BOCAPA

The Book Cafe Academy of Performing Arts (BOCAPA) programme celebrates its 12th anniversary in 2009 - a weekly showcase of emerging bands, musicians and live literature, in which a number of now famous musicians and poets have participated. Since 2007 the open mic programme has evolved to include workshops and access to music equipment and rehearsal space and opportunities for 'Xposure'.

For the first two months of 2009 the programme continued with performances of young artists from the previous ‘season’, featuring one group each week. In March, the Nguva Yedu/Thuba Lethu youth festival for youth and civil society culminated in a huge concert featuring top local and regional artists, in which 6 young artists from the Bocapa programme participated: ‘Mokoomba’, Edene Timbe & ‘Fire’, MacIntosh Jerahuni, John Pfumojena & ‘Mnandi’, 'Bongo Love', and ‘Liqid & The Solid Band’. 

On Friday 27 March a ‘Talking Drum Workshop’ was held under the festival banner by Ghanaian drummer Agbodohu Gatorwobuna and other members of the Johannesburg-based group NOMAD-YI, together with 6 Zimbabwean percussionists from the Bocapa programme.  They shared valuable fusion of ancient and modern music drumming styles and techniques. 

In March and April Bocapa Xposure (BX) hosted 4 bands: ‘I-Free & Mungweme’, ‘Liqid & The Solid Band’, ‘Heavens Language’ (HL), and John Pfumojena & ‘Mnandi’. The first competitive season for 2009 started on Sat 25 April with 250 applications for auditions, revealing a dire need for this programme by young artists of Harare.  The auditions took place over 3 weeks and exposed new talent with lots of potential. 

From the auditions, 8 groups were selected to participate in four workshops facilitated by professional musicians Bob Nyabinde and Farai Kazembe, with weekly performances judged by professional artists.  Workshops included sessions on Instrumentation, Vocals, HIV/Aids and Choreography. 

June saw the end of Season, and the Winners were: 1 Savanna Afro (7 artists), 2 DZimbahwe (mbira)(7), 3 Afritude (7)(MXR participant).  These groups were featured on regular Monday nights to allow them to refine their performances and provide additional exposure through July.  Season 2 registration is already in progress, and starts 15 August. 

The huge response from young artists for the Bocapa Xposure programme led to the revival of the Bocapa Open Mic event on one Saturday afternoon each month, for those who have noy yet made it into the Xposure programme. 

The BOCAPA XPOSURE programme has become a hunting-ground for professional groups who are always on the lookout for fresh talent.  It also receives validation and support from established artists of Harare.

BOCAPA XPOSURE (BX) : Youth Development

The BOCAPA Xposure project is still the biggest and longest running youth development music programme in Zimbabwe, which feeds into other Pamberi Trust projects, and also other youth platforms in the country and the region.  In this period, Bocapa Xposure auditioned, selected, trained and exposed selected young artists in a structured programme to identify, nurture and promote them.

 180 young artists auditioned over a 3 week process in each of 2 ‘seasons’

 603 artists performed (including winners and repeat performers) at 45 Monday night events which attracted an average of 20 audience. 

 137 artists selected to workshops on Instrumentation, Vocals, HIV/Aids, Stagecraft 

 6 successful groups (34 artists) performed in dedicated performance slots, with average audiences of 20.

 670 ‘walk-up’ artists participated at 12 Bocapa Open Mic Saturday sessions attracted average 60 audience

 6 young artists from the Bocapa programme participated the Nguva Yedu / Thuba Lethu / Our Time festival for youth and civil society in March, which attracted over 600 audience.

