The Diversity of Culture
While Europeans flocked to the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, a sizeable crowd showed their appreciation of the Zimbabwean culture when they gathered at the Chitungwiza Arts Centre to commemorate the culture week at the weekend.
The centre - a ten-year old institution housing various art forms from music, sculpture, painting to dance troupes - was a hub of activity on Saturday as invited groups showed the staff they are made of to a small but appreciative crowd.
Guest of honour and National Arts Council of Zimbabwe representative, Ms Matubu summed the day up when she said that as Zimbabweans, we should be proud of our culture.
This year's theme for the culture celebrations was Cultural Diversity for National Development.
"There is nothing as important as teaching our children the local cultural values," said Ms Matubu, adding that the culture of a country was its window to the outside world.
Siting the instance of Zvidozvevanhu Culture Ensemble, currently performing in China, Ms Matubu said gone were the days when the arts were regarded as vagrant occupations.
Ms Matubu said this after witnessing a sterling performance from Dudzai Primary School's traditional dance kids who set the stage alight with their dunhe dance.
She also revealed that the NAC intended to wrestle agriculture and mining as the top foreign currency earners by the year 2010.
Another scintillating display came from Chibuku Road to Fame trialists One Way Afro Jazz band, whose guitar work provoked the 'Sele Mama' frolic from a vociferous section of the patrons.
Although they are yet to record, One Way Afro Jazz are popular in Chitungwiza and, judging by their performance on Saturday, they could give established sungura artists a good run for their money.
On a day when up coming where given the stage, other acts came from Dungwiza Arts Crew (marimba), acapella gospel group Harmony Singers and another aspiring gospel artist Costah Musvosvi.
Meanwhile, the hopeful artists also benefited from a personal management course by Building Opportunities on Artistic Talent Foundation, in which they were taught to view their talent as a business, not just a pastime where they blew money willy-nilly in the knowledge that they could get some more quickly.
The centre - a ten-year old institution housing various art forms from music, sculpture, painting to dance troupes - was a hub of activity on Saturday as invited groups showed the staff they are made of to a small but appreciative crowd.
Guest of honour and National Arts Council of Zimbabwe representative, Ms Matubu summed the day up when she said that as Zimbabweans, we should be proud of our culture.
This year's theme for the culture celebrations was Cultural Diversity for National Development.
"There is nothing as important as teaching our children the local cultural values," said Ms Matubu, adding that the culture of a country was its window to the outside world.
Siting the instance of Zvidozvevanhu Culture Ensemble, currently performing in China, Ms Matubu said gone were the days when the arts were regarded as vagrant occupations.
Ms Matubu said this after witnessing a sterling performance from Dudzai Primary School's traditional dance kids who set the stage alight with their dunhe dance.
She also revealed that the NAC intended to wrestle agriculture and mining as the top foreign currency earners by the year 2010.
Another scintillating display came from Chibuku Road to Fame trialists One Way Afro Jazz band, whose guitar work provoked the 'Sele Mama' frolic from a vociferous section of the patrons.
Although they are yet to record, One Way Afro Jazz are popular in Chitungwiza and, judging by their performance on Saturday, they could give established sungura artists a good run for their money.
On a day when up coming where given the stage, other acts came from Dungwiza Arts Crew (marimba), acapella gospel group Harmony Singers and another aspiring gospel artist Costah Musvosvi.
Meanwhile, the hopeful artists also benefited from a personal management course by Building Opportunities on Artistic Talent Foundation, in which they were taught to view their talent as a business, not just a pastime where they blew money willy-nilly in the knowledge that they could get some more quickly.
Specialising in the less privileged artists, BOAT is an organisation that strives to groom the artists into good managers for international competence.
Vice Chairman of the centre, Mr. Wiston Nyekete thanked BOAT on the artists' behalf saying their course had helped Chitungwiza Arts Centre members to carefully manage their finances by investing into their work for future gains.
Vice Chairman of the centre, Mr. Wiston Nyekete thanked BOAT on the artists' behalf saying their course had helped Chitungwiza Arts Centre members to carefully manage their finances by investing into their work for future gains.
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