Culture Sector

UNESCO expands HIFA Traditional Programme

The Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) 2006 edition saw one of the largest and diverse Traditional Programmes to date with UNESCO Harare supporting participation at the festival of the marginalised Chigombela Venda Dancers among others. The Venda are a small ethnic minority group confined in the Beitbridge area in Zimbabwe and their culture is an interesting mix of other cultures. It appears to have incorporated a variety of East African, Central African, Nguni and Sotho characteristics.

The performance by Chigombela dancers was the first ever in Harare and importantly at an international festival. UNESCO values cultural diversity and the promotion of intangible cultural heritage. Chigombela Venda Dancers’ performances at HIFA offered the audiences an opportunity to experience one of the vanishing cultures of Zimbabwe.


Chigombela Venda Dancers in action at HIFA 2006 (© HIFA)

Other groups that performed within the UNESCO Traditional Programme include the Ntiwatiwa Nyau Dancers, Ingonyama, Mawungira Enharira and Amawumbo. Ntiwatiwa Nyau dancers have Mozambican, Zambian and Malawian origins and are a semi-secret sect that performs various ceremonial dances. Ingonyama performs traditional Ndebele song and dance while Amawumbo’s performances include traditional drumming and dance. Mawungira Enharira officially opened the Global stage programme with a traditional Dandaro ceremony. Some of the country’s finest mbira players, together with a chanting Spirit Medium joined hands with HIFA and artists in this uniquely Zimbabwean spiritual celebration.
 

UNESCO also supported several other workshops aimed at empowering the artists. Two workshops on Arts Promotion and the Internet were held to investigate the use of the web as a tool for arts promotion and marketing and explored the most cost effective and efficient promotional tool available to Zimbabwean artists, through websites and the internet. Rex Omar, a lawyer and musician facilitated the Copyright Workshop that explored various issues of music and copyright, especially as pertaining to African artists. Two more workshops on Product Development and Marketing were held for craft workers at HIFA. With HIV and AIDS wrecking havoc, UNESCO supported other workshops on Art and Development that explored possibilities of using artistic performances as a medium of positive expression, and encouraged open discussion around the topic of HIV and AIDS with particular focus on the issues of stigma and gender.

HIFA is an international festival, and as such, showcases, the best of Zimbabwean artistry, side by side with the work of artists from around the world. The Festival offers Zimbabwe a unique opportunity to showcase its rich, fascinating culture, which takes so many forms and expressions, to a diverse group of people both from within our borders and beyond. The 2006 HIFA edition took place from 25th to the 30th of April.

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