BOCAPA ‘XPOSURE’ – Youth development

 Jan – Exposure events for 2008 participants: Park Lane, Thula Sizwe, Mnandi 

 Feb – Exposure events for 2008 participants: ‘I-Free’, Heavens Language, Mnandi

 March - Exposure events for 2008 participants: ‘I-Free’, Likwid & The Solid Band, Heavens Language, Mnandi.  6 Artists to the Nguva Yedu / Thuba Lethu / Our time Festival

 April–July: Season 1

75 acts (+90 artists, many solo) auditioned over 3 weeks

30 acts (+50 artists) selected to perform, judged by professional artists

15 acts (42 artists) selected to workshops and further 3 performances

6 acts selected to elimination round

3 winning acts (21 artists) selected to further 4 performances

 August-November: Season 2 

75 acts (+90 artists) auditioned over 3 weeks

30 acts (+50 artists) selected to perform, judged by professional artists

16 acts (40 artists) selected to workshops and further 3 performances

12 acts selected to elimination round

3 winning acts (13 artists) to further 5 performances

 December

- 01 Dec – World Aids Day concert – 3 Bocapa groups participated: John Pfumojena & Mnandi, Thula & Amavitela; Alexio Kawara & ‘Shades of Black’, with 100 audience. 

- 2 performances of Season 2 winners (13 artists).

 Open Mic events on 

FLAME

The Female Literary, Arts and Music Enterprise (FLAME) project brings women artists together, to grow, assert themselves in a male dominated society and participate fully in the mainstream of the arts. 

FLAME is the flagship project of Pamberi Trusts’ Harare Culture House, with a strong programme running through the year, comprising events, workshops and outreach.

FLAME WORKSHOPS 2009 – meeting the needs of women artists at different levels

• Feb 11-12, “A Workshop For Women Artists by Women Artists” – the continuing series of workshops dealing with performance, professionalism, publicity, copyrights, HIV/Aids; facilitated by established women artists.
• May 13-14, ‘Band Girls’ tackled relevant issues for women forming bands, working with session artists, and fusing poetry and music.
• June 17-18, ‘Band Girls 2’ repeated for those who did not manage to attend the previous month. 
 

House of Hunger Poetry Slam

The House of Hunger Poetry Slam was initiated in August 2005 and continues monthly with wonderfully vibrant live poetry that reverberates with sheer youthful joy and energy, diversity and satire and passion.  It is still the largest and longest-running poetry event in the country, attracting an average of 25 participating poets each month.  In 2009, Themes were:

Under the poetry project, support is given to two youth initiatives, two monthly events focusing on ‘the spoken word’ of the hip-hop and rap genres.  Pamberi Trust is the only organisation/venue to provide a platform and facilities for these genres of ‘street poetry’.

- ‘Mashoko’ – The Cultural Activists Network, ‘Mashoko: Our Word is Our Weapon’ event is held on the third Saturday of every month, attracting an average 50 audience for each event.  Members of Mashoko took part in the Nguva Yedu/Our Time festival for youth and civil society in March 2009.

- ‘The Circle’ – Rap Emcees take to the stage in a battle of words.  This event attracts 25 participants each month, with an average audience of 45.

Poetry Outreach in 2009 included assistance to 'The Lounge' in Zimbabwe’s second biggest city, Bulawayo.  Project officer Mandla Ncube helped local poets to coordinate and publicise the event, which is gaining popularity with an average of 35 participants each month.  Collaboration between House of Hunger Poetry Slam and the Bulawayo slam strengthened with the visit in June of 3 Bulawayo poets to the Harare slam.

The new Storytelling Open Mic event was introduced in January 2009 as a monthly event to promote the art of the spoken word.  Interest and participation is growing, with the June 2009 event featuring 15 story-tellers.

The ‘House of Hunger Poetry Slam’ is the strongest monthly poetry event in the country, attracting an average of 25 young poets participating each month.  In 2009:

 12 poetry slams were held, with 292 participating poets altogether

 Slams attracted good audiences of over 100 each month

 Outreach events and workshops in two smaller cities, Bulawayo and Gweru, to develop performance poetry beyond the capital. 8 Poets participated in the exchange programme with the Harare slam. 

 4 Zimbabwe poets invited to perform at ‘Arts Alive’ festival in Johannesburg in September, when the Jo’burg ‘House of Hunger’ slam was established.  

 1 South African poet emerging from Jo’burg slam performed in Harare.

 ‘The Circle’ – a monthly ‘hiphop battle of emcees’ attracts an average of 25 participants and an audience of +100.

 ‘Mashoko – The Spoken Word Event’ – a monthly performance of protest poetry attracts an average of 25 participants and an audience of +100.

