Check ya Mziki: September to be new international Mbira Month

Tuesday 04th, September 2012 / 03:40 Written by

 

Mbira Month September 2012, Copyright: Mbira Exhibition Online

Mbira Month September 2012, Copyright: Mbira Exhibition Online

(eufrika) – Artists from Zimbabwe have recently declared September annual Mbira Month. Since generations the mbira has inspired people to share their creativity via music. In the course of this year’s first Mbira Month, several musicians from Zimbabwe and the Mbira Centre Harare have been putting together the idea of a Mbira Exhibition Online on Facebook.

During the Mbira Month, the instrument will be celebrated in all its facets by sharing anything and everything inspired by the mbira through images, words and music of every shape or form on Facebook. According to the organizers there is no restriction on the type of entry as long as it is inspired by the idea of the mbira.

On the official Facebook page organizers comments on the exhibition:

This is not a didactic exhibition. The spirit is “sharing and celebration”. Submissions are open to anyone and everyone including, individuals, mbira organizations, scholars, groups, music or art departments in colleges, commercial art or music entities and communities.

Mbira in the sun, Copyright: David Drengk/eufrika.org

Mbira in the sun, Copyright: David Drengk/eufrika.org

For the purpose of contributions to the exhibition, the mbira is defined as any lamellephone” or instrument belonging to the mbira, kalimba, karimba, sanza, marimbula, kankobela family of instruments.

Besides the celebration of the mbira, the organizers try to raise awareness of the cultural significance of the instrument and the reintroduction into the daily life, particularly in Zimbabwe. With short slogans on their Facebook page they appeal to the society and politicians to attach importance and value to the mbira music in order to maintain the inspiring magic of the instrument in public life.

The next time you run into our Minister of Education, his Deputy or any of his senior officials during Mbira Month, ask them what the Ministry is doing to put in place formal mbira education in our school system. Also ask them what the mbira community can do to help. Thanks.

Eufrika.org will be following the current project and report on the exhibition’s progress online.

For more information visit the official page on Facebook and become part of it:

Mbira Exhibition Online

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About the author

Fields of work: Environment, Fisheries, History, Countries: Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Zimbabwe Part of eufrika.org since: January 2011

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