The Sunday News
Raisedon Baya
FRANKLY speaking this week I didn’t want to write about the Bulawayo Jam Session. I wanted to write about Intwasa and other things arty. I know many people have been asking about Intwasa, the dates, program and other related information and I have been promising them something end of August. Unfortunately, they will have to wait another week for the information.
Dear reader let me tell you about this past week’s Jam Session. Well, not everything but the bits that had me all excited. As I have said before the Jam Sessions are a beautiful idea. I love the atmosphere and the idea of supporting local artistes.
So this past week I saw Nkwali on stage. Rather I saw her and then heard her. Before Wednesday’s performance I had seen her a couple of times on stage. What I like about this young woman first is her sense of dress when going on stage; most artistes tend to ignore this important aspect of performance. how you look.
One needs to look good on stage. It doesn’t matter whether the show is a five star event or a weekly Jam Session where people are not paying. Always look good. Look the star you want to be. And Nkwali always dresses up for her performances. I guess it’s something she picked up on her world travels.
Also important is the fact that Nkwali makes a point to acknowledge her designer before she performs.
Everyone who has heard Nkwali perform will tell you about her voice. The big voice. Hers is a voice that says to you listen, hear me. On Wednesday night all I could do was sit in awe of how talented this young woman is. And when I left the place it was her voice that stayed with me until I got home. While she was singing Saimon Mambazo could not help but whisper his fears that Bulawayo will disappoint this talent and force it to migrate to a place that will recognise and promote it.
In the crowd I saw Patience Phiri. Well, she was not there to show off her musical talent. She is not even a musician. But she is one lady you can’t ignore. Patience Phiri is first a serious consumer of art and an artist herself. She does beadwork. Has on one or two occasions read poetry before an audience. She is also a full size model. This past week she hit the headlines on B-Metro with her provocative photos. Patience Phiri is a brave artist and that bravery is surely going to take her places.
Mainstream media has long ignored plus size models, preferring the tall and lanky women as the perfect and sexy ones.
However, some women have been trying to change that stereotype. Women like Patience Phiri have gone out there and tried to show other women how comfortable they are in their plus-size bodies. In recent photos she is seen daring the world to call her anything but sexy. What’s interesting about Patience Phiri’s photographs is that while being provocative they also clearly make you aware that this is all about fashion and beauty and nothing else.
In one of the photos Patience is seen wearing a neck piece made of feather and coconut shell by American designer John Ablaza. The collection of photos is also the kind of photos that are good enough to hang on walls or make a good calendar with.
Next week we are talking about the coming Intwasa Arts Festival and what to look forward to. Till next week.