 The monthly Storytelling Open Mic event with 10-15 storytellers taking part and audience numbers low but building.

POETRY SLAM

The ‘House of Hunger Poetry Slam’ is still the largest and longest-running poetry event in the country, attracting an average of 25 participating poets each month and an audience of around 45.  Themes were:

1. Jan, ‘A new beginning for a better future’

2. Feb, ‘ International Mother-Language Day’

3. Mar, ‘Working together, healing the nation’  

4. Apr, ‘Celebrating our time, our space, our freedom’

5. May, ‘World Press Day’

6. June, ‘Walking the path, building Zimbabwe’ included students from 2 local high schools.  

7. July, ‘Walking the Path, Building Zimbabwe’ with 28 participating poets.  

8. Aug 01, ‘Celebrating Zimbabwean Youth’ for International Youth Day. Among 16 poets the only woman participant, Cynthia ‘Flowchild’ Marangwanda, went on to win the slam.  

9. Sep 05, ‘Celebrating Peace – Ukuthula – Runyararo’ in line with International Peace Day.   22 poets participated.

10. Oct, “The Zimbabwe Renaissance”

11. Nov, “Building Tolerance amongst Zimbabweans”

12. Dec, “In the Spirit of Hope”

POETRY OUTREACH 

• BULAWAYO (442km) – In July a small workshop was held with Bulawayo poets to advise and assist in the setup of ‘The Lounge’ as a poetry platform.  It quickly gained independence as the monthly slam in the second largest city, and grew in strength and popularity.  Average participation is between 55-60 poets, as it is the only platform of its kind in the city.  In August 4 poets from Bulawayo joined the Harare slam: Tswarelo Mothobe, ‘Black Pha I’, and ‘Vuki’ and ‘5 Dot’.

• GWERU (200km) – poets and organisers workshopped to establish a slam in this third city, the first of which took place on Sat 22 August at the Midlands State University, which was well supported with 22 participating poets and 4 guest poets from Harare: ‘Ishkold’ ‘Semalo’, ‘Mutumwapavi’ and Ticha Muzavazi.

• JOHANNESBURG - Regional Outreach took place on 24 September with the invitation and performance of - 6 poets at the ‘Arts Alive: African Connection’  festival in South Africa.  Poets were ‘Cde Fatso’, ‘Outspoken’, ‘Mutumwapavi’, ‘Xapa’, ‘Ishkold’ and Batsirai Chigama.  The winning South African poet then traveled to Harare to participate in the final slam of the year on 05 December.  The success of this performance resulted in the establishment of a regular Poetry Slam at Alliance Francaise, Johannesburg – a major achievement which will start a rich exchange of poetry in the southern African region, facilitated by Pamberi’s sister-organisation African Synergy Trust in South Africa.  

• Story-Telling Open Mic is a developing project still building momentum and has strengthened in quality and numbers.  An average of 14 storytellers take part in the monthly event.

• ‘The Circle’ and ‘Magamba’ platforms receive venue, technical and publicity support for these popular monthly events.

 The House of Hunger Poetry Slam is validated by the participation of acclaimed poets of Zimbabwe such as Chirikure Chirikure and Julius Chingono.

 Featured guests who started out at the slam and are now traveling the world – Sam ‘Cde Fatso’ Monro and Tongai ‘Outspoken’ Makawa, and others.

Sistaz Open Mic

SISTAZ OPEN MIC is one of the highlights of the FLAME project, a monthly Open Mic session where female artists come together to 'DO UR THANG!!' - MUSIC, POETRY, DANCE - WHATEVA!' on the second Saturday afternoon of each month.

The Programme has seen the emergence of many promising young women, poets, singers and musicians. There has generally been a notable improvement in the professionalism of the artists, and a wider representation of women artists on the local arts scene in Harare.  Young women artists are gaining confidence, being inspired by each other, and experimenting within their genres. There is a great spirit of improvisation, with each event seeing unlikely but lively and highly successful impromptu collaborations, some of which have developed into substantial arts products, featured on other stages in the city.  Professional artists use the event as a scouting ground, and several women artists have gained employment with existing bands from this exposure.

