The Mbira

Listening to the songs by Thomas Mapfumo and Katyo mbira band has made me appreciate the uniqueness of the cultural instrument called the Mbira.

 The Mbira is dated back to the time of the Great Zimbabwe where the Shona people are said to have originated from. It is a cultural instrument closely linked to the traditional music of the Shona people.

It is believed that the Mbira was mostly played during a spiritual possession ceremony where a special song was selected to welcome the deceased persons spirit back to the family.

Today the instrument is used by some Zimbabwean artists for its unique tune and to revive the African tradition and originality. It is played by others to tell their story or just folk tales for example Ephat Mujuru, a Mbira master. It is said to be an extension of the people.

Many may be curious about how the instrument is played. The Mbira is made out of a sound board where metal keys are attached. When playing the Mbira you use your left and right thumbs. Since the metal keys are of different lengths, the metals vibrate at different frequencies producing different sounds. A combination of multiple taping of the keys will result in a melody. Some may say its played like a piano or a keyboard.


The Mbira like the Marimba should be taught in schools as a way of preserving the cultural tradition.

www.afreaka.com.br
http://www.zambuko.com/mbirapage/resource_guide/pages/music/mbira_shona_spirit.html

PENTATONIX

The music industry has lately been buzzing with a lot of new releases and i must say the listeners and lovers of music always have something new to look forward to. I am fascinated by the remarkable rise of acapella and the mix with beat boxing is amazing.


The Pentatonix are my own personal favorite. From the time they won in the Sing off, their work is commendable and keeps me amazed every time they sing.

Their groups 2nd album "That's Christmas to me" has  debuted  number 9 on Billboard's Top 200 chart and is currently number1 on its Holiday Chart.in an industry were there is so much talent and so competitive they surely deserve it.

My personal favorites in the album are;

1. Winter Wonderland. pentatonix featuring tori spelling
2. Mary, did you know/
3. White winter Hymnal
4. That's Christmas to me
5. Silent night

Even after the festive season is over, these songs are top of my play list
I am looking forward to the next album.

http://ptxofficial.com/bio

SUPPORT ZIM ART INDUSTRY

The arts industry in Zimbabwe has been slowly growing with several incentives to promote the few known talent left in Zimbabwe. These have been promoted through the National Arts Merit Awards which were held on the 14th of this month.

In Zimbabwe there are no fixed structures that can help promote the growth of our entertainment industry. Most of the talent migrates to other countries that have a more establish structure. For example Oscar also know as Oskido is now well recognised in South Africa.

Zimbabwe has a mine of talented individuals yet there is no feasible structure that can nurture the talent. If there was a school funded by the government to supports the industry, positive change and a level of proffessionalism could be witnessed.

The breaking down of the Ministry of Education Sports Arts and Culture is a positive step towards promoting and ensuring more attention is directed and invested into the Entertainment.one plausible example is Nigeria that has a funding towards the movie industry.

The growth of the entertainment industry can be made possible if the Zimbabweans themselves support their artists. The artists can also work and nurture their talent so they may be competent and relevant to their audiences.

http://freemuse.net/graphics/News/Zimbabwe/stunner+exq_390px.jpghttp://www.herald.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Winky-D.jpg

Commercialising valentines day

It has been a week since people celebrated Valentine's day. A day were people celebrate and share love, friendship and affection for each other. This is done through sharing of gifts cards and roses.

Although most nations recognise this day, it is not a public holiday. In Zimbabwe and other nations, people still carry on with their activities like going to work and even attending school lessons. With this in mind, valentines day celebration is a cultural activity and a commercial strategy. Commercially, it has become a brand were manufacturers and retailers make more profits using love as a target. Love is like air we breath in daily, so celebrating it once a year is not enough. This implies that valentine's day is more sales and profits than it is about celebrating, love, and friendship.

For the past few weeks, shops and pharmacies were decorated with several valentine's gifts and vouchers ready for sale. There sure is alot of profit retained from the valentines week.

A week after valentines day, the decorations and gift vouchers disappear from display as if signifying that love has passed by, only to be seen the next year. lets spread our love and friendship every year long and not wait for the 14th of February.

www.atwar.blogs.nyctimes.com

Zim fashion week London

The Zimbabwean Fashion week to be held in the month of July will prove that indeed the Zimbabwe nation has its own hub of talent especially in embracing its cultural taste.

The showcasing of Zimbabwean designers will surely broaden the horizon for fashion designers and create a new market considering the slow acceptance of the Zimbabwean products. This event will help Zimbabwean designer to even match up to the international standard.

The fashion week will be a positive event that will boost the confidence of Zimbabweans towards their own fashion industries.

Zimbabwe is currently facing a crisis of more imports than exports even clothing. This has led to the closing down of other fashion industries. The fashion week event to be held in London will put Zimbabwean designers in the spotlight.

 .newsday.co.zw/2015/02/18/zimbabwe-fashion-week-goes-uk/
www.thezimmail.co.zw