Published by the government of Zimbabwe
8 August 2007
Harare — THE Zimbabwe Music Awards has this year added five new categories - Mbaqanga, Tshibilika Ekhaya Music, musician from Sadc who has been well-received in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwean musical ambassador and Imbube.
This brings the total categories to 24.
Tshibilika Ekhaya Music will cater for artistes who play fast-paced music.
Among these are Chase Skuza, Ndolwane Sounds and the late Ndux Malax' sons. Tshibilika, according to Thomas Deve, who is the Zima chairman, was coined by the Matabeleland community during meetings held early this year to resolve the question of categorisation. Although there isn't much difference between Mbaqanga and Tshibilika Ekhaya Music in terms of language and some elements of rhythm, the categories will differentiate artistes who play fast-paced music from those who still rely heavily on traditional-based music such as Lwazi Tshabangu and Lovemore Majaivana.
Imbube, which has been regarded as a dance-oriented genre, will come in as something to do with Ndebele culture and tradition.
In this category fits several acapella groups, among them Black Umfolosi.
The Sadc musician who is most popular in Zimbabwe will have nothing to do with the type of music but the songs.
The fate of Marabi is still to be discussed fully and the awards committee is calling for debate on the way forward.
This puts artistes like Kireni Zulu, who claim to play Marabi, into a quandary because, in actual fact, artistes like Zulu and Steve Makoni are considered omasganda, the term used to describe folksy itinerant solo guitarists of the 1940s and 1950s.
There is some worry regarding the Chimurenga Music category in view of the few artistes whoare focusing on the genre after Thomas Mapfumo's departure to the United States and the death of Robbie Chagumuka.
The only other two artistes who claim to play Chimurenga - Bryn Mteki (or Sekuru Tau) and Pio Farai Macheka - seem to be have faded into oblivion.
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