The Sunday News
MATSHOBANA-based Bambelela Arts Ensemble remains one of the prolific theatre acts that have maintained their presence in the local arts scene despite the harsh economic conditions that have seen many groups go under.
The group had mooted celebrations of 23 years of existence on 20 June as they continued with their Buddyz 4 Luv programme that has seen them holding shows in schools across the city.
The outfit had humble beginnings in 1992 when youths from Matshobana decided to use their talent to address societal problems and they have remained true to their cause even today with Buddyz 4 Luv being an educational HIV and Aids play aimed at school children.
The ensemble’s director, Witness Tavarwisa said they achieved success despite never having embarked on international tours.
He said they were happy with the impact they have made as an ensemble and shining on the local scene was proof that they have done well.
“Yes some may say going abroad is success but for us the impact we have made locally is evidence our work is appreciated. We have won several awards and we have also managed to attract interest from other arts practitioners resulting in invitations to perform in different towns in the country.
“I believe the fact that we are still in existence is a sign of our resilience and if we hadn’t achieved success we wouldn’t still be around,” he said.
The group has held its own in theatre circles and they have managed to amass several awards over the years winning the first prize in the Provincial and National level in the United Nations Development Programme’s Poverty Alleviation Competitions while in 2003 they were nominated in the Nama Best Theatre Production for By The Roadside with Naison Dube and Nomalanga Sibanda scooping the best actor and best actress awards for the same production.
The following year, Leonard Phiri featured in the Nama nominees list for his performance in The Naked Truth and in 2009, Josphat Ndlovu was named best actor for his role in Silent Screams with the production and Nomalanga Sibanda (best actress) making it into the nominees of the Namas.
Bambelela has also received awards from Amnesty International Zimbabwe for championing human rights through theatre and National Aids Council of Zimbabwe for championing the fight against HIV and Aids through theatre. The acclaimed production, The Civil Servant saw the group being nominated at Inxusa Arts Festival 2014 in the Best Theatre Production, Best Actress, Best Actor categories.
The ensemble has featured at various festivals that include Linkfest from 1995 to 2002, Dzwalobana Arts Festival, Botswana in 2000 Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa) from 2000 to 2007, Ibumba Arts Festival 2001 — 2015, Umzingwane AIDS Network 2000 to 2007, Sadc Multidisciplinary Festival 2003 in South Africa, Abangane Arts Festival (2003 to 2007), Savanna Trust’s Community Arts Festivals, Patsime’s Bafa (2008 to 2010), Great Zimbabwe Arts Festival (2008 to 2013), Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo (2005 to 2013), Inxusa Arts Festival (2014), and Hurungwe Arts Festival (2014).
The arts outfit came into being through the efforts of Naison Dube, Adolph Phiri, Brian Thole, Lewine Mathe, Likando Mathe and Khumbulani Mathe as they sought to use their talents in addressing social ills such as unemployment, child abuse and health matters.
Tavarwisa said he came on board in 1994 and has since assumed the position of director.
He said despite the low renumeration within the local arts sector they are content with what they have earned over the years.
“I would say we are content with the money we have been making as theatre practitioners but of course at times we would wish it was more but what is important is we can feed our families and house them. We know if the economic situation had been better things would e different,” said Tavarwisa.
He said like all arts group they have been faced with a dwindling theatre audience but they have come up with audience building programmes that target both young and old audiences.
Tavarwisa said they have received positive responses and now they would be moving to another level as they seek to instill a culture of paying entry fees for the audiences.
“While funding has come been available for us to reignite that interest in theatre among the people I believe it is critical that audiences also get used to paying for entry into these shows because they cannot be free forever and I believe one would value what they would have paid for rather received for free,” he said.
Among other initiatives the group has come up with is the revival of story-telling through traditional songs, games and folklores.
The programme comes in two folds, as a performance whereby Bambelela creates or adapts stories and folklores and then perform them at schools and tertiary colleges and training teachers and kids on storytelling so that they use the skill to create their own stories and perform them within their spheres of influence.
