Popularly known by his totem Hungwe, which refers to the fish eagle, Lovemore Salari is an unsung mbira maestro — being a player, maker and trainer of the traditional instrument.
Born on August 26, 1960 in Seke, Chitungwiza in a resettlement area then called Hunyani on the banks of the Manyame River, Salari credits his uncle named Musundasora, who was an avid mbira player, for encouraging him to play the traditional instrument.
“Sekuru Musundasora used to play and make the instruments at our house,” Salari told Standard Style.
“One of my aunts was a spirit medium and they used to play the mbira for her — tuvharimba and nyungwenyungwe.
“That was the source of my interest in the mbira instrument. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to touch the mbira as young people.
“Just like the guitar, the mbira was considered a huge transgression.
“Despite the blanket ban on young people not to touch the mbira, Sekuru Musundasora used to like me because I was very swift and would return promptly when he sent me to buy cigarettes.
“That made him like me and occasionally allowed me to play the mbira.”
Salari added: “Our house was in Highfield and where we lived in Hunyani was our rural home, which was under Chief Makoni who had been given jurisdiction of the area by Chief Seke.”
“We only came to Zvichanaka Street St Mary’s in 1970 and that is when I started making the instrument after seeing people making it.”
Together with his friends, Newton Cheza Chozengwa, one Cyprian who came from Chihota, Salari said, they used to play the mbira in a group that was called Nheravauya.
“We released a six-track album titled Svosve Harina Munda with Newton (Matemai),” Salari said.
“My friends kept encouraging me to continue making the mbira with Chozengwa showing me how I could get specific sounds.
“This was around the 1990s, but I could only do this during weekends since I was employed fulltime at Cone Textiles.
“I also played soccer as a left back at Cone Textiles.”
Cone Textiles was in Division 2 then, but the team went on to play in the Soccer League in the late 1980s before the topflight rebranded to the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League in 1992.
“We would carry the mbira in our kit bags to football matches,” Salari said.
“Herbert Jibha, Jenkins Mandaza Dennis Shoko from Chiweshe and Sebastian — who was a foreman and actually kept mateze in his office — and myself used to play the mbira during lunch.
“Our general manager at Cone Textiles enjoyed as we played the mbira.”
Salari recorded two seven singles titled Nherera and Vashandi with the Kanengesu Brothers.
"Vashandi stayed for about 16 weeks on the Radio 2 (now Radio Zimbabwe) charts,” he said.
“Our group was then led by Caleb Mushamba. We released another single in 1995 — Munhu Haana Mugoni — with another group, the Maestros, where we fused the mbira with the guitar.
"In 2009, we formed another group Madendera Ekumabvazuva and released two albums — Musarase Chivanhu and Vana Vamazuva Ano Vane Nharo — with Teverai Mazura and the Kamushinda brothers, Dinnas and Phineas, Lewis Taruvinga, Charles Chihwa, Professor, Costa Mabani and Evelyn Tirikoti.
Salari said they have held shows with Mawungira ENharira, led by Wilfred Tichaona (Nyamasvisva) at the Book Cafe, then run by the late Thomas Brickhill.
“Mawungira ENharira inspired us a lot,” he said.
“We actually took Mawungira's slot at Book Cafe when Nyamasvisva travelled to Sweden.
“When Nyamasvisva returned, he organised a clash involving 16 groups and took first position, earning us the nickname ‘the Mbira Kings’.”
Salari said mbira musicians should have integrity and remain united.
“Most groups split because of greed and personal egos,” he said.
“My wish is for people to know and love their traditional instruments.
“At least these days people are following the mbira.
“The trend changed from around 1998 to 2010 with the rise of Mbira DzeNharira, whose first members were Tendai Gahamadze and Nyamasvisva.”
Salari said he sells traditional instruments both in Zimbabwe and abroad.
“I use my contacts in the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe who get orders on my behalf,” Salari said.