Online Reporter
Langalihle Mhiti
Zimpapers Entertainment Hub
AWARD-WINNING gospel musician, Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave, has delivered a powerful critique of how local talent is undervalued compared to foreign acts.
The conversation was triggered by a social media post by Plot Mhako questioning the imbalance in bookings between Zimbabwean and South African artists.
“Zim brands book SA artists all the time. Are SA companies also booking Zim musicians?
“Because Zimbabwean brands seem quick to book South African musicians but you rarely see Zim artists on major stages in SA. Why is that?” said Mhako.
Fungisai’s response struck a chord across the industry, as she framed the issue as a deep-rooted cultural and psychological challenge rather than a simple matter of preference.
“From time immemorial, we have grappled with a socio-cultural defect that compels us to accord more value to the ‘outsider’ than to ourselves,” she said.
“Sociologically, this is a form of xenocentrism, a deep-seated belief that foreign products, people and cultures are inherently superior.
“We have conditioned ‘the guest’ to accept a position of supremacy, and they have comfortably occupied the throne we built for them.
“While local Zimbabwean artists, the very backbone of our industry, are relegated to shades under the Harare Gardens bamboo trees as a waiting area, standing in the sun, hungry and exhausted, our neighbouring African counterparts are treated like royalty, dining in the luxury of five-star hotels like the Crowne Plaza.”
She highlighted the role of audiences in reinforcing the imbalance, noting that crowd behaviour often mirrors the same bias.
“The tragedy is not just in how promoters treat artists, but in the collective psychology of the audience. I saw crowds ‘dying’ for South African acts, while local artists were often jeered or dismissed as mere ‘curtain raisers,’” she said.
Recalling a personal experience, Fungisai said she once felt compelled to reposition herself just to gain respect. “I once had to present myself as South African just to command the basic respect that should be afforded to any professional artist,” she said.
She argued that the issue goes beyond entertainment preferences and reflects a broader societal problem.
“This is more than just preference; it is an inherent self-hate programmed into our national psyche.
“We attach value to anything that crosses a border yet devalue the gold in our own backyard. It is deep in our socio-cultural fabric.
“The Nigerians exhibit a fierce cultural nationalism and self-pride. They love the guest, but they venerate their own.
“South Africans possess a level of self-pride that ensures no outsider ever eclipses the local star,” she said.
Fungisai warned that unless Zimbabweans shift their mindset, local artists will continue to be sidelined both at home and abroad.
