IWD Networking Hour

Women artist meet with civil society to see how they can work together towards the development & upliftment of women's voices

 

 

Women Musicians & Poets Celebrate IWD in Style

Musicians, poets celebrate women

Tuesday, 12 March 2013 00:00

Brenda Phiri and Tawanda Ngena The Book Cafe came alive on Saturday as scores of local female artistes gathered to celebrate the International Woman’s Day through music and dance. The show, which was organised by Pamberi Trust, in conjunction with the Canadian Embassy and Female Literary Arts and Music Enterprise (Flame), saw seasoned jazz artistes and poets taking turns to entertain revellers. “Pamberi Trust has been holding regular programmes like these since 2007 where women artistes are given a platform to enhance opportunities in the arts in the safety of daytime. This one was special, however, because the ladies came through to celebrate International Women’s Day,” said Penny Yon, arts administrator of Pamberi Trust. As is the norm with the Sistaz Open Mic, spirits were high with revellers cheering the sisters who were   rocking. The fun which kicked off last Thursday resumed in earnest on Saturday afternoon with some of Zimbabwe’s leading ladies of song and poetry showcasing their talents. There was Dudu Manhenga, Nama award winner Hope Masike, Rute Mbangwa, Clare Nyakujara, Rudo Chasi, dancer-cum-singer Kezzia Magosha and Uza. Audience dance to Kessia Magosha's 'Gumbo Mutsvairo'  The poets were represented by the grandma of the spoken word, Xapa; Batsirai Chigama, RuTendo DeNise and Charity Hutete. Both the musicians and poets had a bold message for the women and menfolk in the audience. Women want a level playing field, free of discrimination, impediments or hidden agendas. Xapa, who is mother to actress Ehrahya Mathazia, fired the first salvo in her poem titled “History” which she described as “his story”. History, she said, was biased against women, as it mainly focus on the exploits of men at the expense of female luminaries like Cleopatra, Queen of Sheba and Mbuya Nehanda, among others. Roxanne Xapa Mathazia  In one of her pieces, Batsirai spoke about the agony of a mother who brings into the world innocent children, who if they happen to be girls are subjected to sexual and other abuses. If mothers had a choice, she opined, they would rather keep their babies in the comfort and safety of their wombs. Batsirai E Chigama Charity Hutete put the lid on the poetry segment with a call from the heart for men to respect their significant other.When Charity passed the baton to the musicians, the party was now in full swing. Charity Hutete Chasi was equal to the task with a powerful performance comprising love ditties “Wosa Sei?” and “Sei Uchidaro?” She had the crowd singing along as she closed her set with Steve Makoni’s “Handiende”. Up next was Masike, and she proved to all and sundry why she walked away with the Best Female Musician award at the recent National Arts Merit Awards. In “Inyoni” (a bird), Hope urges women to spread their wings and not impose boundaries themselves. Women must be proactive and not be crybabies. This is the message in “Ndoita Sei”, in which she calls on women to be “go-getters”, even when it comes to matters of the heart. Hope Masike The show did not only entertain, but symbolised unity among the artistes, with each of them denouncing gender based violence. Jazz sensation Rute Mbangwa proved to be the cut above the rest with her astounding performance. Love was clearly in the air when she climbed onto the  stage at 5.30pm. She kicked off with “African Woman”, about the trials and tribulations of a woman who is “full of love but often mistreated”, followed up by “Mufudzi” (true love is not determined by fancy job titles), James Chimombe’s ‘Buhera” which she cleverly blended with Oliver Mtukudzi’s blockbuster hit “Watitsvata”. She concluded her set with Marshall Munhumumwe’s Rudo Imoto”. The curtain then came down in style with the “Tisaparadzane” hitmaker Plaxedes Wenyika giving an afro-soul music experience for the rest of the evening.

