Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
A MBIRA textbook is set to shake up how the traditional instrument is taught and will be launched tomorrow at a workshop at the Zimbabwe Music Crossroads Academy in Harare.
Titled ‘Manomwe Mazwi: The Mbira Tool Kit’, the book is the brainchild of Hector Rufaro Mugani, a seasoned ethnomusicologist and mbira maker.
He has made it his mission to simplify how the iconic thumb piano is taught across Zimbabwe.
The launch will be spiced up by a workshop hosted by Music Crossroads Zimbabwe and Mbiravolution, expected to draw a big crowd of mbira enthusiasts, students and music teachers.
“This is more than a book, it’s a cultural breakthrough. It gives a fresh, structured way of learning mbira that bridges tradition and modern pedagogy,” said the organisers in a joint statement.
The textbook unpacks the Nyunganyunga and seven tunings of the Nhare Mbira – Mahororo, Kutsanzira, Vembe (Magandanga), Bangiza, Nyamaropa, Nemakonde, and Manjengwa – offering insight into Shona scales, chord creation, and how to use mbira both traditionally and in contemporary music settings.
Mugani’s work is also being hailed for giving mbira players tools to collaborate with Western instrumentalists, a major leap forward for musicians looking to break into cross-cultural and international spaces.
“It’s about opening up the world of mbira. Whether it’s for heritage studies, performance art, or fusion with jazz and pop, this toolkit is the bridge,” reads the statement.
Music Crossroads director, Prudence Katomeni-Mbofana, herself a renowned jazz artist, praised the initiative.
“Combining traditional and modern music education gives young artists a real identity. It shortens learning time and preserves our culture.
“This partnership with Mbiravolution shows our serious commitment to uplifting indigenous knowledge,” she said.
All eyes are now on Mugani, a respected figure in the mbira community.
Mugani has played, taught, and researched mbira for decades.
He has worked with the likes of Hope Masike, Maungira eNharira, Chiwoniso Maraire, and Edgar Bera, and is also co-founder of the mbira-punk band Chikwata.263, which has toured across Southern Africa.
