The Sunday News
Mbongeni Msimanga
SHE is affectionally known as the “Princess of Mbira” and has become the modern-day custodian of the revered traditional mbira musical culture.
Hope Masike has no doubt become an epitome of real mbira music, perhaps taking over from where the talented and respected late mbira queen Chiwoniso Maraire left. She has provided the cultural soundtrack to the people of Zimbabwe, taking them back to antiquity through her music and mbira playing prowess.
Probably peeved by the colonial injustices that viewed mbira as pagan and unchristian, Masike has managed to take the genre to distant lands and explains her music to the audience before she plays it so that they have a clear understanding of the genre.
This has however enabled her music to remain etched in the minds of many both at home and abroad.
“I capitalise on every aspect of music, not just lyrics. I also tell stories about the song before I play it, stories about my culture and about Zimbabwe and this helps the audience understand my songs better,” she said.
Having started her career in 2008 after being taught the genre for free by a Sekuru Romeo in Norway, Masike believes mbira is an important genre that can be used to preserve local culture in the face of potential radical cultural changes.
This has seen her tour several countries not only regionally, but internationally as well reaching out to other countries and showcasing the genre in far away continents.
“I started playing professionally in 2008. Mbira was introduced to me by my Fine Art lecturer’s friend called Sekuru Romeo, who agreed to teach us mbira for free, because he truly believed in passing on the heritage. I have toured several countries in the world playing mbira music and the reception is just wonderful,” she said.
Masike’s recent collaboration with internationally recognised Malian icon Salif Keita at the Harare International Festival of Arts was a dream come true and she described the momentous occasion as a milestone achievement in her musical career.
Their “date” on stage showed Masike’s unique mbira playing skills that blended well with Keita’s undoubted international class. She did not disappoint, and even Keita himself marvelled at the musical prowess that she exhibited at a night that defined this year’s festival for many.
“My recent collaboration with Salif Keita gave me such a high esteem. I am still riding on it. Also fighting and winning against poverty even though it stares you right in the face, is a significant everyday event for me and I never take it for granted. I can say that Keita has always been an inspiration in my music career, although I can also say sources of inspiration change now and then,” she said.
She however said the future was bright for mbira music both locally and abroad as custodians of the genre were constantly being produced.
In fact, the mbira muso said, the genre was popular abroad with artistes such as Mbuya Stella Chiweshe’s daughter who is belting out mbira tunes and conducting workshops abroad.
“We certainly have many custodians of mbira, home and abroad. I could mention several names of mbira musicians such as Stella Chiweshe’s daughter called Virginia Hertz. We now have many mbira artistes, so many that I think the future of mbira is in safe and many hands. In fact, I think the future of mbira has never looked this bright,” she said.
Interestingly, mbira music has transcended various generations in Zimbabwe and Masike believes it has managed to shape lives in Zimbabwe.
Although attempts to suppress the genre have been futile, Masike said there was a strong need to continue preserving the mbira as a cultural music heritage that connects the people to their roots spiritually.
She believes that the genre marks an important aspect in our tradition as a people.
“Mbira is our very own special gift from our forefathers. Many have tried to suppress it, but it lives forever. It has its own special place in the past, present and future of Zimbabwe. It has outlived a number of generations, from the time it was such an important and spiritual part of our everyday lives as Zimbabweans, through the colonial times when it was labelled pagan and was restricted, to now, an era where it’s growing again. I am certain that it will never die because in each generation there are people who appreciate it,” she said.