Young women poets are expanding their performing skills by following trends for fusion with music, collaborating with women instrumentalists.  This has led to a strengthening of both the women artists and the programme, and inspired more young women to take up musical instruments.

Sistaz Open Mic themes in 2009 were:

Sistaz Open Mic success stories, for women who participated from the outset of the programme in the past, include:

• Hope Masike & Kakuwe – A participant from the early days of Sistaz Open Mic, Hope Masike formed the band Kakuwe, recorded her debut CD, maintained a regular show at The Book Café, and become involved in regional artistic programme Umoja, and traveled with Ubuntu African music project with whom she performed in Europe in July 2009.
• Primrose Dzenga – Poet, writer, published her first book entitled ‘The Unsung Heroin, Auxillia Chimsoro’, the story of a woman seen as ‘the mother of AIDS activism in Zimbabwe’.
• Kessia Magosha – a dynamic singer/performer, returned to the public stage after a few years of ‘temporary retirement into motherhood’. 
• Thanda Richardson was identified by Danish organisation MS Zimbabwe to collaborate, perform and record with a Danish raga/hiphop group Bikstok Rogsystem in Harare in July, with a reciprocal visit to Denmark later in the year.
• Rumbi Tapfuma – percussionist – now gained credibility as a female conga player, one of only two Zimbabwean artists invited to perform at Mozambique music festival this year.
• Vimbai Zimuto – recorded her solo debut CD in 2008 directly as a result of Sistaz Open Mic exposure, and also performs as backing vocalist to Zimbabwe’s legendary Oliver Mtukudzi.
• Sistaz Open Mic enjoys strong support from women’s organisations including Women Filmmakers of Zimbabwe, who engage women artists from SOM for their annual International Images Film Festival opening in Harare; and the Dance Foundation of Zimbabwe.

‘Independent Sistaz’ at The Book Café
Sat 18 April 2009, 2-5pm

This Saturday 18 April, on the 29th anniversary of Zimbabwe’s independence, SISTAZ OPEN MIC at The Book Café explores the wider definitions of independence and examines their deeper meaning for women artists who are stepping up to the challenge of music and the music industry in Zimbabwe.

Although not the reality of most women in performing arts today, for everyone independence means more than having your own band, or your own music equipment;  it is about self-determination, self-reliance, individualism.  Sistaz Open Mic will be leading the way on Saturday, for women artists to grasp the dream, and embrace the reality.

Sistaz Open Mic is a unique event, a special platform designed for young (and older) women to come out in the safety of daytime, and do their artistic thing!  It’s an arts development project which has been running at The Book Café since 2007 under Pamberi Trust’s gender programme ‘FLAME’ (Female Literary, Arts and Music Enterprise), featuring over 20 emerging female musicians, singers and poets each month, with some moving to higher levels in the industry. 

Under the guidance of established women artists who have already achieved a high level of independence, including Dudu Manhenga who is the projects long-standing special guest and consultant, 2008 saw the emergence of gifted young artists such as Hope Masike and Vimbai Zimuto, poets Batsirai Chigama, ERS Muchemwa and Xapa.  Many have achieved recognition and moved on to perform at other events.  As a result the Harare cultural scene has seen a huge increase of women artists, who grace large and small events across the city. 

FLAME includes events and a series of workshops for women artists, in a programme which is self-determined and appropriately entitled “For Women Artists By Women Artists”.  The programme started in 2006, funded by Dutch agency HIVOS, and engaged with established female performing artists in a first workshop called “Divas Deliberate”.  The needs of women artists were brought to the table, and the workshop programme planned accordingly, and later adapted where necessary.  Workshop topics include Image & Discipline, Stagecraft, Publicity & The Internet, HIV & Aids, Copyright Issues, and separate Songwriting workshops have been conducted by the gifted and highly skilled musician and producer, Bernie Bismark, also a valuable contributor to the programme. 

As another measure of achieving independence, Sistaz Open Mic will be filmed by Sistaz Open Mic, with gender project officer Penny Yon and media development officer Rudo Chakanyuka hands-on-cameras which have recently been acquired under Pamberi Trust’s technology development.

