Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts,Entertainment Hub
Organisers of the 2025 Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival are rapidly advancing provincial finals, with preliminaries for Mashonaland West and Matabeleland North scheduled for May 31.
These preliminaries serve as a prelude to the national finals, which will occur later this year, and have been progressing smoothly, following successful events in Manicaland and Midlands provinces.
In Mashonaland West, participants will compete for honours at EMM Leisure Sports Bar in Banket, where the overall winner will secure a spot in the grand finale.
In Matabeleland North, the provincial finals will take place at Lendulu Beerhall in Hwange.
The winners from these two regions will join Mutare-based Sembumba Arts Ensemble and Undi Gure from Gweru, who have already qualified for the national finals.
Sembumba secured their ticket by showcasing their Chinyambera dance during the provincial finals held at Muchina Muhombe Bar in Mutare last weekend.
Undi Gure were crowned Midlands winners earlier this month during the provincial finals in Gweru, where Nyau dancers delighted the audience. As promised by the event organisers — the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) and their partner, the Zimbabwe National Traditional Dance Association (ZNTDA), with sponsorship from Delta Beverages through their Chibuku brand — this year’s preliminaries are set to deliver an exciting showcase of talent. This year’s talent search programme is themed “Ngoma Ngairire Shamwari, Tshay’s gubhu Mngane.”
However, it should be mentioned that the prize money at both the provincial and national levels has raised the appeal of the show. At the provincial level, winners are pocketing US$2 500, while second and third places are guaranteed US$1 500 and US$1 000, respectively. At the national level, overall winners take home US$15 000, while second and third-place finalists are set to receive US$10 000 and US$7 500, respectively.
This has heightened the appeal of the rich cultural fete of song and dance.
With the organisers set to complete provincial finals on July 5, participants in various provinces can’t wait to try their luck in the richest traditional dance competition in Zimbabwe. The following week, on June 7, Masvingo will host its competition at Masiza Nengere in Chiredzi. The search for the Mashonaland East representative will take place on June 14 at Padhana Sports Bar in Mutoko.
The representative for Matabeleland South will also be selected on June 14 at Malaxo Beerhall in Beitbridge. In Harare, Hurudza Beer Hall in Mabvuku will host its provincial finals on June 24, while the Manor Hotel will host the Bulawayo finals on the same day.
Tipaz Night Club in Shamva will host the Mashonaland Central finals on July 5.
For over 60 years, the festival has served as a beacon of traditional arts, revitalising indigenous dance forms and empowering local communities. With lucrative monetary prizes at stake, the competition is expected to be fierce, as each ensemble showcases its finest moves, rhythms, and costumes.
Consolation prizes will be awarded to all participating groups, with the top three receiving substantial rewards.
As the festival progresses, each province will highlight its unique cultural identity through dance, with competitions held at various venues. Last year, the Nyaungwe Arts Ensemble from Mashonaland East stole the spotlight with a breathtaking performance of the Mbende dance, clinching the national title at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo.
The group is expected to perform at the 2025 edition, where they will certainly hand over the crown to new champions.
Thus, the Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival not only provides a platform for cultural expression and preservation but also offers significant economic opportunities for participating groups.
By valuing and promoting traditional dance, the festival contributes to the appreciation and safeguarding of Zimbabwe’s rich cultural heritage for generations to come.
It is encouraging to see traditional dances being valued for their role in promoting and preserving these traditions.
Traditional dances are used for rituals, cultural expression, and social cohesion, often bringing communities together during festivals, ceremonies, and social gatherings, fostering unity and strengthening communal bonds.
Ritual and spiritual significance is one of the key areas depicted by traditional dances, which are usually performed at rituals such as weddings, funerals, and initiation ceremonies, playing a crucial role in spiritual practices and the honouring of ancestors.
