The internationally acclaimed Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa) is around the corner and this year will run under the theme “A Show of Spirit” from May 1 to 6.
This year, Hifa comes with yet another interesting line-up of both international and local performances representing the real show of spirit.
Amongst numerous musical, dance, visual art and acting performance venues is the Hivos Poetry Café, the platform of expression through spoken word whose programme will this year be curated by the award-winning Hifa spoken word consultant Chirikure Chirikure.
“I love this year’s programme and believe it represents the best that Zimbabwe has to offer in music, theatre, dance, visual arts, craft, spoken word and youth programming, as well as a tasty feast of visiting performances from around the world,” said Hifa founder and artistic director Manuel Bagorro.
All sessions will be conducted by local talented poet Outspoken. Local poets expected to perform are Albert Nyathi, Memory Chirere, Chiedza Musengezi, Fungai Machirori, Godobori, Gerald “Synik” Mugwenhi and Tinashe Muchuri, amongst others.
There will also be special international appearances of United Kingdom’s Oneness Sankara, Germany’s Daniel “Mando” Mandolini and South Africa’s renowned comedian Prince Shapiro.
“The spectacularly varied programme powerfully demonstrates the broad range of our audiences’ artistic interests, and the wonderfully dynamic cultural diversity of our community,” said Bagorro. The Hifa 2012 spoken word programme celebrates the energetic and diverse performances by the local and international artistes, showing courage, compassion, determination and spirit.
The first performance on May 1 will run under the theme “The Voice Within” hosted by Barbara “Breeze” Anderson and performances by Chirere, Machirori, Synik and Mando from Germany.
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On May 2, Musengezi, Chirere, Chigama and UK-based Sankara will perform under the theme “Communal Spirit” hosted by Machirori and on May 3 under the theme “Spirit of Determination” hosted by Muchuri, there will be performances by Musengezi, Godobori in collaboration with Mando and Sunniva Berg and friends.
Godobori will on May 4 host performances under the theme “Mind, Body and Soul” with poems by Shapiro, Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights and Mando in collaboration with Synik. On May 5, Nyathi will host a session under the theme “Soul Searching” with performances by Muchuri, Breeze, Shapiro and Sankara.
The final spoken word event will be hosted by Chigama under the theme “Spiritual Resolution” which will see diverse performances by Nyathi, Shapiro, Sankara and Hope Masike, who will be part of the Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights.
“Every presentation will touch on this year’s theme ‘A Show of Spirit’, representing the sense of spirit which is the spirit of a nation and the spirit of the festival which we will clearly show,” said Bagorro
