Celebrating womanhood through music – The Herald

The Herald

Elliot Ziwira Senior WriterMusic is neither provocative nor defeatist, for it tells a tale in many ways through its evocation of the sensuous neurons; it appeals to the heart.

Since time immemorial women have managed to keep their heads above the rising tornadoes of their existence through song.

They have made it possible for their feelings to be discernible, even to a society that seemed to be impenetrable as a product of their realisation that a story does not die because it is not told, but dies if it is told to deaf ears; the heart listens.

In the book Women Musicians of Zimbabwe: A Celebration of Womens Struggle for Voice and Artistic Expression: 1930s-2013 (2013) Joyce Jenje Makwenda captures more than 75 years of the musical expression of womens travails.

The 1930s belonged to Laina Mattaka and Evelyn Juba, who were reported as the pioneers of township jazz music by the African Daily News.

Their music was a fusion of negro spirituals, gospel and traditional music.

The 1940s and 50s saw the rise of Reni Nyamundanda and the De Black Evening Follies, Faith Dauti with the Milton Brothers and the Gay Gaieties and Dorothy Masuka. Dorothy Masuka rode on the crest of a new wave of expansion and investment in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which created opportunities for entertainment.

Township music suffered a temporary glitch in the 1960s and 70s which saw new genres of music dominating.

Susan Chenjerai and Susan Mapfumo rose to prominence around this period.

The liberation struggle inspired songstresses like The Two Singing Nuns, the Chataika Sisters, who sang mostly gospel songs with their brother, Jordan, and Virginia Sillah.

As the flame of Independence illuminated the airwaves in 1980, more opportunities opened up for musical expression and women rose to the occasion.

Traditional instruments like the mbira and ngoma were on a rebound with the likes of Beaulah Dyoko, Stella Chiweshe, Elizabeth Ncube, Francisca Muchena, Irene Chigamba, Taruwona Mushore and Chiwoniso Maraire taking mbira music to the international stage.

In the 1980s, the appreciation for gospel music grew as Shuvai Wutawunashe made her mark.

Busi Ncube and Rozalla Miller, the Queen of Rave, of the Everyone is Free fame became household names.

Township jazz made a rebound around this period and its flame continues to glow in the hands of Prudence Katomeni-Mbofana, Dudu Manhenga, Patience Musa, Rute Mbangwa, Nomsa Mhlanga and Hope Masike.

Jenje Makwenda reiterates how Independence, which Zimbabweans will be celebrating for the 40th time on April 18, 2020, revolutionised the airwaves to create space for local artistes.

She notes how urban grooves popularised by Memory Zaranyika, Plaxedes Wenyika, Betty Makaya, Pauline Gundidza, Portia Njazi aka Tia, Tambudzayi Hwaramba and Kudzai Sevenzo, benefited from the Governments 75 percent local content directive to local stations.

She cites Selmor Mtukudzi, one of the beneficiaries of the initiative: The 75 percent introduced by Government meant that we could get to listen to my music, people would get to hear of me, even though I hadnt recorded, then it gave me hope that in the event that I want to record and do something, I would have a listener-ship, because then our music was not played much. We used to hear musicians like Beyonce and everyone else, but ours was not played.

Although Governments directive is commendable, and society has been forthcoming in giving an ear to womens plight highlighted through music, a lot still needs to be done for that musical appreciation to be fully articulated.

The music industry still remains the preserve of men to a great extent because of stereotypical inclinations steeped in patriarchal societies.

Women musicians do not only suffer financial barricades, but are considered morally bankrupt.

A woman may rise to the apex before she marries, but once matrimony comes, her decline also becomes inevitable.

The challenges that come with wifehood and motherhood may be baneful to her career and as a result the suffering and oppression of her ilk will continue unabated, as the voice that should come to the defence of their toil is stifled.

Laina Gumboreshumba, whose musical career started at an early age and is working on a PhD in Music at Rhodes University, says: I think the demands of a musical career and the demands of marriage for a woman as expected by the husband and the society at large clash As a result many men are not comfortable with their wives tackling the heavy schedule and working odd hours.

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Celebrating womanhood through music - The Herald