A LOCAL arts trust — Marianne Decher — is offering free mbira-tuning lessons as part of celebrations of the recent Culture Week at the National Handicraft Development and Marketing Centre.
BY ANESU MUSHAWATU
The initiative, running under the theme Chuna Mbira Week kicked off on Monday and will end on Saturday.
Although yesterday’s turn up was low, the organiser, Kelvin Chikumbirike told NewsDay Life & Style that they will forge ahead despite the low numbers.
“Our main drive is to transform generations through arts. We have heard mbira sounds from some of the big names not sounding well, which has affected the general acceptance of mbira music so this initiative is to help improve the quality and general acceptance of the mbira music,” Chikumbirike, who is also the founder of the trust, said.
“Initially, we wanted this event to run concurrently with the Culture Week, but finances limited us and we are not affected by today’s turn out because we are optimistic that mbira lovers will come and master the art of mbira tuning.”
Named after one of the sponsors, Marianne Decher, the trust was initiated in 2017 and has provided rehabilitation and self–sustenance programmes to vulnerable members of the society including street kids, inmates at Harare Central Prison, orphans in Hatcliffe and the disabled at Jairos Jiri Centre.
Members of the trust have performed at various other events, including the Harare International Festival of the Arts in 2017, Miss Legacy, Miss Albinism, Spar Rinbow Run and Zimarimba Festival.
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The trust recently held a bead and shambala making workshop with orphans in Hatcliffe and the group plays various other African instruments including drums, marimba and hosho (percussion).
The Zimbabwe Culture Week is a seven-day event that celebrates the importance of cultural diversity in the country, through various cultural and artistic expressions.
