……Participants at the Midlands Marimba Braai Festival
Stephen Chadenga
The Midlands Marimba Braai Festival lived to its billing after it brought the Gweru community together by bringing food, mbira and marimba music to the table of fun and entertainment loving folks.
Midlands Marimba Arts Festival founder and director Tinomutenda Chihora said the braai festival was meant to bring together the community in celebrating the rich Zimbabwean music and cultural heritage.
“The Midlands Marimba Braai Festival is a gathering meant to celebrate our rich marimba and mbira music,”Chihora said.
“This year’s gathering saw a perfect blend of Mbira, marimba and braai.
“The braai festival saw new comers trained in basic mbira and marimba performances. It was an opportunity for people to eat and learn and engage with music in a fun way.”
Chihora urged music lovers to embrace such festivals saying it was an opportunity for musical talent discovery and promotion of the country’s rich cultural heritage.
“When we started the arts festival we had a vision to align it with National Development Strategy 1, which aims to promote inclusive and heritage based education, youth skill development and cultural and creative industries,”he said.
“Now that we entering into National Development Strategy 2 we are encouraging people to embrace such festivals including the braai festival to promote the rich Zimbabwean music.
“The corporate world has shown a willingness to promote such festivals and we should take advantage of that. We pay tribute to John Kingstone and the Praising Souls for donating towards such festivals.”
Chihora applauded the ministry of sport recreation, arts and culture for supporting the braai festival
Midlands Marimba Arts Festival administrator Ndabazilizwe Moyo said there was need for people to meet regularly and promote Zimbabwean traditional music.
“We urge fellow participants to go out there and spread the gospel of marimba and mbira music,”Moyo said.
A braai festival attendee and Gweru based guitarist Clever Chimuka said the festival was an eye opener and equipped artists with new skills.
“This was not only about braai but an opportunity to equip all of us with basic musical elements that are necessary for the development of any artist,”Chimuka said.
“My wish is that the frequency of these kind of engagements be increased. Surely Zimbabwe will never be the same again in terms of artistic heritage. What is now needed is to fuse our heritage based arts into digital form.”
Another braai festival participant artist and local actress Monalissar (Coco) Wilsher said the gathering was an opportunity for Gweru folks to meet and learn the basics of playing mbira and marimba music.
“This was an event that brought people together through music and food,”she said.
“We enjoyed ourselves while learning something new. We learnt the basics of playing mbira and marimba instruments and it is our wish that we frequently have such festivals.”
The Midlands Marimba Braai Festival was held under the theme, Rhythm of Our Roots, Celebrating World Intangible Cultural Heritage Day.