Though the word “Africa” does little to describe the vast expanse of traditions, religions, languages and knowledge that reside within the continent’s many nations, one side of the multi-faceted African essence takes shape next weekend in the form of Zimfest, the ninth annual Zimbabwean Music Festival.
The three-day festival runs Aug. 18 through Aug. 20 on the University campus. Many participants in this year’s Zimfest are members of Eugene’s Zimbabwean music community, such as Kudana and Shumba, two professional marimba bands.
The festival will also feature groups and individuals from Portland, Washington, New Mexico, Colorado, California, Indiana, British Columbia and of course, Zimbabwe.
Though the Zimfest tradition is only nine years old, the music that ties the festival together has been in the United States much longer. The birth of Zimbabwean music in the Pacific Northwest is attributed to the late Dumisani Maraire, who taught and performed Shona marimba music, nyunga nyunga mbira, singing, drumming, and dance in Seattle from 1968 to 1982 and from 1986 to 1990. Maraire arranged traditional Zimbabwean pieces for marimba ensemble and for the nyunga nyunga mbira, and composed many more.
In 1990, Maraire earned his doctorate from the University of Washington’s music school and returned home to teach at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare. Maraire’s legacy lives on in the Pacific Northwest and continues to spread throughout North America as Maraire’s students and students of his students perform and teach.
Following in Maraire’s footsteps, musicians come to Zimfest to teach and to learn as well as to perform. The festival hosts a multitude of workshops, beginning Friday and continuing throughout the weekend. Sessions are open to everyone and range in skill level, content and length. Most workshops cost $12 per hour. Due to space restrictions, the festival organizers recommend pre-registration for all classes, but many workshops are still open and available for on-site registration.
Zimbabweans who will both teach and play at the festival include visiting musicians Julia (Tsitsi) Chigamba, Musekiwa Chingodza, Beauler Dyoko, Forward Kwenda, Cosmas Magaya, Sheasby Matiure and Savannah Jammin’/Decent Gang, as well as Peter Masundire and Paul Mataruse, two U.S. residents.
The Zimbabwean visitors will also give talks about their backgrounds, Zimbabwean music theory and problems facing Zimbabwe today.
“Our music is both medicine and food, as mbira has the power to heal and to provide for people, Chingodza said. “Mbira pleases both the living and the dead.”
Music from Zimbabwe is composed of many instruments and techniques. Basic traditional Zimbabwean music includes marimba, mbira, hosho, singing, dancing and drumming. Musicians have expanded the traditional style to incorporate the guitar and other innovative instruments.
During the weekend of Zimfest, numerous musicians will be teaching various aspects of Zimbabwean music. Workshop levels range from introductory, for those who have never touched an instrument, to advanced, for the most proficient Zimbabwean music students. Workshops are offered in most styles of music and include other aspects of Zimbabwean tradition, such as the Shona language and children’s games, and several classes teach the art of making Zimbabwean instruments.
The Zimbabwean Music Festival takes place in a different location each year and features different events annually. Zimfest was last held in Eugene in 1993, and has been in Portland, Seattle, Victoria and Port Townsend since. According to festival organizers, Zimfest 1999 brought together an international community of more than 400 people to teach, attend workshops and perform. Organized entirely by volunteers, the festival is the largest annual gathering in North America for students, teachers, performers and fans of Zimbabwean music.
All afternoon concerts are free, and any available tickets to evening shows can be purchased throughout the duration of the festival. Most concerts take place in the EMU Ballroom or the Outdoor stage near the south lawn of the EMU. A schedule of events is available on-line at www.zimfest.org.