SIMBA Arts Trust and Community Arts Council of Mbare (CACM) successfully launched a culture Expo festival at Mai Musodzi Hall in Mbare last Friday under the theme: Ubuntu/Hunhu.
BY BRIAN PENNY
The festival attracted several arts groups that showcased their artistic work marked by beautifully-choreographed dances and aerobic displays.
Event co-ordinator, Tendai Fulukia, said the festival was meant to market Zimbabwe’s cultural identity and allow cultural exchanges.
“Our aim to launch this festival is to promote peace and unity among artists in the suburb. We strive in marketing our cultural identity. It’s good to keep reminding each other who we are and where we come from,” he said.
Fulukia said the fiesta, also dubbed “Me Fest”, will be staged every month.
Their dream, he said, was to turn the festival into an international event that will attract artistes from other countries.
Among the participating groups were Simba Arts marimba, Rufaro Girl Child, Mkungudza Nyau, Revolution, Harare High School and Dedza Nyau while the traditional dances showcased included Mbakumba, Chinyambera and Jerusalem.
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Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) peer educators, who were partners at the cultural expo, said they took advantage of the gathering to educate adolescents about sexual reproductive health and sexual and gender-based violence.
Community Arts Council of Mbare chairperson, Gerry Chinyerere, said he appreciated young people’s participation as that will see them grow with a variety of artistic skills.
He said the inclusion of Harare High School students was a starting point for more schools’ participation in the festival. The school showcased poetry and fine art exhibitions.
“It is our wish to extend our invitations to many schools and young people so that we catch them young in matters of our culture,” Chinyerere said.
Other major stakeholders who attended the festival were Ministry of Youth, City of Harare and Mbare Arts Guild.
