BY AGATHA CHUMA Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation deputy minister Tino Machakaire has encouraged musicians to embrace the mbira instrument as a way of promoting and preserving the Zimbabwean culture.
The mbira instrument is recognised as one of the traditional instruments connected to Zimbabwean cultural identity.
Machakaire made the remarks last week in a speech read on his behalf by Biggie Samwanda, at the 14th graduation ceremony of 29 ethnomusicology and Jazz music students at Zimbabwe College of Music (ZCM) in Harare.
“We are celebrating men and women for becoming what they worked to be. This comes in the backdrop of major strides in the creative and cultural industries of Zimbabwe,” Machakaire said.
“I am challenging the graduates to be innovative and embrace our culture and musical instruments as they tell stories of black consciousness, black liberation theology and black empowerment.”
Pledging government commitment to help commercialise the traditional instruments, he added: “As a ministry charged with ensuring that there are cultural and creative activities in the nation, we have developed the National Arts, Culture and Heritage Policy which is a multi-pronged policy whose objectives, among other salient issues, seek to promote and provide infrastructure for all cultural and artistic forms.”
ZCM executive director Rachel Jera-Chigwanda urged artistes to acquire educational qualifications related to the musical sector.
“I am greatly delighted this year because the students who have graduated laboured and struggled through the darkest phases of the education and music industry due to the effects of COVID-19 pandemic which we all sombrely know and remember,” she said.
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“This graduation is, therefore, a celebration of fortitude and perseverance displayed by the class of 2022. I am also delighted that the number of female graduates rose from last year’s 10% to 34%.”
Jera-Chigwanda also urged the graduates to safeguard the country’s heritage through embracing traditional instruments like mbira.
Africa University vice-chancellor Peter Mageto, who also attended the ceremony, said Africa University would consider the mbira instrument to be part of its curriculum.
The acting Africa University’s College of Social Sciences, Theology, Humanities and Education dean David Bishau urged churches to use the mbira instrument in their churches, saying the instrument should not be associated with evil spirits, but should be seen as a gadget that gives Zimbabweans their cultural identity.
The ZCM band and some graduates were a marvel to watch as they put up an energetic performance entertaining the guests at the event.
The graduation ceremony was attended by music lecturers and artistes among them gospel singer Charles Charamba, renowned multi-instrumentalist and music producer, Clive “Mono” Mukundu and Mbeu.
Follow Agatha on Twitter@AgathaChuma
