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.