The Sunday News
Raisedon Baya
WHERE do Bulawayo artistes meet? And do they even meet? Once or twice one bumps into fellow artistes in the streets and quick hellos and goodbyes are exchanged. Can one call these accidental bump “ins” meeting? Anyway, I know journalists meet at press clubs and other press gatherings. I have seen them meet and talk about issues affecting their professions over a few glasses of cold beers.
I also know journalists have a national union and whenever the need arises they can speak with one voice and people listen. I know our footballers meet at football matches, especially at social soccer matches and other places of interest. Some social football teams are even burial societies! But where do artistes, particularly Bulawayo artistes meet? I ask this question because I was asked the same question by a colleague and drew blank. My mind just jammed and I thought he was just being funny. It was only after he had gone that I gave the question some serious thought and the answer that floated in my mind was shocking. Artistes meet at funerals.
Now, I know a lot of artists may not agree with me. I had a hard time accepting that answer too. And if there is a better answer, if there is somewhere else where artistes meet then I will be happy to get the name of that place. In Harare if you want to meet some artistes all you have to do is wander around Moto Republic (years back the meeting point used to be Book Café).
Here you are sure to meet a couple of artistes. I have been to Moto Republic and seen a number of artistes sipping drinks and discussing art business. In Johannesburg I hear there are a number of places you can go looking for artistes but I know if you linger around Market Theatre and the restaurant near the complex you will bump into several artistes. I hear in Nigeria there is a place where you can go and meet all the stars we see in “African Movies.” But again where do artistes in Bulawayo meet?
Most artistes don’t know each other, socially. We don’t even know each other’s families. We see each other on stage, costumed to entertain others, we read about each other in newspapers and on the internet, we talk behind each other’s back but we never gather together to discuss our business like other sectors do. Well, someone might say we meet on WhatsApp. But is that a good meeting place?
I know if there is no workshop or meeting called by other sectors where we go hoping to get some kind of a performance and some few dollars then we don’t meet. Even during shows we don’t meet as we don’t go to watch each other’s shows. Recently, I went to watch a musical show with a friend and he kept looking around in the hope of seeing familiar faces from the arts fraternity.
There were only two or three artistes. Kind of disappointing but that is the everyday reality. Honestly, there is no place in Bulawayo where someone who wants to meet artistes and engage in serious discussions with them can go and meet them.
There is no place for artistes to meet in Bulawayo and as a result artistes don’t meet, unless, of course, it’s during funerals.
How sad.
It’s high time we stop meeting at funerals. Let us meet to discuss business, to discuss projects — let us meet in happier times and get to know each other better. The sad truth is that no one from any other sector will come and create the space and time for artistes to meet. The artistes have to create that space and time for themselves.
I yearn to see a place in Bulawayo where artistes can meet and laugh over a beer. I want to see that place, to be part of that place. Bulawayo seriously needs an arts hub!