The Independence Open Mic on Sat 18 is sure to offer up the usual dynamic mix of women artists doing as the advert invites: ‘Song, Poetry, Dance, - Whatever! - Sistaz, this is your space – come and do your thang!’  All are welcome at the friendly cover charge of US$0.50, and performers should register with Rudo before the show starts at 2pm.

ENDS



CELEBRATING S/HEROES at The Book Café
‘Women celebrating women’

Sat 8 August 2009, 2-5pm

This Saturday 8 August, SISTAZ OPEN MIC at The Book Café will be remembering, honouring and celebrating our very own ‘s/heroes’, Zimbabwean sisters who have informed, touched and changed societies and nations.  The 2-5pm event will feature sizzling acts from women singers, poets, dancers and emcees of Harare, who gather in the safety of daytime every month, to claim their space and ‘do their thang’.

In Zimbabwe, August is the month we remember our heroes and ‘s/heroes’ who fought in the struggle for the liberation of our nation, and the opening of our minds: the legendary Mbuya Nehanda; HIV & Aids activist Auxillia Chimusoro who changed the way people viewed the pandemic by being the first to go public with her HIV status in Zimbabwe; acclaimed women writers like Tsitsi Dangarembga, Petina Gappah and the late Yvonne Vera whose writing have touched world, and the late sculptor Colleen Madamombe.

Sistaz Open Mic will also salute the not-so-celebrated ‘s/heroes’ - the vegetable-traders of Mbare Musika, struggling with heavy loads and babies on board; the office and factory workers that turn the wheels of our nation; the grandmothers who are heading families - those that may never reach a public stage to receive recognition or acclaim.

Sistaz Open Mic is a unique event, a special platform for women artists which has been running at The Book Café since 2007 under Pamberi Trust’s gender project ‘FLAME’ (Female Literary, Arts and Music Enterprise).  The FLAME project includes events and a series of workshops for women artists, in a programme which is self-determined and appropriately entitled “For Women Artists By Women Artists

Sistaz Open Mic has become a popular space for young women who come out to perform, often for the first time, in a no-pressure zone where they find encouragement, direction and a solid support system from established women artists of Zimbabwe, who fully support the programme. 

This month Sistaz welcomes Thanda Richardson & Hope Masike back from the Ubuntu Festival in Europe, and well-known poet Batsirai Chigama who joined Pamberi Trust from August as projects officer to assist in the growing and wonderful programmes lined up under FLAME. 
 
Penny Yon, who is the project officer responsible for the programme, said: “This is a unique and special space for Zimbabwean women to rise up and be counted; it’s a hotbed of creativity, and there have been some amazing results.  Valuable collaborations and networks are growing between women artists, together with their male counterparts, and we want to see more of the same!”

This Saturday, women artists will be coming out in numbers to celebrate those who fought to create the kind of freedom and spaces that they now enjoy.

For those who are not performing, there is a friendly cover charge of US$0.50, and a warm invitation to relax and enjoy a great line-up of entertainment.  Performers should register at The Book Café before the show starts at 2pm.

ENDS


By Batsirai Chigama
For Pamberi Trust







Sistaz Celebrating Peace
The Book Café
Sat 12 September 2009, 2-5pm


 


This Saturday 12 September, women artists are expected to come out in full force with messages of Peace at September’s SISTAZ OPEN MIC.  The monthly event at The Book Café will host a myriad of talented women artists who will explore the wider definitions of peace through the power of words and music. The 2-5pm event will feature acts from women singers, poets, dancers and emcees of Harare.

The International Day of Peace, observed each year on 21 September, is a global call for ceasefire and non-violence.  “It is time to reflect on the horror and cost of war and benefits of peacefully resolving our disputes,” said Mr Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, quoted on www.un.org.  In his message to mark the 100-day countdown to the International Day of Peace on the 13th of June, he launched the WMD – WeMustDisarm Campaign and called for “celebrities” (artists would be included) to play their role in spreading the message.

Sistaz Open Mic is a unique event. It is a come-hang-out-feel-good-and-forget-your-strife kind of space, a special platform where women artists express themselves freely.  The event has been running at The Book Café since 2007 under Pamberi Trust’s gender project ‘FLAME’ (Female Literary, Arts and Music Enterprise).    The FLAME project includes events and a series of workshops for women artists, in a programme which is self-determined and appropriately entitled “For Women Artists By Women Artists”.