Book Café celebrates Women’s Day in style March 7, 2013 in Entertainment, Life and Style, Music THE Book Café’s Sistaz Open Mic will on Saturday celebrate International Women’s Day with a star-studded line-up of performers. Report by Silence Charumbira The programme will start in the afternoon with performances from musicians who include Hope Masike, Rute Mbangwa, Clare Nyakujara, Rudo Chasi, M’Afriq, Dudu Manhenga and Uzanele. On the other hand, spoken word will be delivered by Roxy “Xapa” Mathazia, Batsirai Chigama, Charity Hutete and RuTendo DeNise. Popular poet Wadzanai Chiuriri will be part of the programme as the host of the event. The Sistaz Open Mic “after-party” follows up from 5:30pm with Plaxedes Wenyika who plays until 7pm. The International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8. “The Women’s Day commemoration event at Book Café is run by Pamberi Trust and supported in part by the Embassy of Canada,” said Penny Yon of Pamberi Trust. “The event is in its second year and aims at giving vital support to initiatives for freedom of expression by female artistes and gender advancement in general.” Yon said they dedicated a number of events during the week to the celebration of female artistic talent. “Other events to mark the week at Book Cafe include a free screening, presented by Women Filmmakers of Zimbabwe, of the film Cut — a confrontation with the brutal practice of female genital mutilation. “There will be an evening performance on Thursday (tonight) by three of Zimbabwe’s popular women artists known as 3Generations.” The 2013 Theme for celebrations of the day around the world is “The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum”. “In Zimbabwe, there is much to be celebrated, and the Sistaz Open Mic on Saturday will honour some of the women in the arts in Zimbabwe,” said Yon. Sistaz Open Mic falls under the gender project Female Literary Arts and Music Enterprise, which has worked with hundreds of women artists over the years. The organisers also support female talent through commemorating the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. Every December, since 2007, women artists gather at the venue to speak and perform in protest against violence.

Book Café celebrates Women’s Day in style

March 7, 2013 in Entertainment, Life and Style, Music

THE Book Café’s Sistaz Open Mic will on Saturday celebrate International Women’s Day with a star-studded line-up of performers.
Report by Silence Charumbira
The programme will start in the afternoon with performances from musicians who include Hope Masike, Rute Mbangwa, Clare Nyakujara, Rudo Chasi, M’Afriq, Dudu Manhenga and Uzanele.

On the other hand, spoken word will be delivered by Roxy “Xapa” Mathazia, Batsirai Chigama, Charity Hutete and RuTendo DeNise.

Popular poet Wadzanai Chiuriri will be part of the programme as the host of the event.
The Sistaz Open Mic “after-party” follows up from 5:30pm with Plaxedes Wenyika who plays until 7pm.
The International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8.

“The Women’s Day commemoration event at Book Café is run by Pamberi Trust and supported in part by the Embassy of Canada,” said Penny Yon of Pamberi Trust.

“The event is in its second year and aims at giving vital support to initiatives for freedom of expression by female artistes and gender advancement in general.”

Yon said they dedicated a number of events during the week to the celebration of female artistic talent.
“Other events to mark the week at Book Cafe include a free screening, presented by Women Filmmakers of Zimbabwe, of the film Cut — a confrontation with the brutal practice of female genital mutilation.

“There will be an evening performance on Thursday (tonight) by three of Zimbabwe’s popular women artists known as 3Generations.”

The 2013 Theme for celebrations of the day around the world is “The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum”.
“In Zimbabwe, there is much to be celebrated, and the Sistaz Open Mic on Saturday will honour some of the women in the arts in Zimbabwe,” said Yon.

Sistaz Open Mic falls under the gender project Female Literary Arts and Music Enterprise, which has worked with hundreds of women artists over the years.

The organisers also support female talent through commemorating the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. Every December, since 2007, women artists gather at the venue to speak and perform in protest against violence.

Daily News

Three Generations In IWD Concert

On Thursday three divas raise their voices in song to celebrate International Women’s Day.  On March 7^th at 8pm The Book Café presents Three Generations,featuring jazz singers Dudu Manhenga, Clare Nyakujara and Uza Manhenga in a spectacular, never-before-seen performance.  The three talented women represent three generations of music and promise a night of lively entertainment by electric performers in celebration with women all around the world. 

International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated each year on March 8^tharound the world.  Thousands of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. This year’s theme is “The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum”.  Organisations, governments, educational institutions, women's groups, and the media all celebrate International Women’s Day.  Pamberi Trust joins in this important tribute and has organized a number of events to mark International Women’s Day at The Book Cafe. 

