zimbabwean authors being sold in the diaspora are distributed or published there under agreement with their Zimbabwean publishers or authors as a safeguard against piracy by Zimbabwean diasporans.

A Zimbabwean male working in Britain is for instance known to have self-published and promoted a book by a relative back home as his own and then built a secondary school back in his home district, all the while claiming when in contact with relatives of the real author of the original book that the school project was sponsored by a British university where he works.

It boggles the mind, or does it not, that a national university could pump out funds for the construction of an educational institution in a country under economic sanctions by its country?

The same man deliberately avoids the book author when on visits home from the diaspora, which raises the question why the avoidance.

Or do other Zimbabwean diasporans not speak ill of their native country to curry favour with their hosts who are opponents of our Government for introducing land reform at independence to reunite our people with the land that foreign colonial settlers had usurped while driving blacks into backyards of their motherland?

Unmitigated patriotism by Zimbabweans living and working abroad will help reverse any hostility by their host governments towards their/our native, beloved country inhabited by people created by God in His image and likeness as He did the diasporan natives.

music

Nyathi calls for revival of youth centres, Zimbabwe’s cultural heart – Chronicle

Mthabisi Tshuma, [email protected]

Renowned dub poet Albert Nyathi is advocating for the revival of youth centres across Zimbabwe, emphasising their pivotal role as nurturing grounds for emerging talent.

Youth centres serve as vital hubs for fostering cultural expression and societal cohesion. They provide platforms for individuals to explore their identities and deepen their understanding of various cultures, while also encouraging participatory and creative experiences.

During the late 1960s and 1970s, as the liberation struggle intensified, a significant initiative was undertaken by the white settler leadership to establish arts centres, commonly referred to as youth clubs. These clubs served as pivotal platforms, where children were instructed in both sports and arts disciplines.

In Bulawayo, several youth centres were renowned for their cultural and recreational activities, including the Indlovu Youth Club in Tshabalala, Luveve Youth Centre in Luveve, Tshaka Youth Centre in Makokoba, Iminyela Youth Centre at Number 6, Lobengula Youth Centre in Old Lobengula, and Magwegwe Youth Centre in Magwegwe. In the capital city, Harare, notable youth centres included the Amai Musodzi Hall, C.J. Hall and Stodart Hall. Additionally, Norton boasted of Ngoni Hall.

In the realm of music, Zimbabwe boasted a wealth of talent nurtured through these youth centres, including iconic figures such as Lovemore Majaivana, Dorothy Masuka, Don Gumbo, Black Umfolosi, and Oliver Mtukudzi, among others. Similarly, in the sporting arena, the centres contributed to the emergence of notable athletes like Langton “Schoolboy” Tinago in boxing, Artwell Mandaza in athletics, and the Chieza Family from Mhangura in football. Additionally, the music scene witnessed the rise of luminaries like Safirio Madzikatire and Susan Chenjerai, further underscoring the pivotal role of youth centres in shaping Zimbabwe’s cultural landscape.

Reflecting on the history of youth centres in Zimbabwe, Nyathi underscored their pivotal role in shaping the nation’s artistic landscape.

He said during the tumultuous years of the independence struggle, these centres emerged as bastions of talent development, nurturing luminaries in music and sports.

“We have individuals like Ebba Chitambo, who consistently shared with me how youth centres played a pivotal role in their recognition. Figures such as Majaivana, Dorothy Masuka, and Don Gumbo, among others, owe much of their creative advancement to the opportunities provided by these centres,” remarked Nyathi.

However, he expressed concern over the current state of these centres, many of which have fallen into a state of disrepair or neglect.

“As an artist, my primary focus lies within the realm of creative expression. It concerns me greatly that we lack viable spaces conducive for nurturing creativity. During my formative years, youth centres like Iminyela and Inyathi were instrumental hubs, where youthful creativity flourished.

“Youths require environments that facilitate the exploration of their creative talents, be it in the arts or sports. I recall my own experiences at Inyathi Youth Centre, I practiced karate, while visits to Iminyela introduced me to peers engaged in football like Barry Daka, and boxing like Schoolboy,” he remarked.

He emphasised the urgent need to rejuvenate these spaces to their former glory, providing a conducive environment for nurturing creativity and talent among the youth. Highlighting the broader societal impact of youth centres, Nyathi underscored their role in combating social ills such as drug abuse.

“The prevalence of drug abuse in our society today is, unfortunately, a consequence of the shrinking of creative spaces. Many of these places, once vibrant youth centres, now lie in disrepair across the country. I firmly believe that reviving youth centres is essential. They have historically played a significant role in nurturing talent and fostering creativity.

“Without these centres, we wouldn’t have witnessed the emergence of the brilliant artistes whom we now regard as legendary.

Personally, I am approached daily by young people from various corners of the country seeking mentorship and guidance. This underscores the urgency and importance of revitalising youth centres and it is why I am deeply passionate about this cause.”

Nyathi, who is the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura) chairperson, revealed ongoing efforts by organisations like Zimura to establish centres of excellence in creativity across the country.

“Fortunately, we have organisations like Zimura that are dedicated to establishing centres of excellence in creativity. We’re grateful to the City of Bulawayo for providing us with land to build a centre where individuals can learn acting, dancing and playing musical instruments,” remarked Nyathi.

Considering the documented impact of arts and culture on various facets of society, the significance of youth centres as cultural institutions cannot be overstated. These centres play a pivotal role in scouting, nurturing and sustaining creativity from its nascent stages, spanning diverse artistic disciplines such as visual arts, music, literature and sports. — @mthabisi_mthire