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Mafika to be honoured

Life & Style
Late mbira maestro Takunda Mafika is set to be honoured through the establishment of the Taku Mafika Mbira Award.

Late mbira maestro Takunda Mafika is set to be honoured through the establishment of the Taku Mafika Mbira Award.

 

Mafika, who passed away in October last year, will be the first Zimbabwean musician with an award to his own name.

 

 

Co-ordinator for Mbira Society Zimbabwe, Jeff Warara, said the award will be the first that target the mbira community.

 

 

“There is no award ceremony right now targeting mbira people the world over and we find ourselves asking why mbira is said to be the most famous music from Zimbabwe.

 

 

“This is just the beginning. We are working on a comprehensive mbira awards programme that will see the genre looking back six centuries yet developing a new sense for the next seven hundred years,” said Warara.

 

 

The Mbira Society Zimbabwe has extended invitation for nominations for music students under the age of 20 who play nyunga mbira, and have composed own songs for the awards which will be presented during the High School Music Festival on October 20.

 

 

The late Mafika is a well-known human rights activist, nyunga player and founder of the mbira society of Zimbabwe.

 

 

He was the leader of the Tru Bantu band and was one of the few Zimbabweans who held a honours degree in Musicology.

 

 

He died from brain haemorrhage at Parirenyatwa Hospital at the age of 28. The mbira maestro had staged in different countries, including Germany.