Three women jazz singers calling themselves Three Generations conceived this one-of-a-kind show for International Women’s Day.  Featuring three different, captivating voices, they share a common talent and all three women bring something unique and captivating to the table.  

Dudu, Clare and Uza are phenomenal jazz vocalists on the Zimbabwe music scene.  DuduManhenga the veteran, has been in the music business for 16 years.  A talented jazz musician, Dudu is one of the foremost jazz singers in Zimbabwe today, inheriting Dorothy Masuka’s mantle as a singular jazz diva like no other. 

Dudu as she is simply known, has released four albums and a DVD in her musical career and has worked with some of the best jazz musicians in Zimbabwe.  She has also toured extensively in Denmark, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia and Swaziland.

“This IWD we are celebrating individual milestones.  We are definitely going to be celebrating each other for starters.  The audience should expect something fresh.  Something worth talking about.  Something new.  Definitely it is new for us three.  We have never performed together before as a collective.”

Speaking about the challenges faced by female musicians, Dudu says, “I think we are always having to work a little harder to get attention-to get our cause heard.  It is easier for male artists because they just put together a show anywhere.  I think that socially there are so many expectations for us.  But being able to stand onstage is an opportunity to express myself.  It’s a powerful position.  Behind the microphone, I can make a comment about anything.  I can say anything in a song and it becomes an issue and then it’s out there.  And the fact that we are able to put out our frustrations in song is cathartic”.  

Performing alongside Dudu, is Clare Nyakujara.  Clare is a lesser known, but exciting musical talent.  Hailed as a powerful jazz vocalist, Clare specializes in what she calls Afro-jazz pop.  Her first album “Haudineyi” was well-received and her follow-up album “Unleashed” launched at the Spanish Embassy in 2011, won her a solid fan base.  Clare has a fun, fresh sound.  Her songs also often focus on issues that concern women, including Mumba from her first album which is about domestic violence and Ndavekudziirwawhich is about children and abuse.  Clare performs with her long-established band, The Other Four and travelled to the Shanghai Expo in 2010, performed at HIFA from 2009 to 2011 and toured extensively in South Africa and Namibia.

About the show she says, “It’s going to be a two-part show.  We are going to have me Uza and Dudu doing our own songs in the first part.  And in the second part, we are going to do a show called ‘good girl meets bad girl’, and this one will feature songs from Brenda Fassie and Yvonne Chaka Chaka.  So this part will be a celebration of those women who have gone before us in the music industry”.  

Clare adds that the show is especially important to recognize women and the unique problems they face. “It’s very hard being a female musician in a country like this one.  I would like it to be that IWD is when we celebrate everything and the ways we have fought against violence.  Even just being a woman is hard.  So we are bringing in this show to celebrate just being a woman and all the wars we have had to fight.”

Uza Manhenga is perhaps the least known of the trio, but the diminutive diva still packs a punch with her soaring vocals and professional delivery.  As Dudu’s little sister, Uza started performing as a background vocalist for Dudu, Ignatius Mabasa, Bob Nyabinde and The Cool Crooners and The Mbare Trio at HIFA 2007.  She started performing as a solo artist at Sistaz Open Mic at the Book Café, using this important music platform to gain experience and exposure.  Now in 2013, she has released her first single from the album she is hoping will be released to the public this May.  The single called, Nginje is about how everyone affects and influences you.

“My music is Afro-urban contemporary and deals with social issues, to encourage listeners to be positive about their lives and to dream beyond the limits imposed by their circumstances and backgrounds.”

Come and enjoy Three Generations of music from three talented jazz vocalists at the Book Café on Thursday 7 March at 8pm.  The show promises to be an eclectic mix of township jazz music and extraordinary jazz vocal performances in celebration of IWD.  Three Generations will also perform on Saturday March 9^th as part of theSistaz Open Mic programme celebration of International Women’s Day at The Book Café at 2pm.   Don’t miss out!

END

Prepared by Tawanda Mudzonga (Miss)

For Pamberi Trust