Celebrating Uhuru through song

Arts Reporters
As Zimbabwe celebrates Independence today, it is time to look back and celebrate the role that the arts played in the liberation of the country.

Music was a major genre that propelled and oiled the liberation struggle.

Music is part of most events and during the liberation struggle, musicians played an important role in boosting morale among the fighters.

There were many songs composed during the liberation struggle that still make a difference today. Such songs will always be valued for the strong messages that they carry.

Such songs have been played over the years and their relevance is endless.

On the road to Zimbabwe’s Independence, music played an essential role of unifying freedom fighters and the masses.

In a bid to preserve the morale of freedom fighters in camps and the morale of the masses at home, song and dance were used to educate, inform and entertain.

Freedom fighters used music and dance at all-night gatherings called pungwes to educate the masses about the objectives of the armed struggle.

The songs, war cries of the struggle clearly defined the objectives of the liberation war.

“Nyika yedu yeZimbabwe”, “Ruzhinji Rwatsidza”, “Sendekera Mukoma” and “Emoyeni Kuyatshisa”are some of the songs that were continuously sang and danced to by freedom fighters and masses during the armed struggle.

Talented comrades such as Cde Vhu, LMG Choir and Cde Chinx Chingaira composed the songs that were sung during the liberation struggle.

Groups like Kasongo Band, which comprised Knowledge Kunenyati, Marko Sibanda, Mukoma Ketai Muchawaya and others also churned out songs that motivated the cadres who were at the front to continue fighting the enemy.

Zimbabwe became independent on April 18 1980, with the event also celebrated in song and dance.

Zimbabwe has had a long history of a protracted war of liberation during the colonial era where music and dance played a significant role during that time.

To a greater extent, music was a powerful tool in driving the war of liberation.

Some scholars have since argued that indeed the war was won through song and dance, drama and poetry.

Those who participated in the war had left their homes, their beloved wives, children and parents in pursuit of one goal, to liberate the country from the yoke of colonialism.

In a war environment, there is a lot of emotional stress resulting from the deaths, injuries, and violence and above all the stress of living in the bush away from the comfort of one’s home and away from their beloved ones.

There had to be ways of dealing with stress, ease tension as the war was progressing.

Music, song, dance and drama became common phenomenon in the war of liberation. As one scholar said; “Music plays a powerful role in society. It plays a prominent role in the ability to create associations to place and to cause emotional impact.

“Music has the potential to influence emotions and to positively express the sense of belonging to a specific group; it can also communicate antagonistic attitudes towards other groups.”

Zimbabwean music not only predates colonialism, but also links to Zimbabwean historical and cultural processes.

Many of the songs are about the problems of the poor, and most of the musicians live in the same locations as their listeners.

Music was a central part of Zimbabwean society in times of war and peace at workplaces, in the home and outdoor, in religion and social ceremonies (rain-making, collective labour, religion, marriage, death or love.

The Second Chimurenga started in 1966. During that time, guerillas used to hold night vigils known as pungwes and these were gatherings which were meant to provide entertainment, relieve stress and again they provided a platform to boost morale and inspire the fighters.

Songs that were composed during that time mirrored the trials and tribulations of the oppressed masses. Music and poetry were tools and forms of social commentary that were used to move the masses to act.

Other compositions played a unifying role as they created a strong bond among the fighters who were drawn from different tribal, geographical backgrounds.

Songs like “Nzira Dzemasoja” guided the conduct of the guerrillas in the bush.

The song spoke of how a soldier must behave, to obey rules and regulations, not to exploit or rob the masses, return anything confiscated for military reasons.

Music was also used as a mobilisation tool to recruit fighters.

There are other musicians who were not necessarily in the battlefront, but whose music inspired the struggle and the masses of this country.

Many musicians that were in the armed struggle made their voices heard.

They sang outstanding songs that boosted morale and made sure there was entertainment even when things were so hard for oppressed masses.

Many musicians that were at home also did songs that inspired sons and daughters at the war front to keep on fighting the enemy. One musician whose music had great impact and influence during that time was Oliver Mtukudzi.

He recorded “Dzandimomotera”, which was inspired directly by Zimbabwe’s 1970s war of liberation.

The song depicted the black man’s life struggles under the minority white settler regime.

It was a troubled man’s prayer for redemption.

Mtukudzi’s compositions were about people’s power, freedom and hope.

He also did “Mutavara”, a song about a man bidding farewell as he leaves home to join the war.

After the country attained Independence from British colonial rule in 1980, Mtukudzi released his fourth album, titled “Africa” which carried hits like “Zimbabwe” a celebratory song for majority rule.

The title track to the album “Africa” symbolised the people’s determination for self-rule. Before independence and during the colonial period, Mtukudzi’s lyrics spoke against white supremacy rule under the Rhodesian regime.

Mtukudzi’s music carefully spoke against oppression and the repressive regime and how the black people were suffering because of colonisation.

As for poetry and literature, liberation war poets and writers like Christopher Magadza, Freedom Nyamubaya, Alexander Kanengoni and Thomas Bvuma focused on the fighter’s experience of the war, although the former transcends this by offering an inclusive nationalist and trans-nationalist perspective.

After Independence, there were many artistes that kept the spirit of the liberation struggle alive.

The musicians kept reminding people about the importance of the struggle and among them include Simon Chimbetu, Andy Brown, Tambaoga, Sister Flame, Mbare Chimurenga Choir, Marko Sibanda, Born Free Crew and Final Warning Crew among others.

Their music continue to remind people of the liberation struggle and salute the fighters for their hard work.

Liberation war heroes deserve endless honour and artistes should forever celebrate their contribution to Zimbabwe’s Independence.

If Bob Marley composed the song “Zimbabwe” to celebrate our Independence, local artistes should even do more. — Additional reporting from The Patriot.