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Yeukai Karengezeka
Arts Correspondent
After a two-year sabbatical owing to Covid-19 restrictions, the Jikinya Dance Festival is set to return with provincial finals starting on November 11, organisers have said.
The national finals will be held at Winery Hall in Gweru on November 24.
In a statement, National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) communication and marketing manager Rodney Ruwende said the festival being held in partnership with the National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH) will run under the theme “Building Zimbabwe through dance, our Heritage is our Identity”.
The theme focuses on showcasing the cultural heritage of Zimbabweans.
“The theme speaks to the importance of dance in showcasing who we are as Zimbabweans,” said Ruwende. “This theme calls for the nation to appreciate and perform Zimbabwean traditional dances thus promoting, safeguarding and showcasing our cultural heritage.”
Ruwende said although the festival will see schools performing a dance of their choice, Amabhiza returns as the common dance for the 2022 edition of Jikinya, having been the inaugural common dance in 2011 when the concept was introduced.
Amabhiza originates from Matabeleland South and was traditionally performed at rain-asking ceremonies to appease the spirits of the rainmakers for a good harvest.
The dancers follow the steps of a horse accompanied by three drums, clapping and blowing of a whistle. The third small drum is a special drum that produces a squawking sound, which is the signature sound of the performance.
Several dances have been showcased as the common dance in previous years, including Muchongoyo, Jerusarema, Mbakumba, and isiTshikitsha.
The dances selected reflect some authentic traditional aspects of a particular ethnic, religious or cultural group in Zimbabwe.
The competition is a permanent fixture on the school calendar involving over 5 000 primary schools in the country competing at district, provincial and national levels every year.
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