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The Charambas

Arts Corresopondent
This year’s edition of Buja Annual Arts Festival started on a high note yesterday with a number of activities taking place in Mutoko.

BAAF is a culture platform for the people of Buja popularly known as “wana samutoko” and it celebrates the uniqueness, vibrancy and richness of the Mutoko culture. The cultural fete will be headlined by contemporary musician Andy Muridzo and gospel couple Pastor Charles and Olivia Charamba.

Festival director Emmanuel Manyati said this year they decided to bring on board the prominent artistes who are on to spice up their event. “This year’s edition is bigger and better and for that reason we chose to artistes of the moment Muridzo and the Charambas to add flavour to the event.

“Muridzo will perform tomorrow (tonight) while the Charambas will take the stage on Saturday as the curtain comes down,” he said. The cultural event is running under the theme “Gomo Rinoera” (Sacred Mountain), Restoring Our Values Now”.

Main features of the festival include Gomo Rinoera visit, Buja bush celebrations,theatre performances cultural displays and Maruva Enyika Buja women’s concert which is essential in promoting sense of pride and fostering respect of women’s dignity.

Today people will learn about the rich history of Mutoko and will tour the house of Madzeka which was named the most expensive rural home in Zimbabwe in 2005.

On the last day we shall have bush celebrations where will pitch up tents for aunt, grandmother and grandfather where they will be informing the audience about the importance of extended family networks in restoring cultural values.

For the past 20 years there has been incremental erosion of Buja culture, traditional values, norms and beliefs. This decline has been mostly perpetuated by the cultural evolution. Against this background this festival was formed.