MUREWA Caves is set to host the opening ceremony of this year’s edition of the Mashonaland East Cultural and Arts Festival (MECAF) to be held at Murewa Culture Centre on October 28.
BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA
The festival, which will run until November 1, will see a number of artistes from Uzumba, Murewa and other parts of the province showcasing their skills in various disciplines.
MECAF, formerly known as Murewa-Uzumba Cultural Festival before turning into a provincial event, used to run concurrently with the popular Jerusarema/Mbende Festival before organisers split them into two a few years ago.
One of the event organisers, Cuthbert Maziwa, yesterday said preparations were at an advanced stage and traditional leaders from Murewa would lead a bira at the opening ceremony.
At the bira there will be traditional opaque beer and a beast will be slaughtered before a number of mbira artistes take turns to play throughout the night.
Keep Reading
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
“This is part of our culture and we are happy that the traditional leaders will be at the forefront leading the proceedings at the caves,” Maziwa said.
“This year’s edition will also see women benefiting from textile design and women’s arts workshops.”
The festival will be wrapped up with exhibitions where local artists will display their wares.
The festival was founded in 2010 to fulfil the late Chief Jonathan Mangwende’s desire to have unification, promotion and celebration of the rich artistic and cultural heritage of his area in Murewa.
The event is sponsored by community leaders and local businesspeople.