The Sunday News
Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
CHILDREN of Matobo opens with Emmanuel “Rootz” Nkomo walking softly through sunbeaten Matobo Hills. Dry grass and twigs crunch beneath his feet as birds chirp, seemingly disturbed by the presence of this unexpected stranger amongst them.
This calm, measured start to the video is a short but appropriate prelude to a song and video that feel like a meditation on one of the most famous but perhaps underappreciated natural wonders in Zimbabwe. Children of the Mountain, a collaboration between the award-winning filmmaker Daniel Lasker and Djembe Monks percussionist, Rootz, is not only a fitting love letter to Matobo, but it is also perhaps a taste of what happens when two worlds collide as Bulawayo’s most talented sons and daughters take on the responsibilities of combining their talents for a collective good.
Those who have seen the excellent Djembe Monks perform know Rootz as the heartbeat of some of the trio’s most jaw dropping performances, with his almost manic performances on the drums enough to make one think the group can awaken the inner-spirit medium of those that have long denied their calling. The running joke in showbiz circles is that if you have untapped spirituality that you have long been in denial of, it is sometimes best not to go stray to a Djembe Monks performance, as the group’s heart stopping performances will awaken the n’anga within you.
A lot of that is down to the work of Rootz, a man who makes the drums “talk”, beating tempo and rhythm out of cowhide in a manner that beggars belief. On Children of the Mountain, however, Rootz is unrecognizable from the man that fans usually see on stage. Sitting on a chair on top of the mountain Madzi, the percussionist is at his mellow best playing the Hang drum, an instrument that, although unfamiliar to many, gives out a captivating and mystical sound.
Throughout the duration of the song’s 4:49 runtime, Rootz caresses this instrument, luring it into giving off a seductive tune that seems in sync with the serene landscape of the Matobos. The song never breaks stride, strolling along at a steady pace from start to finish. Accompanying the song are Lasker’s visuals, which show the Matobo Hills in its natural splendour. Perhaps in our obsession to earn a living in the urban jungle, we forget and overlook the natural wonders that lie on our own doorstep. It is up to the storytellers like Lasker to keep our memories fresh, and in Children of the Mountain, he does exactly that, giving a panoramic view of a beautiful landscape. Every boulder, every tree, that is shown seems to have been especially handpicked for this mesmerising display of visual storytelling. Yet such beauty lies everywhere in this rocky and sunny southern end of Matabeleland.
Daniel Lasker
Not a word is uttered throughout the whole video, as the Matobo serves as its own eloquent spokesperson, with the views showcased effectively whispering of a land that is still untamed in its beauty, despite the fact that it neighbours a busy metropolis. As a gust of wind that blows throughout the song gets stronger towards the conclusion, one is left with a yearning desire to go and rest on the warm rocks of the Matopos at the end of a warm wintry day.
In an interview with Sunday Life, Lasker said in addition to capturing the beauty of Matobo, he had also been fascinated by the thought of hearing the Hangdrum in that setting.
“Matobo is such a magnificent place. Rich in history and spiritual significance, along with unbelievable beauty. I wanted to showcase Matobo’s beauty and spiritual essence at the same time. The Hangdrum is so beautiful, and we haven’t seen in play in that setting yet, so I asked Emmanuel to come up with something that sounds like “the voice” of the hills. We had so much fun making this love letter to Matobo,” he said.
His views on the Hangdrum were echoed by Rootz, who said that the added attraction of working with the renowned young filmmaker, made the collaboration an ideal opportunity for him.
“Hangdrum is a spiritual instrument and there was no better place to make music with it than the Matobo atop the mountain Madzi, one of the most beautiful creations in the world. It’s haunting and calming. The decision to work with Lasker on this project was a no-brainer. The man has a cool head and a beautiful mind. His brilliant work on ‘The Signal’ says it all. I have a huge appetite for experimental, non-conforming artwork. Routine can become really boring and being an artiste becomes worthless. It’s risky. It’s a long road, but it feeds the soul,” he said.
Rootz said Lasker’s rebellious nature as a storyteller had meant that their creative spirits were in alignment from the beginning, as they made the Matobos a feast for both the eye and ear.
