Tawanda Marwizi : Arts Correspondent

National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Harare provincial chairperson William Ndinde believes artists are foot soldiers of cultural preservation through various forms of art. Speaking at culture week celebrations held at Chitungwiza Arts Centre last Friday Ndinde said the artists need to explore various artworks in preserving our culture.Culture week that ended last week is celebrated in all the country’s provinces as a way of safeguarding tangible and intangible heritage.

The theme for this year Culture Week: “Towards Increased Community Participation” encouraged the local communities to embrace the week as well as make efforts to preserve culture.

“Artists are foot soldiers as they always do something that has to do with our culture. They are the foot soldiers for the cultural preservation,” he said.

For him the response to culture week by artists and ordinary people was a clear indication that people are keen to preserve our culture.

“Since the launch of Culture Week some years back, the response is growing by the year. That is a clear indication that people are keen to preserve our culture,” he said.

While culture has been under siege from technological inventions, Ndinde believes it is crucial for people to vividly protect ‘Zimbabwean culture’.

“If you go to other countries like Germany there is what they call ‘Germany culture’ and in as much as we have technological inventions we should preserve our own ‘Zimbabwean culture,” he said.

Information and publicity officer from the Arts Centre Wiston Nyekete reiterated the importance of Culture Week.

“This is an important event for the artists because it gives us room to create works that educate the society about our culture,” he said.

Speaking on the same occasion, artist Tracy Chatsama said as visual artists they have been working on artworks that preserves Zimbabwean culture.

“If we look at these works you find that artists are working tirelessly to educate people about some cultural activities that were done in the past,” said Chatsama.

She was referring to one of the pieces that depicted women carrying firewood, while their daughters had pumpkins.

“That is how we lived.

“Back then when people were coming from the fields they collected firewood and some fruits with them,” she said.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey