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Entertainment Reporter
Preparations for the 2014 National Jikinya Dance Festival to be held in Harare on November 28 at Belvedere Teachers College Great Hall are on course. The annual festival organised by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, aims at encouraging children to appreciate and perform Zimbabwean traditional dances thus promoting and preserving the country’s cultural intangible heritage.
The Festival showcases an assortment of traditional dances by primary schools from throughout Zimbabwe.
Catherine Mthombeni, the NACZ communications and marketing officer, said the theme for 2014 Jikinya Dance Festival celebrations is “Celebrating Cultural Diversity and Social Cohesion through Dance.”
“This particular theme underscores the unity that is prompted by converging and celebrating our diverse cultures through various forms of dances. Jikinya brings people together, gives them a sense of belonging and make them realise that despite the differences in our values and norms, we are all Zimbabweans and should live in peace and harmony for nation building,” Mthombeni said.
On the day of the festival, schools will showcase a dance of their choice as well as the common dance that is Jerusarema/ Mbende.
Three years ago, NACZ introduced a system whereby a particular dance is selected as a festival piece that runs for two years and is adjudicated as a common dance.
The first two years schools were required to perform Amabhiza dance and Jerusarema will be performed as a common dance for the last time this year. For 2015/6 season Ihosana dance will be the Jikinya Dance Festival common dance.
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. The trophy has been since named the “Prof Hope Sadza Trophy for Outstanding Common Dance Performance” and will be handed for the second time at this year’s festival.
Jerusarema/Mbende is a dance that was proclaimed a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The dance is performed by the community of Murewa and Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe in the North Eastern Districts of Zimbabwe.
Jikinya Dance Festival is for the family and attendance to all Jikinya events is free and therefore NACZ encourages communities especially parents and school heads to support the festival by attending and bringing their families to experience the aura that is cultivated by celebrating diverse cultures through dance.
Jikinya Dance Festival was inaugurated in 2002 and the festival is mainly sponsored by Delta Corporation and Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust and the major partner is National Association of Primary School Heads.
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