Performances

SIBAMBA ENTERTAINMENT TAKES OVER EVENTS MANAGEMENTS AT TSCC

The entertainment scene is set to be changed in Bulawayo as Sibamba Entertainment has taken over events management at Amakhosi Township Square Cultural Centre for 2007. The entertainment group is set to create the ideal environment for the whole family and the business community. The Events Management Company is set to make Amakhosi TSCC a hive of activity. The company is not limited to presenting events at the center only as it will present events across the country and the region.

The Spokesperson for Sibamba Entertainment, Jethro Mpofu said that there is going to be a grand launch in the middle of February and everyone is invited to attend the festivities. He called on artists to contact Sibamba Entertainment at TSCC so that they perform at the grand launch, where everyone has been invited. The company now has a representative at the center so that artists can have easy access to its calendar of events.

“ We hope to become a brand in terms of providing entertainment for the whole family and the whole business community. We are going to be holding shows so as to promote the artists. This is going to be especially helpful because it would be providing a platform for artists to gain exposure while creating employment, “ said Jethro Mpofu.

Mr. Mpofu said that they will be offering the whole entertainment package as they are going to be planning weddings, birthday parties and a whole lot of other events. The business community is also being targeted, as they will also be in a position to plan seminars.

Cont Mhlanga the Chairman of Amakhosi Trust had this to say of this development, ‘We are happy to welcome Sibamba Entertainment at the Cultural Center as this is part of our efforts to bring in several stakeholders to operate from the center in an effort to maximize usage of the center in the promotion of arts and culture in the country. Sibamba Entertainment joins Sanditainment operated by Sandra Ndebele to be resident at the Culture Center. We wish them the best”

“ We have all mechanisms in place which will make us have a successful business venture. We have already contracted various experts in fields such as promotions, wedding planning and video filming so as to ensure that we produce quality products,” said Mpofu.

Mr. Mpofu said that they are embarking on this venture so as to enhance Bulawayo’s status as a cultural melting pot. He was also confident that they would get business because TSCC is within, walking distance of the city and Amakhosi is an already established brand.

Sibamba Entertainment is set to establish themselves as an events management company that provides the best in terms of theater, music, variety shows and entertainment. Sibamba Entertainment comes in at a time when there is a need for the creation of distribution networks for cultural products

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Man Soul Jah and Amakhosikazi for Gala

TWO groups who rehearse at the Township Square Cultural Centre, Amakhosikazi and Man Soul Jah, will be part of the troupe of musicians and poets to perform at the Umdala Gala at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) grounds on the 7^th of July 2006.

Other artistes from Bulawayo included in the line up are the veteran Jeys Marabini, the wonder woman, Sandra Ndebele, Chase Skuza, Black Umfolosi, Mokkis Connection, ISIDA and Mzokozoko.

Tickets for the show are available all over Matebeleland including Amakhosi theatre, blue Lagoon Renkini Takeaways, Back of The Moon Club and Nexus Coffee.

Other artistes will include the most talented guitarist, Andy Brown, Allan Chimbetu, Mahendere Brothers, Bob Nyabinde, Cde Chinx and the police Band. There will also be artistes from outside Zimbabwe that include Ndilimani cultural Group from Namibia and Kwacha Dance Group from Malawi.

The late vice president, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, who is regarded as one of the pioneers of black politics in Rhodesia died on the 1^st of July in 1999. A gala is held every year in his memory. This year it is coming to Bulawayo for the first time in seven years.

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Looking Up To The Spirits Or To A Messiah?

A Review Of Pregnant With Emotions

THE ending of the play Pregnant With Emotions left a lot of people asking if at all Zimbabweans have to look up to the spirit world for a solution or to a messianic individual who will overcome fear and face the regime.

Pregnant With Emotions played for two days at Amakhsoi Township Square Cultural Centre’s theatre Upstairs on Thursday 01 June and Friday 02 June 2006.

The play that was written by Raisedon Baya and Edgar Langedvelt centres on the events in the life of a government worker and his wife, Marwei (which means what did we fight for?). Marwei is 13 months pregnant, a phenomenon that can only be possible in a Zimbabwe grappling with 1034% inflation and over 85% unemployment rate. The child refuses to be born into the crisis that is plaguing the country. The loyal government worker falls victim to operation Murambatsvina and finds himself in the streets. He is approached by a spirit that tells him to discard fear and take up the battle against the regime. The play climaxes in a duel between the government worker and a man who refuses to pass the mukombe (throne to others). The civil servant wins, but before he could monopolize the mukombe, the spirit is already there to avoid the mistake it made before.

The performance at the Theatre Upstairs was characterized by brilliant acting. It is made up of Mandla Moyo, Thembekile Ngwabi, Daves Ghuzha, Walter Mparutsa, Chirikure Chirikure and Chiwoniso Maraire. Chiwoniso and Chirikure are new comers to the stage as actors but are veteran musicians. Chirikure is also a celebrated poet. The other four are veteran actors and among the leading theatre artists in the country.

In the run up to the play, police officials arrested and briefly detained Amakhosi Special Director, Cont Mhlanga, in an attempt to block the show. The show however went ahead and the Thursday show was meant to be showcased at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) but could not because the college was already on holiday.

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Who Were You Playing With On Africa Day?

By Khanyile Mlotshwa

WHILE Bosso was playing with Dembare and getting itself hammered 3-0, hundreds of children and young people from Bulawayo’s 15 youth centers and Baines Primary School, gathered at Amakhosi Township Square Cultural Centre on Africa Day to contest in 15 traditional games.

“Most of the games were traditional games that the children are familiar with, though some of them are new. The event was therefore a platform for the sharing of childhood experiences between the children. It was our way of marking Africa Day,” said Priscilla Sithole, the Amakhosi Artistic Director and producer of the live game event.

The event started at 9:30 am and ended in mid afternoon.

“We gave the winners prizes that included two trophies and a shield. Individuals also got prizes,” she said.

The event was co-organized by Amakhosi and the Bulawayo City Council’s Youth Services Department headed by Mr. R. T. Dube.

Dlala Lobani is a family fun game that takes place every two weeks and it focuses on the games that are played at home and on the streets by both children and adults.

“The game show has changed Sundays at Amakhosi. After the shows we fail; to decide what to do with the crowd that will still be here and end up playing disco music for the adults who would be around,” Sithole said.

She said participants usually come from as far as Mpopoma, Luveve suburbs and as near as Makokoba, Mzilikazi and Nguboyenja.

“Some are from schools and youth centers,” she said.

The games that featured on Africa Day included: Nqwayi, mkonto, iqhude, insema, igiri, igwini, intsoro, ukudengezela, umqhubu, wasi, valamehlo, imamani, ujaho wedwangu, utshoko and ukunemba.

There were over 120 participants on the day with three boys and three girls per team.

Sithole said what is encouraging is that contrary to a long held belief, children are very knowledgeable about these games some of them traditional.

“It shows that traditions do not spring from nowhere,” said Sithole. “They are always a follow up to what has gone before them, and taking from their parents children are also showing an appreciation of these traditional games. There is also space for their own traditions as we have games from the streets.”

Baines School gave entertainment provided by children’s dance groups.

The programme has benefited from the generosity of individuals, however it is still battling to get sponsorship from the corporate world to make the programme big and take it into the future.