The Sunday News
Lizwe Dube
The article “Homecoming all the way to the bank” by Raisedon Baya cannot go unchallenged as it represents an unprovoked attack on the people of Bulawayo. Condescendingly claiming that Kalawa feeds on Bulawayo’s “denial of their own culture and arts in preference of foreign things” reflects unfortunately that he is foreign to the cosmopolitan nature of Bulawayo. Growing up in Makokoba I had a stack of all Soul Brothers songs and followed Mahottela Queens like a religion.
South African artistes have from time immemorial regarded Bulawayo as their home because the language and the culture is basically the same.
Zimbabweans based in South Africa organised buses to attend David Masondo’s funeral and the imbongikazi at the funeral rightly mentioned Bulawayo as one of the places that had lost due to the sad passing away of the legendary Masondo. To describe Oskido as “a foreign thing” as the article insinuated is an insult to our culture and values as Oskido is our own by any definition. Thousands flocked to the Kalawa Homecoming show as they have done over the years and one wonders on whose behalf Raisedon is wailing more than the bereaved.
If Kalawa is bad for Bulawayo why are they smiling all the way to the bank and getting bigger every year? It seems there is a movement led by the likes of Raisedon Baya and Admire Kudita that feels so aggrieved by the closeness of Bulawayo to South Africa.
There is absolutely no reason for Bulawayo to shun artistes who sing in their own language and are relevant to their social, cultural and religious aspirations. Their true motives can be seen in that throughout the year they have no ideas for Bulawayo artistes only to always throw mud at Kalawa shows notwithstanding irrefutable evidence that the shows have grown bigger and better because they represent precisely the culture of Bulawayo. It seems because there is Raisedon Baya Bulawayo must now cut its cultural and historical ties with South African artistes ties that have existed from time immemorial.
Bulawayo artistes must, instead of seeking protection — whatever that means — collaborate with their South African counterparts and target the global audience. There is no need for them to try and force their music into people’s home. We fully support our Bulawayo-based musicians and they have to accept that unfortunately due to realities that can never be wished away, South Africans will always find Bulawayo in particular their second home. Music knows no borders. I will not comment on his favourite artiste that he mentioned, suffice to mention that I do not even have a clue of his songs. Culture is not about distance but a way of life including language, values, rituals and symbols.
The attempt to force his favourite artistes on the Bulawayo market is an exercise in futility that is doomed to fail. Kalawa has a product and the people of Bulawayo are spending “their money” on it and the source of Raisedon Baya’s pain is a mystery.
The organisers of Kalawa must not be disheartened. There are those who shall always seek to undermine anything good that happens in Bulawayo as long as it does not involve Harare. These are people who pretend to love Bulawayo. If companies join in supporting Kalawa which is attended by thousands of their customers leads “to pain”, it clearly is not about Bulawayo. The people of Bulawayo can make their own choices. They love Kalawa. While they have no access to acres of space, the long winding queues and the atmosphere at Queens is a vote of confidence in Kalawa.
There is room to improve the marketing of Kalawa and to remove the profiteering mindset on beer sales, but otherwise may the Homecoming spirit continue. Like we say in Bulawayo “ongafuniyo kathule!”. Oskido must know that Bulawayo is his home including “his band of South African friends!” No amount of bad-mouthing and insults thrown on Bulawayo will change that. In fact in 2016 the aim should be to quadruple the attendance.
It is our choice and we do not have to apologise to Raisedon Baya for our love for South African artistes. He thinks they are foreign because he has no full understanding of the cultural dynamics in Bulawayo. His article sounded foreign.
