... and the NAMA Nominees are...

The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe launched the inaugural National Arts Merit Awards, popularly known as NAMA in February 2002.  The occasion of the National Arts Merit Awards is the main forum where the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe recognizes outstanding achievements in the area of Arts.

The awards bring together well-developed artistic modes, each different in its own identity.  By rewarding excelling artistes with the awards of merit, NAMA aims at stimulating more interest in the arts and raise the profile of the same. The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe considers the awards as one of the means that will stimulate and encourage creativity and quality among the arts thus putting Zimbabwean arts and culture on the international map. (NACZ)

The Women Artists who made it for the NAMA nominee selection are......

DANCE

Outstanding Female Dancer
Melany Caruthers— Titanium
Loveness Mambakwa—Bembera Arts Ensemble
Siphephiso Magonya– IYASA

THEATRE

Outstanding Actress
Rumbidzai Karize in When Angels Weep
Caroline Mashingaidze in Ten Bush
Nothando Nobengula in Wusiku and Ten Bush

Outstanding Director
Eunice Tava for Diamond's in His Son's Grave— Rooftop



VISUAL ARTS

Outstanding Exhibition

“The Cycle” by Davina Jovi
“Inhlama” by Nonhlanhla Mathe



SPOKEN WORD

Outstanding Comedian
No women comedians

Outstanding Poet

Sithandazile Dube



MUSIC

Outstanding Female Musician

Plaxedes Wenyika

Hope Masike

Cindy Munyavi

Outstanding Song
No women artists made it into this category

Outstanding Album
No women artists made it into this category



FILM AND TELEVISION

Outstanding Actress

Qeqeshiwe Mntambo in Suku

Sarah Mpofu inTshuz Mazikhethela and in Reunite

Locadia Matenga in Delete

Outstanding Music Video
No women artists made it into this category

Outstanding Screen Production (Television)

Outstanding Screen Production (Full Length film)

Suku by Gugulethu Ndlovu

Outstanding Screen Production (Short Film)
No women artists made it into this category



LITERARY ARTS

Outstanding fiction Book

Taking The Lead  by Sibongile Mnkandla

Outstanding Children’s book
No women writers made it into this category

Outstanding First creative Published Work

???

MEDIA

Outstanding Journalist (Print)

Margaret Chinowaita

Outstanding Journalist (Television)
???

Outstanding Online Media

The Writers International Network

Three Men On A Boat

Zimbojam



SPECIAL AWARDS

Outstanding Promoter of the Year

C & A Entertainment

Brumat t/a Horizon Bar and Restaurant

Chipaz Promotions


The National Arts Merit Awards Ceremony will be held at Large City Hall in Bulawayo on Saturday 16 February 2013. The Culture Fund through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency(Sida), awarded the NAMA awards a grant of US$15,000.00 for the ceremony in recognition of the need to reward and applaud artistic talent and good art at a national level.