This Sistaz Open Mic comes after a very successful workshop, “A workshop for Women artists by Women artists” where 20 vibrant young women artists engaged in issues of perfecting their art as well as related matters of HIV & AIDS and how it affects the artist.  Project officer Batsirai Chigama said, “it was encouraging to see and hear the young artists asserting themselves and displaying eagerness to learn and improve their art into a respectable business.”

This fast-growing open mic session has become a popular space for young women who come out to perform, often for the first time, more of whom have grown to become forces to reckon with within their spheres of expertise from music, dance, story-telling, poetry and so much more in a no-pressure zone where they find encouragement, direction and a solid support system from established women artists of Zimbabwe, who fully support the programme. 

Afro jazz diva Dudu Manhenga who strongly supports FLAME and Sistaz Open Mic,  and poets Roxanne ‘Xapa’ Mathazia and Batsirai Chigama will be leaving for South Africa to participate in ‘African Connections’ events in the huge ‘Arts Alive’ festival in Johannesburg at the end of September.  Sistaz Open Mic is proud to be working with these sisters as well as many others who have been supporting the project over the years.


For those who are not performing, there is a friendly cover charge of US$0.50, and a warm invitation to relax and ‘chill out’ for the enjoyment of a great line-up.  Performers should register at The Book Café before the show starts at 2pm. It’s party time.

ENDS

By Batsirai E Chigama
For Pamberi Trust








SISTAZ SUMMER PARTY
The Book Café
Sat 10 October 2009,
2-5pm – Sistaz Open Mic
5-7pm – Rina Mushonga & Zimfellas

This Saturday 10 October, women artists will be celebrating summer and the gift of new life and energy at the SISTAZ OPEN MIC in song, dance, poetry and a highly entertaining mix of different impromptu acts. 

A unique monthly event at The Book Cafe, the open mic sessions are a ‘come-hang-out-feel-good-and-forget-your-strife’ space, created and designed especially for young women to come out in the safety of daytime and participate in the arts. 

It’s a special platform where they can express themselves freely in a no-pressure zone 
and where they find encouragement, direction and a solid support system from established women artists of Zimbabwe, who fully support the programme. 

Synergies of musical groups and poets have over the last year created a new and refreshing genre of musical poetry and there have been several other such successful collaborations.

This month the sisters will focus on hazy sunny summer days, the promise of rains, the reservoir of life and the spring of pfumvudza – a birth of the new. 

The event has been running at The Book Café since 2007 under Pamberi Trust’s gender project ‘FLAME’ (Female Literary, Arts and Music Enterprise), and attracts a wide range of emerging and established women artists of the city, filling the venue to capacity each month with enthusiastic audiences.  The FLAME project exists to promote women artists and includes events and a series of workshops for women artists, in a programme which is self-determined and appropriately entitled “For Women Artists By Women Artists”.

Projects administrator Penny Yon said “although the project has been running steadily for three years, it never gets stale; there is always something new and amazing coming up as young women gain confidence to step up to the microphone, and develop from there”.  Pamberi Trust works to nurture and support such talent, and quite a number of success stories which have passed through the open mic platform and on to bigger things. 

This week Sistaz Open Mic welcomes back from South Africa, afro jazz diva Dudu Manhenga and poets Roxanne ‘Xapa’ Mathazia and Batsirai Chigama who successfully participated in ‘African Connections’ poetry slam in the huge ‘Arts Alive’ festival which ran throughout the month of September in Johannesburg.  Congratulations to Xapa who scooped the third prize at the festival slam.  These women artists have helped to put Zimbabwe on the artistic map in the region, and the country was well represented by their performances in the City of Gold. 


For those who are not performing at Sistaz Open Mic, there is a friendly cover charge of US$0.50, and a warm invitation to relax and ‘chill out’ for the enjoyment of a great line-up.  Performers should register with Tatenda Mabika at The Book Café before the show starts at 2pm. 

