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Fadzayi Maposah Correspondent

I was reading about the importance of finding one’s passion. Finding your passion will ensure that you remain committed to whatever that you are doing.

Despite the challenges that you may face, you remain committed to whatever is driven by the passion. There are some people who are able to use their talents and link them so well to the passions that they developed.

Zimbabweans by nature are very creative. I am sure that within this country is a film industry bigger than Hollywood, Nollywood and Bollywood all combined.

There are so many content creators in this country. Each day I am amazed by how much content is being created and shared within the country.

Almost everywhere, there are people creating content and looking for ways to peddle their content and earn a living.

It is amazing that it is possible to create scripts for everyday use. To see how creative Zimbabweans are, just take a walk around any town or any shopping centre.

Vendors now have bluetooth speakers where they play pre-recorded adverts encouraging customers to access various services.

The fact that vendors actually design and develop messages is something that is proof that Zimbabweans are indeed creative.

Taking walks around town, one is at risk of damaging their ear drums because of the noise that blares from blue tooth speakers.

The messages that are aired loud in most instances have no common ground. The messages compete against one another.

One speaker can be shouting and appealing to clients to buy second hand bags that are deemed to be very strong.

The message is complete with the prices at which the bags are being sold. Right next to the bags can be a speaker with a message on repeat that informs you of the different varieties of tomatoes that are on sale.

What I have realised is that Zimbabweans are very curious people. The curiosity in the citizens lead them to research and find out what issues can be used to buttress their marketing.

In one recorded message I was engaged by the number of tomato varieties that the audio shared. The message shared said some tomatoes that were available were ideal for sandwiches and salads, while others were for gravies and stews.

It can only be in Zimbabwe where such creativity is displayed on a day to day to basis as a way of survival.

One speaker that really shocked me and am always stunned whenever I think of it is a recording that calls for damaged and torn US dollar notes and bond notes from the era when Dr Gideon Gono was the Reserve Bank Governor.

If the recording is appealing for such material and the one receiving them is prepared to pay, why then do they not just share where one can take the notes and get money.

Then there is that saying that “Ndini ndinoziva mwena/mugodhi wacho” (loosely translated I am the one who has links or knows the source).

I was reading somewhere that some people do not want others to be weaned off so that they become independent, rather they enjoy having people ask them for small and big things. Maybe they want to continue to feel very important ….

I digress.

There is this recording that really caught my attention. In the loud environment of the recordings, it was loud and blaring among the many others. It was a recording to market underwear.

In case some of you have never heard these recordings, there are no sacred cows in these marketing audios. It is the underwear audio that we shall dwell on today.

The audio was not explicit. If one has no idea what they are talking about, one can pass and ignore. The audio was calling out the availability of means to get rid of avenging spirits.

One may be asking what is the connection between avenging spirits and underwear? What is the intimate relationship between avenging spirits and underwear?

The recorded audio encouraged everyone to be covered so that no avenging spirit would not stress them.

There are different attitudes towards avenging spirits. There are also different emotions that are evoked when one hears about avenging spirits.

An emotion that quickly surfaces is fear.

Fear causes one to do so many things.

One can always be unsettled whenever they think of whatever they are afraid of. If one is afraid of an avenging spirit, they may always think that whenever they experience a challenge, it could be the avenging spirit.

So if this person was to get into town and hear this call of avenging spirits solutions, they would quickly search for the person with the “fix”.

I was drawn to where the audio was emanating from. It was a bustle of activity, densely populated. Many people were around a woman dangling underwear of all sizes and colours to attract customers without shame.

I drew near to hear and see everything for myself. The person was referring to the underwear as “zvivhara ngozi( avenging spirits shields)”.

I stood next to a group of ladies who picked up panties and set them aside so that they could select before making final choices.

One of the ladies explained that there was need to have appropriate underwear for every occasion.

Another lady then explained that since she used sanitary pads when on her menstrual period, she was looking for “shields” that would keep her pads secure and ensure that no mishaps happened.

The marketer upon hearing the conversation started shouting above the recorded audio as she searched for full panties: “zvivhara ngozi zvekunguva zvisingarasisi” (underwear for the menstrual period that will not let you down).

As she searched, if she found any panty that would fit her clients, she would hand it over and ask cheerfully: “What about this one?”

The clients would accept or decline. The accepted ones were put in a heap from which they would choose from.

When choices were made, the shields were put in plastic bags, payment done and the call for new clients above the audio would start again.