adminAuxilia Katongomara Entertainment Correspondent
SMALL but fun!! These are the words that can be aptly used to describe the just-ended Ibumba Festival koBulawayo held in Makokoba suburb from Thursday night.The festival, which had a false start as guests waited for about two hours before the launch on the opening night later culminated into three days of fun pitting a variety of artistes from various music genres.
The festival was opened by the soothing rhythms from Vocal X, a group led by African Idols 2008 winner, Eric Moyo. The group performed a variety of renditions from international and local artistes getting the expectant audience singing along.
The late Sam Banda’s group Sunduza Dance Theatre in collaboration with Janet Wood, a visiting British artiste put up a brilliant musical performance. The group dedicated a track to the late singer who passed on last December.
The festival held under the theme “Celebrate Living” was scaled down to three days from six with the organisers highlighting that financial constraints had prompted them to cut down on the number of days.
In his opening speech, the festival director Saimon Mambazo Phiri did not mince his words in expressing how they had struggled to raise funds to host the event. He cited lack of sponsorship as the major reason why they waived last year’s edition of the festival.
One of the major highlights was a play from Masvingo titled The Gods you have Built, which left the audience with more questions than answers on their day to day loving.
The three-man play showed exceptional talent from the two actors and the script writer. Clive Chigubu and Keith Nkosi added flavour to the Friday night with their comic antics that left the audience in stitches.
The city’s leading traditional dance ensembles, Siyaya and Umkhathi showed unity of purpose when they took to the stage to show off what has kept them in business for long.
The Music Extravaganza rounded up the festival with various artistes from Bulawayo taking to the stage thrilling the audience.
Popular musicians such as Martin Sibanda and Ndolwane Super Sounds and groups such Siyaya and uMkhathi Theatre Works in collaboration, Kaya Arts, Imvimbi Arts, Family Voices, Iyasa and Kwabatsha Generals entertained the revelers.
Newcomer, Thandy Dlana who launched her album last week, also got the platform to showcase her talent. The festival was small but proved that Bulawayo is indeed the cultural hub of Zimbabwean art.
Sidumisile Mabena