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AND THE WINNERS ARE . . . Redwing Mine

Tawanda Marwizi recently in Bulawayo
At exactly 5pm on Saturday, hundreds of people that thronged White City Stadium in Bulawayo drew closer to the stage as adjudicators of Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival prepared to unveil results of the tightly contested national final. Moments later the MC announced that Manicaland group Redwing Mine had won this year’s competition and would pocket $7 000. There were wild cheers, whistling and ululation as the provincial representatives went to collect their prize.

The group went ahead of second-placed Bulawayo outfit Sekunjalo MaAfrica that got $5 000 and while Harare province’s Maramuro Agure got $3 000 for coming up third. Leader of the group Tupele Adhala was a happy man as he watched the group getting the $7 000 reward.

“We have two of our dancers who are critically ill and they became our inspiration. We fought the battle and won,” he said. The group scooped the top prize for the third time since its formation in 1996.

“I have been training Beni Arinoti, a dance that was performed when people came from war. My experience has been useful and we are happy that we won,” he said. He has been training traditional dance in several countries and his experience has been useful.

Despite thrilling the crowd, How Mine Beni failed to make it to the top three with pundits arguing that they got carried away and lost the plot. Other groups that participated in this year’s competition were Pezhuba, Dzimbabwe, Fix Changoma, Arcturus Beni, Kalarwe and Tsitsa Mwana.

Apart from the traditional dance, sponsors Delta Beverages hosted a fashion show with clothes designed by various designers. Merrymakers were treated to a once in a lifetime event as they marvelled at models clad in different costumes.

Families were called on stage to have their totems recited and would win their popular opaque beer. Observers said asking people to recite their totems was positive initiative in upholding cultural values.

“People are forgetting about our totems but this move to have such sessions on events like this festival is welcome,” one Reward Rukuse said. The event is organised by Zimbabwe National Traditional Dancers’ Association, National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and Delta Beverages.

This year sponsors have raised the money for the winners from $5 000 to $7 000. Several dance groups have welcomed the move saying the company was doing well by to investing in the arts.

ZNTDA president Kennedy Kachuruka said they were happy with this year’s response. “People came in their numbers to support this event in various provinces. It shows people are keen to keep our culture through these events,” said Kachu- ruka.

He encouraged people from different communities to register for next year’s event. Representatives from Delta Beverages said they saw it proper to give back to the community through promoting the arts and culture.