CELEBRATED musician Pah Chihera will be the headline act at this year’s Let Them Schools Arts Festival, a two-day event that starts today and ends tomorrow at Churchill Boys School in Harare.
Speaking on the sidelines of the recently held Tambai Dance Festival, Let Them Trust director Chido Musasiwa said Tamuka would be the running theme for this year’s arts festival.
Let Them Trust is a child-oriented creative, educational and cultural initiative that aims to create platforms for young people to groom and showcase their artistic talent.
Musasiwa said several up-and-coming artistes would provide entertainment at the event, which would also include ngano/storytelling.
Besides Pah Chihera, renowned poet Chirikure Chirikure and author Ignatius Mabasa will grace the event, where festival goers will be treated to the Jerusalem mbende dance by a guest group.
Then will come a moment when all the voices present at the festival will boom together shouting “no to drug and substance abuse”, in accordance with the resolution.
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“Our broad aim is to raise awareness of the current global drug abuse challenges and explore suggestions for solutions,” Musasiwa said.
Musasiwa said her organisation sought to create cordial relationships between the schools and the communities through engaging the youth in creative work and play which sharpens their careers.
She said the festival theme Tamuka would be addressed through five art categories, which would focus on different sub-themes, namely: “The poetry, visual art & drama shall pursue the sub-theme Drug abuse! with the aim to further bring awareness and action to the global problem; followed by fashion which will focus on incorporating our culture into our garments as fashion.
“Lastly, musical acts shall be focused on remembering the late musician Gary Mapanzure and participants will be required to include at least one song of the late musician in their allocated 10-minute performance as a way to help young people further appreciate the evolution and establishment of Zimbabwe’s music industry by such music legends.”
Musasiwa added: “The programme for the festival will go as follows: On July 26, 2024, there will be theatre, poetry, traditional music and dance. Visual arts will be on permanent display. On July 27, 2024, music, dance, fashion. Visual arts shall also be on permanent display.”
The theme word tamuka is Shona for “we have awakened”.
Founded in 2010, Let Them Trust has evolved into a multifaceted cultural and arts promotion and preservation organisation which over the years has impacted schools in their teaching and usages of the arts.
Music legends like the late Oliver Mtukudzi, Zexie Manatsa and Soul Jah Love (born Saul Musaka) were given special tributes through competitions and resultantly, their music has been incorporated into the mainstream music teaching.
“The festival provides a space and platform for schools to receive feedback from experienced adjudicators. The event will be covered extensively by our local media on multiple platforms. We see many possibilities of how this festival could yield a beneficial return for those that will be involved,” Musasiwa said.