adminMeet the Governor of the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Cain Matema, the man of few words who can also play the guitar with dexterity of a pro.
The Governor said he started playing the acoustic guitar at a tender age but took a break due to societal pressures.
“I started playing the guitar at a tender age. I got inspiration from my father, Mthenjwa Mathema and my grandmother,” he said.
Governor Mathema said the passion that he had for playing his acoustic guitar saw him teaming up with Tshaka Sibindi in recording a Maskandi album.
“It was unfortunate that during that time people associated music with criminals.
“This made it difficult for us to continue working together and I had to focus on my education,” he said.
Governor Mathema said during the colonial era it was very difficult to play a guitar or to perform traditional dances at public places like schools and churches.
“During my short stay in the music industry during the colonial era, I discovered that it was very difficult for society to accept that there was future in music,” he said.
Governor Mathema said musicians were as a result treated as social outcasts.
“My father also stopped playing the guitar during this era as it had become difficult to associate with the people who had been introduced to churches by the whites,” he said.
Governor Mathema said focusing more on education did not affect his passion for music as he kept on playing the guitar.
“The secret behind music is that it is meant to express one’s feelings and dreams. This actually kept me playing the guitar up to today,” he said.
Governor Mathema said his passion for playing a guitar has seen him driving all the way to Majahawodwa Ndlovu’s house for rehearsals.
“Some time last year, I actually played alongside Jeys Marabini at the Large City Hall and I am now going for training before I can record my own music,” he said.
Governor Mathema said he had enrolled with a local school of music to sharpen his skills of playing a guitar and the piano.
“Soon after completing my training, I hope to record albums as I now also want to live on my music.
“Before I do that I am going to play my music for my family and if I impress I will definitely perform at public places,” he said.
Governor Mathema said besides playing a guitar he is a poet, composer, politician, farmer and also a painter.
“I have learnt to balance my time very well and already I will be attending my guitar lessons during lunch hours.
“This has been made possible because of my programme,” he said.
Governor Mathema said up-and-coming artistes have to take advantage of the government’s new policies that now treat art as an industry. I have seen different groups out there performing together which is good but the painful thing is that the industry does not pay well,” he said.
Governor Mathema said it was important for Government and the corporate world to assist up-and-coming artistes with resources in the form of loans to enable them to undertake projects.
Online Reporter