Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
The 2025 Bira Rembira Festival will be held on September 27 at the Heritage Village in Harare.
Running under the theme “Our Identity, Our Pride – Engraving Our Culture and Heritage Through Generations,” the festival promotes the Mbira as an instrument.
The Mbira, sometimes referred to as a “thumb piano,” is a handheld soundboard made of wood with metal keys that are plucked to produce sound.
To amplify its resonance, it is often placed inside a large calabash resonator.
In Zimbabwe, the Mbira is more than just an instrument of entertainment. It is considered a vital link to the past, often described as a “telephone to the ancestors.” Traditionally, it has been played during celebrations such as weddings and the installation of traditional leaders.
In modern times, it features at concerts, corporate events and Government functions.
In recognition of its cultural importance, Zimbabwe hosted the inaugural Mbira Festival at Gwanzura Stadium in Harare last September, with thousands in attendance. The month was officially designated as “Mbira Month.”
The Mbira is gaining global recognition and has become a cultural symbol for Zimbabwean tourism.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has since endorsed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In a statement, festival director Benjamin Nyandoro announced the event will feature a star-studded line-up including Jah Prayzah, Samaita neMbira DzeNharira, Nyamasvisva Nemaungira eNharira, Feli Nandi, Mangwenya, Kurai Mukanya Makore, Andy Muridzo, Sasha Madhuve, Virimai Vee Mhofu, Gushungo, Duramazwi, Sarungano, Sir Lino Piloto, Lioness Shumbakadzi, Nzombehuru, Taffie Matiure, Pauline Gundidza, Jah Lenny, Nina X, and several other groups coming from outside Harare.
“We are delighted to share with you that the second edition of the Bira Rembira Festival is confirmed for Saturday, September 27, 2025, at the Heritage Village in Harare, Zimbabwe,” said Nyandoro.
“This year’s edition features exhibitions of our culture and heritage, ranging from traditional foods, games, cultural practices, the mbira, its making, playing and other traditional complementing instruments, to the national fabric, among others.
“We promise to provide a fitting ambiance and experience anchored in our intangible cultural heritage.”