The Herald on Sistaz at 6

Wednesday, 23 January 2013 00:00

Tawanda Ngena Arts Correspondent “SISTAZ Open Mic”, a talent search programme run by Pamberi Trust in collaboration with Dutch aid agency Hivos, turned six on Saturday, and the party held at the Book Cafe was characterised by poetry, music and dance. And on hand to add spark to the celebrations were poets Momo, Breezy, Tanaka Dziva, Red Ruff Rider, Roots and award-winning Botswana poet Mandisa Mabuthoe as well as upcoming musicians Lorraine Gambiza, Interface, Chitsinde, Miriam Kunaka, Rudorwashe Chasi and red-hot hip-hopper Tammy. Momo got the ball rolling with a sublime piece titled “Our Kiss” and wowed the audience with her cool delivery and simplicity. Breezy (Sound of Music), Tanaka Dziva, Red Ruff Rider (Fashion) and Roots (Ancient Age) also made it clear that they were not just there to make up the numbers. But it was not until the multi-talented Mandisa - who is an acclaimed poet, playwright, and art teacher - took to the stage with her hard-hitting and sometimes sexually explicit rhymes that poetry section moved a gear up. She performed four pieces - No More Free Sex”, “Passive Indecision”, “Love Story” and “Dragon Fly” - every one of them to ringing applause. I have to say I do not remember a dull moment during her act. You need to have been there to experience the power of the spoken word. Among the musicians special mention goes to Chitsinde, a two-woman band, whose guitar-playing skills provided a flashback to the Bhundu Boys heydays, Rudorwashe Chasi and Thamsanqa Moyo or simply Tammy. Tammy literally brought the house down with a sizzling performance of “Party Time” taken off her two-track album, Party Time, Celebrate Yo Lyf,” released in 2011. At the tender age of 15, Tammy has already shared the stage with international artistes like Joe Thomas and rubbed shoulders with music icon Oliver Mtukudzi. in addition, she has performed at high-profile events like the Harare International Festival of the Arts and the National Arts Merit Awards and, believe it or not, New York’s Madison Square Garden. Did I hear someone say: “Surely, Zimbabwe has its own Rihanna”? Well, that about sums up Tammy’s performance on Saturday. Guest artiste Clare Nyakudjara, a product of the Sistaz Open Mic, capped the celebrations with a virtuoso performance comprising plug tracks “Ndinogona”, “Ndinotenda” and “Famba Neni” from her debut eight-track album “Haudi Nei”. Sistaz Open Mic is an innovative platform for talented performers to express themselves at an event created with the needs of women artistes in mind. Although the Book Cafe hosts a monthly poetry slam open to both men and women, as well as a weekly Open Mic night every Tuesday, Sistaz Open Mic is a special event created and designed to support women artistes. The first Sistaz Open Mic was held in 2007 under the FLAME (Female Literary Arts and Music Enterprise) programme which is administered by Pamberi Trust. The growth of this popular event is a direct result of young artistes taking ownership of the project and, critically, mentoring by established women artistes such as Dudu Manhenga, who has been critical to the project, first as a co-ordinator, and now as staunch supporter and mentor to the young ladies who come and perform. The audience often includes talent scouts who represent professional artistes, which has led to lucrative work and careers for some, including the phenomenal Edith weUtonga and talented young singer Tina Watyoka.

Zimbabwe Independent on Sistaz at 6

FEMALE talent search programme, Sistaz Open Mic, celebrated its sixth anniversary recently with various performances from upcoming and established artistes at the Book Café.


Staff Writer
Artistes from a cross section of genres hailed the programme, part of the Female Literary Arts and Music Enterprise project designed to unearth and foster talent run by Pamberi Trust and supported by Hivos.
Jazz artiste Clare Nyakujara saluted the programme for nurturing her: “I want to thank everyone who has supported Sistaz Open Mic and I would like to urge them to continue doing so. I am grateful for their support as one of the products,” said Nyakujara.

Clare Nyakujara with Uzanele Manhenga

 Another up-and-coming artiste, Zanele Manhenga, also added her voice in applauding the initiative.
“Some of us are a product of this initiative. I want to thank the organisers for coming up with and sustaining the platform,” she said.

Uzanele, MC of the day

 During the event, Botswana poet Mandisa Mabuthoe, the first winner of regional Poetry Slam, gave a scintillating performance.

Mandisa Mabuthoe

 Poets who participated include Momo Size, Barbra “Breeze” Anderson, Tanaka Dziva and Roots. Talented jazz artiste Lein Munyaradzi Nyamarebvu also performed a solo act in support of the “sisters”.
Some of the famous names in the music industry involved in Sistaz Open Mic include Dudu Manhenga and Prudence Katomeni-Mbofana.

Talented guitarist Rudo Chasi was one of the best acts of the day as she sent audience into delirium when she performed together with Nyamarebvu. Part of the crowd included musicians Lady B, Edith WeUtonga and Ba Shupi. The event marked the first 2013 edition of the monthly affair.