Following on directly from the Open Mic section will be the 5.30-7pm slot featuring Rina Mushonga & The Zimfellas, a fresh new collaboration of artists from diverse backgrounds finding common ground, and giving birth to something new!


This Sistaz Open Mic comes after another successful workshop, ‘Writing for Radio Drama’ where 20 women writers gathered to learn more about this very specific writing skill.  The workshop was conducted in partnership with Zimbabwe Women Writers, and in line with Pamberi Trust’s service to literary, visual and performing arts.  The 1-2 October workshop was the twenty-first since the beginning of the programme.

All women artists are invited to come out and claim their space - it’s summer time!


ENDS

By Batsirai E Chigama
For Pamberi Trust









NO TURNING BACK FOR THE SISTAZ!!
The Book Café
Sat 14 November 2009, 2-5pm


As we draw towards the end of the year, young women artists at the SISTAZ OPEN MIC event will celebrate their triumphs over the many challenges of the year with music, poetry and dance at the open mic this Saturday 14 November, 2-5pm at The Book Café in Harare’s Fife Avenue.
   
Author Rose G Kingsely was rightly inspired when she said of the month of November. “…indeed the crowning glory of the year, bringing the fruition of months of thought and care and toil.”  When 2009 knocked on their door the sisters stepped up to the challenge of equipping themselves for survival and success in the arts industry.  Dozens of young women have performed at the monthly platform, some for the very first time, and many have made huge strides through access to performance space, workshops and inclusion in a huge network of women artists which is growing in Zimbabwe’s arts industry today.

Sistaz Open Mic session has grown since its inception in 2007 under a Pamberi Trust gender project FLAME(Female Literary, Arts and Music Enterprise) to become a popular space for women of all ages, a special platform where women artists express themselves freely.  To make it more meaningful and fruitful all interested participants have undergone a series of workshops to groom them for bigger performance spaces in a programme which is self-determined and appropriately entitled “For Women Artists By Women Artists”.

FLAME workshops have partnered with well known Jazz Diva Dudu Manhenga, HIV & AIDS activist Cleopatra Ndlovu, songwriter/producer Bernie Bismark, who throughout the years have selflessly given their time to workshop women artists in their respective areas of expertise, and with other arts organisations including Zimbabwe Music Rights Association and Zimbabwe Women Writers.

Though the Sistaz Open Mic platform is a come-hang-out-feel-good-and-forget-your-strife kind of space, it has been designed to empower women artists to take themselves seriously and make their art a respectable business that can earn them a living.  Among many other names Sistaz Open Mic is proud to be associated with artists like Uzanele Manhenga, Edith Katiji, Sista Fyre, Roxanne “Xapa” Mathazia, Tariro Ruzvidzo, Thanda Richardson, Rina Mushonga, Hope Kakuwe and the young poet Aura Kawanzaruwa just to mention a few.

For those who are not performing, there is a friendly cover charge of US$0.50, and a warm invitation to relax and ‘chill out’ for the enjoyment of a great line-up.  Performers should register with Tatenda Mabika at The Book Café before the show starts at 2pm.

ENDS

By Batsirai E Chigama
For Pamberi Trust
 

Btrue

Paw Paw Jam

A Celebration of Cultural Diversity, the ‘Paw Paw Jam’ is a monthly showcase of cultural diversity featuring artists from different cultural backgrounds, bringing people together to promote tolerance and understanding in the arts.

Update

With budget cuts for all project activities, the Paw Paw Jam event was considered too costly and impractical in the current environment. In June 2008 the Paw Paw Jam was postponed due to cash flow problems, and by July cancelled until 2009. Two events were held in the first half of the year:


-February - Bob Marley commemoration month, Paw Paw Jam hosted 5 bands under the theme “ Reggae Sunsplash ’08” - Dino Mudondo, Eyahra Mathaiza, Willom Tight, Black Roots Cru, Sister Flame and Transit Crew representing a total of 28 artists with 6 of them being female.


-31 May, “Schools Bands Jam” which featured Sam Mtukudzi as the main act (PE Old Boy), Prince Edward Senior Jazz Band, Churchill High School drum/sax duo, and the Zimbabwe College of Music band.