2022: A year of mixed emotions for Byo arts

THE arts calendar and activities engendered a mixed bag of  emotions — celebrating the birth of new ventures and mourning the death of a number of artistes.

Clive Chibugu

A dark cloud hung over the blue skies of Bulawayo in April when comedian Clive Chigubu was pronounced dead after a fight with Diffuse Large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), a type of cancer that left him bedridden for some time.

Chigubu, a product of Cont Mhlanga’s Amakhosi theatre productions is credited for being one of the first stand-up comedians from Bulawayo, who put the city on the arts map.

Cont Mhlanga

When Bulawayo was yet to accept the death of Chigubu, the city and the country was robbed again by the death of Cont Mhlanga.  The playwright, actor and theatre director who was the founder of the famed Amakhosi Theatre productions breathed his last at a Bulawayo hospital on August 1.

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Mhlanga was a critic of the government of Robert Mugabe, and was arrested for public expressions of his views.

The Godfather of Arts, Mhlanga has published three books and wrote more than 20 plays among them The Good President, The End, Sinjalo, Children on Fire, Games and Bombs, The Members, Vikela and has directed Bamqgibela Ephila and Omunye Umngcwabo.

Mhlanga’s politically-charged play The Good President won him an Art Venture Freedom to Create award, shrugging off challenges from nearly 1 000 entrants from 86 countries.

However, The Good President was banned in Zimbabwe. Although presented as a fictional account, its depiction of an African dictator who had ruled his country since 1980 closely mirrors current events in Zimbabwe.

Mhlanga and Amakhosi Cultural Centre were also awarded the Prince Claus award in December last year, an accolade given in honour of Prince Claus of the Netherlands. It was an honour for outstanding achievements in the field of culture and development.

At the time of his death Mhlanga had come out of his retirement to spearhead the set up and launch of Keyona TV.

 Jeys Marabini

 Musician Jeys Marabini took a sabbatical from showbiz due to illness — struggling with hemorrhoids after a scan revealed that he had an inflamed spleen.

Marabini had been battling with this condition for the past decade and the condition worsened this year forcing him to stop recording and performing.

The musician, who considered himself lucky to be alive, rose from the ‘ashes’ to launch an album, Xola in November marking the return of the crooner after months of battling an ailment. 

Nobuntu

In an unfortunate turn of events, two members of the all-female Imbube group, Nobuntu disappeared while on tour in the United States of America early this month with the group describing their actions as selfish.

Nobuntu was on a two-month tour of the USA which started in October ending in December. The two — Heather Dube and Brenda Rera — who temporarily held the place of a new mother Thandeka Moyo disappeared on the day the group was scheduled to fly back to Zimbabwe.

Sandra Ndebele

Songstress Sandra Ndebele made rich pickings at her self-titled album launch in Bulawayo in November. The album carries 10-tracks and features Platform One and X-Mile with production coming from Oskid and South Africa-based Mr Brown.

The album fetched US$30K, with Finance minister Mthuli Ncube buying the CD for US$8500, Youth deputy minister Tinomuda Machakaire pledging US$13 000  and  Reason “Rizzla” Sibanda of  Boomcity Advertising pledging US$4500, among others.

Festivals

Besides the loss of life, Bulawayo welcomed the birth of new ventures and new stars with the inaugural Kwantuthu Comedy Festival led by comedian Maforty, real name Dumisani Ndlovu.

The festival aims to create and maintain a comedy infrastructure, creating a global cultural network and synergies amongst performers. The festival ran for three days in October under the theme- It’s for you!

Munch and Sip- a food festival grew in numbers and influence after holding two editions in 2022. The last edition of the jamboree which attracted thousands of people became the biggest locally curated show in Bulawayo this year, with no foreign act in attendance.

The last edition of the festival for this year is set for December 30 at the Criterion Parks, Burnside, Bulawayo, with entertainment coming from Anita Jaxson, Travellers Band, Keezy AM, Reno Life and Ryan Synth.

Running under the theme ‘Truth and memory’, the annual Asakhe film festival also hogged the limelight in October. This year’s activities included a documentary launch and film screening, and the launch of the book titled Memory and Erasure: Gukurahundi and the culture of violence in Zimbabwe.

Tired of waiting to be booked and eventually being booked for peanuts, musician MJ Sings launched his own festival dubbed Spring fiesta at the National Art Gallery, the festival is set to run annually in Bulawayo and will offer a platform for many musicians in the city.

After a 17-year run, Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo organisers were forced to postpone this year’s edition just 17 days to the jamboree. Initially set for September 26 to October 1, the fete will now take place from December 29 to December 31.

“The 18th edition of the festival which was scheduled to take place from September 26 to October 1, 2022 under the theme: Re- Connect has been postponed due to the need to host a quality festival and other circumstances beyond our control. The new dates for the festival will now be December 29 to 31 2022,” said the organisers.

Bulawayo had to wait for months for the crowning moment of those who excelled in the arts after the ceremony was postponed in October for last night (December 24).

Victoria Falls Carnival organisers were embroiled in a scandal with South African artistes Maphorisa and Kabza De Small after the later failed to show up at the annual carnival in Victoria Falls despite being paid in full.

In September the High Court of Zimbabwe, Bulawayo issued a warrant of arrest for the two when they had come to perform in Bulawayo. They evaded arrest, after paying nearly US$19 000 as settlement for the breach of the carnival contract.

 South African artistes made a killing as they invaded Bulawayo every month for shows that left fans disappointed.

 On Wednesday Bulawayo hosted three different shows headlined by South African artistes, leaving many questioning if there is anything left for local artistes this festive season.

Almost every show headlined by Mzansi stars left fans angry and demanding value for their money as the artistes would perform for not more than 30 minutes.

Artistes who performed for 30-minutes and less were Nkosazana Daughter, Young Stunna, Blaq Diamond, Boohle and the recent one was Sir Trill whose performance came after he had initially failed to come to Bulawayo with reports that he had double booked.

Defending the 30 minute performances, promoter Mduduzi Mdlongwa said they pay for what the artistes offer.

“As promoters when you book for an artiste you are given an invoice attached to a performance contract from the artiste’s management and stable. That contract stipulates how long the artiste will perform," Mdlongwa said.

What we get from the artiste’s management or stable is what we pay for, we pay for what is on the contract and there is nothing that we can do about it. Usually artistes perform for 30 minutes and wheel spinners do an hour sets and if ever they extend it’s up to the artistes and how they are feeling on stage. Young Stunna also performed for 30 minutes because that’s what his contract stipulated and that’s what we had paid for.”