CULTURAL STATISTICS SURVEY REPORT UNVEILED

It is here.  HIFA? NOOOO.  Winter?  Well almost, we can feel the bite but still NOOOO. On Tuesday, 16 April 2013 over a hundred cultural practitioners gathered for the presentation of the Cultural Statistics Survey Report at the Rainbow Towers.  The survey which was conducted in October 2012 covered the areas of Harare, Chitungwiza, Norton, Ruwa and Epworth, so if you filled in one of those long winding questionnaires your efforts did not go in vain.

 A first of it’s kind in Zimbabwe, the exercise was the brainchild of Culture Fund in partnership with ZIMSTAT and supported by the UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity.  A follow up to the Culture Fund Baseline Study on the Culture Sector in Zimbabwe of March 2009, the main objective of the project was to sensitize policy makers and investors to the results of the findings on the contributions of the cultural industries to the economy.  The size of the sample is however inadequate to determine the national economic contribution of cultural industries to the national GDP but serves as an indicator and starting point towards a national survey in the future.

 Director of Culture Fund Zimbabwe, Farai Mpfunya addresses delegates, Rainbow Towers

Guest of Honour, Prof Luc Rukingama who is the UNESCO Harare Cluster Office Director, spoke of the importance of having in depth knowledge of the cultural industries in Zimbabwe so as to understand how they operate and how much they are contributing to the national economy.  He echoed what the Director General of ZIMSTAT, Mr M Dzinotizei had said earlier in his opening speech that “to be informed is to be empowered.”  The information contained in this report is not only relevant to the policy makers but also to artists, cultural houses and investors as an indication of how they can fully tap into the development of the arts in Zimbabwe.

 Nyanduri Tinashe Muchuri performing his poem, “Zvokwedu”

The report which was hailed by many as a starting point and a step in the right direction was not without shortfalls as the project had followed UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics (FCS) template of 2009. It was noted that the template had “various limitations at implementation level and there was need to domesticate the template in order to embrace a more inclusive regime of downstream economic activities,” according to the observations and recommendation of the survey’s technical team presented by Ms Roseline Chirume of ZIMURA .  A number of issues were highlighted which will hopefully be improved by the time the national cultural statistic survey is conducted.

 Director of the National Arts Council, Mr Elvas Mare makes a contribution during the general discussion

 Farai Mpfunya , Director of the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe indicated that there is a possibility of further meetings to discuss the findings of the report in the course of the year and interested stakeholders should be on the look-out for those meetings.

Batsirai E Chigama

Voices of the Future at Sistaz Open Mic

Sisters of all kinds will be gathering at Book Cafe on Saturday 13 April for Sistaz Open Mic, a lively platform for emerging (and also well-established) women artists, from 2-5pm.  It's an invitation to "do your thang - song, dance, poetry, comedy, whateva!”  and a platform for free expression by young women of Zimbabwe.

April’s theme is ‘Voices of the Future’.  The fascinating thing about Sistaz Open Mic is that you never know who will be on stage – from the outright first-timers - the uncut diamonds - to some of Zimbabwe’s most popular poets, singers and musicians.  Will Dudu Manhenga be there?  Or Tariro Ruzvido (‘Tari neGitare’) back from Europe?  Who will be sharing the stage with who on that happy day?

For many young women this is a first exposure to a big live audience of the general public, but in the spirit of Sistaz Open mic they are accorded a warm welcome and lots of encouragement to step up to the microphone. 

Leading the way and showing how it is done will be women artists who have travelled the road in the Zimbabwe music industry, and reached acclaim both at home, and some abroad.  Others will be those who are already in and swiftly rising in the ranks while growing steadily.  Will Tina Watyoka make it back from Gweru and her studies at Midlands State University for the show?  Can we expect other young women who are educating themselves in music in that institution? 

So far confirmed guests are Agnes Sambewe and Patience Mpofu from 'SHURO', a young group all the way from Zvishavane hot off the Midlands circuit and now making its debut in Harare later that afternoon, and the lively young singer-songwriter ‘Uza’ takes a turn as MC for the day.  Registration for performers will quickly fill up, and those who want to participate should check in early to sign up with the MC (before 2pm).  The team of women who run the event have a collective saying "Sistaz, this is your space - come and claim it!"

What is certain is a great afternoon of women in the arts, supported by brothers and by each other.  Welcome to three hours of outright entertainment and first hand introduction to Voices of the Future!  

Pamberi Trust is an arts development association which works to identify and nurture young artists of Zimbabwe, bring women artists into the mainstream of the arts and provide platforms for freedom of expression at Book Cafe.  Development programmes by Pamberi Trust operate with the support of the European Union, Hivos and others.