Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena
Khaya Arts – an ensemble which hails from Bulawayo, has proven that the city of Kings is indeed a cultural hub as they scooped two awards at this year’s National Arts Merit Awards (Nama).
The awards, which are an initiative by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) in partnership with the Jacaranda Culture and Media Corporation (JCMC), were held in Harare on March 3.
Running under the theme “Afrofuturism” – the awards celebrated the arts and culture of Zimbabwe, which envisioned the future of the arts sector over the next century.
Khaya Arts’ production UniAfrican won the Outstanding Dance Group/Production as they fought battles with Salt ‘n’ Light (Into the light) as well as Afrikera Arts Trust (Ndichatarisa).
The group’s founder and director Future Dube was named the Outstanding Choreographer, shrugging off competition from Ellysium Magna’s Hillary Indie and Salt ‘n’ Light director Tichaona Hero Chikara.
Dube, who traded football to venture into the arts scene, said his sacrifices and that of the group paid off as a long held dream of conquering Zimbabwe finally came to fruition.
He said they learnt a lot from the diversity experience at the NAMAs through different engagements with artistes from different walks of life.
“Winning these awards is amazing and exciting as it’s the first time for us to finally bring it home after a long time of trying.
“While in Harare, I learnt a lot from the event because the ceremony was well organised and those who attended were very professional. We received great hospitality in the capital and we are looking forward to returning there for business.
“What I learnt from other creatives is that some people take their craft so seriously and you could tell with the way they were prepared for that night.
“Some went all out and paid fashion designers outside the country to design their costumes so as to meet the theme of the night. I believe this is something that we also learnt as we are willing to implement it on other coming awards,” said Dube.
Meanwhile, Dube said they are starting on a clean page and people must expect a changed version of Khaya Arts as they aim for more collaborations.
He said the group holds performances every Sunday at the Red Cafe where they present a variety of dances to entertain everyone.
