‘Wear national fabric with pride’

In commemoration of Africa Day, the chief executive officer of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ), Napoleon Nyanhi, has urged Zimbabweans to embrace and proudly wear the national fabric, describing it as a powerful symbol of the country’s culture, heritage and identity as the nation joins the rest of the continent in celebrating the day.

Nyanhi made the remarks on the sidelines of the Culture Month celebrations held at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo on Thursday, where President Mnangagwa was the guest of honour. He said the NACZ is mandated to promote, preserve and develop the arts sector in Zimbabwe, with one of its key responsibilities being the promotion of the national fabric, a cultural cloth embedded with symbols and elements that reflect Zimbabwe’s rich heritage and diverse cultures.

“As Africa commemorates Africa Day, it is important for us as Zimbabweans to proudly embrace who we are through our language, traditions and the way we dress. Our national fabric is part of that celebration because it represents our roots, our pride and our identity as an African people.

“Another important aspect we celebrate is clothing, our regalia as Zimbabweans. In this modern era, we are priviledged to have a national fabric designed specifically for us as a people, and it is encouraging to see Zimbabweans embracing it because it gives us a distinct identity,” said Nyanhi.

He said the fabric can be incorporated into different modern fashion styles while still maintaining Zimbabwean cultural values and identity.

Nyanhi said the national fabric has created an opportunity for Zimbabweans to proudly showcase their heritage in contemporary settings.

“We go to different events and places where one cannot necessarily wear traditional skins, but now we have a fabric that we can use to express ourselves and celebrate our identity as Zimbabweans and Africans.

“The patterns found on the fabric are inspired by our heritage, including historical sites such as Great Zimbabwe, and the Zimbabwe Bird (Hungwe/Chapungu). The colours and symbols carry meaning and reflect who we are as a people,” said Nyanhi.

The national fabric emerged as one of the major highlights of the Culture Month launch celebrations, with hundreds of attendees proudly showcasing various designs inspired by the cloth in the spirit of Africa Day and cultural unity. Government officials also led by example, wearing outfits made from the national fabric following an earlier call by President Mnangagwa for officials to wear the national cloth throughout May in honour of Culture Month.

Nyanhi said art is an expression of culture and it plays a crucial role in preserving the country’s norms and values while strengthening African identity.

“As we celebrate Culture Month throughout May in all provinces, we celebrate different aspects of our culture. We celebrate our rites of passage, our traditional foods, dances, totems and the intangible cultural heritage that defines us as Zimbabweans.