ORGANISERS of the annual Nyanga Arts Festival (NAF), Nhimbe Trust, have set October 27 and 28 as dates for this year’s second edition of the fete to be held in the Eastern Highlands.
A showcase of music, drama and visual arts, NAF is an initiative of Nhimbe Trust in partnership with the people of Nyanga.
The festival will be held under the theme We are #LivingHeritage, which is the theme for the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Nhimbe Trust said this year’s events are part of the celebrations of their 20th anniversary of the Unesco Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
“The 20th anniversary of the Unesco Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is the opportunity for Unesco, States parties to the Convention and all stakeholders involved in the safeguarding of living heritage, to highlight that living heritage belongs to all.
“Living heritage is about people, resilience and knowledge passed on from generation to generation. For this reason, the anniversary is also an invitation to governments, non-governmental organisations, universities, bearers, practitioners and those who appreciate living heritage to organise activities,” the trust noted.
“The 2023 Nyanga Arts Festival is also the occasion to reflect on the role played by Nhimbe Trust in advancing the goals of the 2003 Convention in particular and the national cultural policy and its concomitant legislative agendas and actions in general.”
The internationally-acclaimed Imbube/Iscathamiya group, Black Umfolosi, will headline the festival’s opening night concert supported by The Expression band and a number of local traditional groups at the Bira stage, at Chief Saunyama’s homestead.
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The second day features an inaugural NAF golf tournament that will run concurrently with the debut Nyangani FM — ZiFM Local Emerging Talent Stage at Montclair Hotel and Casino.
The festival’s curtains will close with an evening of performances from emerging and seasoned artistes such as dendera ace Sulu Chimbetu, Equalizer and Sarungano.
Also to perform at the festival are 20 young artistes from diverse genres.
“This year, the festival has grown to another level with something for everyone. The programme features a new line-up of exciting artistes of which some are considered national treasures,” the trust noted.
“Gracing the stage will be the legendary acapella group Black Umfolosi, all the way from the City of Kings, Bulawayo, who grew from humble beginnings as a group of young high school boys to a world-class act touring over several decades in multiple performances and reappearances in many countries of the world.”
From vivid performances on stages to the rural backdrop of the Bira at Chief Saunyama’s homestead, the festival weekend also provides a chance to relax in unparalleled peace and tranquillity among the majestic mountains and green valleys of Nyanga.
The trust said its newly-established ILIMA Records will facilitate the creation, production, and marketing of indigenous music to enhance music business in Zimbabwe.
The record label will offer a recording and promotion contract to the selected outstanding artist in the lineup set to perform at the festival.
The event organisers said they were grateful to the Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) for its continued association with the festival from its inception.
“This year, NAF is having its first academic fellow from CUT, Patricia Mumbengegwi who is currently heading the Department of Travel and Recreation at the university. Having over 20 years of experience in the tourism industry, she has developed a passion for cultural tourism, in particular living heritage,” the trust noted.
“This led her to chase festivals and pursue a PhD in festival management. She has worked with Hurungwe Arts Festival and Chirorodziva Calabash in Mashonaland West, among others. Mumbengegwi is also a member of the CUT Unesco SAICH platform which advocates for education and preservation of intangible cultural heritage in southern Africa.”
At the inaugural festival, Mumbengegwi presented a paper on the tourism industry in Zimbabwe, foregrounding the need to leverage local festivals.
Her career development has consistently followed the pathway of culture, heritage and indigenous knowledge systems, emphasising the merits of human-factor approach to community and livelihoods through festivalisation.
