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Yeukai Karengezeka Entertainment Reporter
Preparations for this year’s Jikinya Dance Festival national finals to be held at the Large City Hall in Bulawayo on November 29 have gathered momentum. National Arts Council of Zimbabwe communications and marketing officer Cathrine Mthombeni said this year’s festival would be bigger and better with a theme that underscores the traditional dance styles to be showcased by primary schools.
“The theme for this year’s Jikinya festival celebrations is ‘Our Culture: A Spring of Diversity and Harmony’.
“Different dances that will be showcased would be a reflection of endless diversity that is found in the different communities of Zimbabwe.
“Thus, in the diversity there is a peaceful co-existence that will bring the nation together to celebrate our culture and pride,” she said.
At the contest each school will be expected to showcase a dance style of its choice and the Jerusarema/Mbende dance that is a common routine for this year’s edition.
The common dance category was introduced to the festival three years ago to ensure children appreciate the country’s diverse culture.
Jerusarema/Mbende is a dance that was proclaimed a masterpiece of oral and intangible cultural heritage of humanity by Unesco and is popular in the communities of Murewa and Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe in the north-eastern districts of Zimbabwe.
The first common dance was Amabhiza commonly done by the Kalanga people of Matabeleland South. The winning schools were Matjinge in 2011 and Tokwana Primary School in 2012.
For the first time, the winning school will get a trophy.
“The founder and founding Vice Chancellor of the Women’s University in Africa, Professor Hope Sadza, donated a trophy for the Jikinya Dance Festival’s common dance category. This trophy will be handed over to the winner for the first time,” said Mthombeni.
In addition, the winning school will be the guest group at the National Culture Week launch to be held in May next year as well as 2014 national independence celebrations.
Attendance to all Jikinya events including the national Jikinya Dance Festival is free and NACZ encourages parents and school heads to bring their children to enjoy and consume Zimbabwean performances.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter