Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
MUSICIAN Evias Bhebhe is happy when he hears that someone has been possessed by their ancestral spirits while they listen to any of his songs.
At functions, in kombis, and even on local radio, Bhebhe’s music has become a favourite of many in Bulawayo with its enchanting mixture of the modern and the traditional.
To most people, Bhebhe, who performs with his partner, Gogo Awakhiwe Nkosi, is simply known as Dziva Lemvula, the name of perhaps their most popular song and album.
For some, the song is simply a catchy and enchanting tune they cannot help but dance to when it comes on. For others, especially those who grew up in rural areas, it is a track that takes them to their younger days when life was simpler and such songs used to be sung for entertainment, day or night.
For others, however, the song awakens something deeper, touching reinvigorating spirits that they did not know resided within them. When his songs reach those people, Bhebhe, who met his partner Awakhiwe Nkosi at an initiation for sangomas, would know he is doing a good job.
“When I get reports that people have been possessed when the songs play it gives me a lot of joy because it shows that the job that I am doing together with Gogo (Awakhiwe), is bearing fruit. When people undergo things like that while listening to our music, it shows us that our ancestors were happy. If they were not, bad things would be happening. Even though we are bringing a sound that one can say has Western influences, it is clear that we are doing this to attract young audiences because they would not hear our ancestor’s music otherwise,” he told Sunday Life in an interview.
Bhebhe said he was rightfully proud when he heard that people in Filabusi had undergone a spiritual awakening (ukuvukelwa lidlozi) while listening to his songs.
“What I can say is that when we make this music, we do so with a passion. Perhaps I should say when we sing these songs, we do so with the blessing of our ancestors so if a person were to listen to these songs when they have a higher calling they will find themselves undergoing the process of ancestral awakening. The first time we heard of this was in Filabusi when we were told that two people had an awakening while listening to the songs. It was so intense that they had to be whisked away and taken home,” he said.
However, while Bhebhe is happy to see the reaction that his music brings from some of his more “gifted” listeners, life is not simple for artistes with a calling. He revealed that whenever they performed live, they were careful to never dance too much, as they ran the risk of suddenly summoning ancestors while on stage.
Another prominent artiste in Bulawayo, who preferred not to be named has faced the same dilemma, with those close to her forced to intervene whenever they perform their more traditional songs. It is a dilemma that Bhebhe said they had learned how to control.
“As a team, we manage each other when dancing, because we know that if you dance too much you might call the ancestors. What we do is that before we leave home, and go for a show, we speak to our ancestors and tell them that we are going for a performance and that they should not reveal themselves in front of the people.
In our group, we have had some members who have danced too much and ended up being dragged off stage because they would have experienced an awakening. This is not surprising to us because we regard ourselves as the leaders in the reawakening of our roots. If you come and see us performing Dziba Lemvula, you should not be shocked to see me suddenly being possessed. There’s always commotion on stage during our sets when it happens but we always attend to a person when the ancestors come and after that, we go back to work,” he said.
Selecting a playlist is a headache to Bhebhe as sometimes his ancestors just don’t agree with any of his choices.
“Sometimes I meet people in taxis and they tell me that when we played this song, we became possessed. There are at least ten people that have come to me and said this. I am not surprised because when I also work on these songs, I also know that I am calling my ancestors.
Evias Bhebhe and Dziba Lemvula
What is important is that these songs have their days. Sometimes, you play Sabona Gogo and you don’t feel like your spirit aligns with it. Then you play Dziba Lemvula and you feel like you need it on repeat then the next day you feel like it is not the one again. These songs take turns and it all depends on what the ancestors would have chosen for you when you woke up that morning,” he said.
Life for artistes who are said to have a calling has never been easy. Sungura musician, Jacob Moyana at one time reportedly found himself living the life of a wanderer, going from place to place as he sought to heal people with various ailments. Since he had already attained a measure of fame, his calling became a burden of its own as people could easily recognise him and question why he found himself off-stage, suddenly dabbling in things that they thought were beyond the ambit of a musician.
South African musician and actress Boity also faced ridicule when she announced that she had answered her ancestor’s calling.
For some, a calling meant that they have had to reinvent themselves completely.
South Africa-based musician and culturist Bothwell “Bekezela” Nkomo, who now trades as Gog’ Bekezela had to travel between South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana looking for answers that troubled his soul.
After two years on the road, he returned, but he was a different man. Gone was the Bekezela of old. In his place was Gog’ Bekezela, the musician who pays homage to his ancestors with an elaborate ceremony before every performance.
“When I came back from the initiation process, I had to return to the music stream but in a different dimension meaning I am no longer an entertainer like before. I am now more of an educator. I am a different being now, who has a task to make sure our culture is embraced. For me to be called Gogo is not strange because I am a gogo spiritually.
“When you see me you see only the flesh but, some ancestors govern me on this path. As Bothwell or Bekezela I can’t heal a person or help you grow spiritually. But isalukazi esingembetheyo (my spirit) is the one that can perform all those things. So when you see me you see two versions: The Bekezela you grew up with in flesh, but spiritually I am a gobela (healer),” he said.
