THOSE who retired early on last Tuesday night at the Mtukudzi homestead, where a funeral wake for Sam was being held, missed a spectacle of a lifetime.
In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, when all seemed sleeping, after all it had been a hectic day, Alick Macheso, Sulumani Chimbetu and First Farai had some trick up their sleeves.
They turned the Mtukudzi homestead into a nyau arena, evoking memories reminiscent of most farms and urban settings like Mufakose, where gule dance is a must every weekend.
The night crawled, at a snail’s pace if you would please, as women sang hymns like they had done the whole day, with the occasional preaching and speeches. As midnight approached, boys and girls of varying ages had taken over the celebrations and drumbeats could be heard from quite a distance from the Mtukudzi homestead.
Just when it seemed the night would end on a drum-beating note, an unusual thing occurred — Suluman joined the small crowd, much to the delight of the youths who immediately stopped singing and asked him to take over to which he obliged.
I wondered if the dendera king, without his troupe, would be able to entertain the scores of boys and girls who now gathered around him, the youngsters had been singing and dancing the nyau dance.
I was surprised at Sulu’s nimblefootedness, in performing the nyau dance. But more was to come, another great was to join him. Macheso had just arrived from his Chitungwiza home where he had gone to “freshen up” and, on hearing his “favourite music”, immediately requested a bucket as he said the drum did not produce the actual sound he knows.
No bucket was found but Macheso wrested the other traditional drum from a youngster who had been partnering Sulu in singing and beating the drums — and the audience grew even bigger and more excited. Leading the vocals were Sulu’s three sisters, one of them being Saiwe, a backing vocalists in Sam’s AY Band.
The language that was being used in the songs, I never bothered to ask, as I was awe-struck by the unusual public display of the secretive nyau culture by two of the leading men in the Zimbabwean music industry.
Just when I thought the surprises were over, the Prince of Sungura, First Farai, probably reminded of his roots, decided it was time to show the crowd — and most likely the two drum-beating musos — that he too was cut from the same cloth.
Farai shocked the now animated crowd, including some women who had abandoned the comfort of their blankets to watch the rare act when he performed some dances that only him, Macheso, Sulu, his three sisters and few others knew.
Sulu and Macheso abandoned their drums which were quickly taken over by some youngsters to join Farai in dance and the three of them created a spectacle that will remain etched in the memories of those who saw them perform.
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Oh yee Zimbabweans we stick to our culture when it comes to pamariro. Mariro eMuzimba ku London unofunga kuti uri kuZimbabwe iwe. Well done Suli, Cheso.
Comment by Mai Chuchu — March 23, 2010 @ 11:11 am
eh eh asi Tuku chigurewo here
Comment by Aunty C — March 23, 2010 @ 12:03 pm
A true celebration to a true African life, way to go guys!
Comment by Jojo — March 23, 2010 @ 3:22 pm
This is great where ever you are you have your roots, culture..Guys you make us proud to be zimbabweans moreso to be Chewa/ nyanja keep it up..mupitilile pasogolo ndituu ni dabwitso…Gule wam kulu yo we!!
Comment by ZULUMAN — March 24, 2010 @ 4:47 pm
muzimbabwe hamuna zvigure, thts not ur culture n will never be, we are waiting to depot some foreiners.
Comment by ganja planta — March 24, 2010 @ 5:04 pm
Zvigure zvine kahu evilness mukati
Comment by Dhara — March 25, 2010 @ 8:13 am
There is nothing wrong with zvigure especially when Oliver and Daisy Mutukudzi allowed it. Rest in peace Sam and Owen. You are safe in God's arms. You are safe in God's kingdom where there is no more crying, no more pain. To Tuku and Daisy, may the Good Lord comfort you in this time of mourning. To Daisy, my sister, hamuna kusekwa and to Tuku, you are not to be blame. Nguva ya Sam yange yasvikwa.
Comment by Sisi Ngwenya — March 30, 2010 @ 12:21 am
I DON’T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH ZVIGURE ATTENDING THIS PARTICULAR FUNERAL, BECOZ DAISY AND TUKU ALLOWED THEM, AFTER ALL ZVIGURE VANHU VANOTOZIVA KUTI VARI KUITEYI IYE PAMWE VANGA VARI MAFACE OR MA FANS EMACHINDA EKUSHAYA. REST IN PEACE ZVENYU GUYZ ‘ZVIKATI’ CHETE GUYZ NDIZVO ZVINOSIYANA, WE ARE INEVITABLY COMING.
Comment by MAKAZA — March 30, 2010 @ 10:17 am
I think it is very colonial to think that anything that has to do with culture is evil…. imi ka imi…. chenjerai kurasika….let us not throw away hungu hwedu we have a culture to preserve look at our neighbouring countries and you will see that they dont abandon their culture for western ways…
Comment by Anyemba — March 30, 2010 @ 3:40 pm
I dont think kuti mungade kuratidzana kuti inini zvi gure handizvide pane asati ambozviona here …………………………………………………………………………REST IN PEACE SAM.
Comment by TARB — April 2, 2010 @ 7:23 am
This is not Zimbabwean culture, pure evil. These pple are just evil. I find this quite disturbing-How could Mtuku leave such malicious acts happening at his homestead on his son's funeral.
Comment by Tarisa — April 2, 2010 @ 2:10 pm
Tuku, himself is not 'all' Zimbabwean. My best friend from Zambia told me that Mtukudzi is a very popular Zambian name.
Comment by no name — April 2, 2010 @ 3:42 pm
Iwe Tarisa why do you poke your nose into other people’s business.Leave Daisy and Tuku alone.
Comment by anonymous — April 3, 2010 @ 12:29 pm
apa panga pakapenga
Comment by akanaume — April 7, 2010 @ 7:53 am
zvigure ka one. PaEntertainment.
Comment by peter jomo — April 14, 2010 @ 9:07 am
Whether Mtukudzi is Zimbabwean or Not but chokwadi ngechekuti idhara. Anogona zvake muchinda uyu. Anga agona kuraira mwanakomana wake nzira yakanaka asi zvisinei ndozvakazoitika. Mutukudzi is Korekore and mind you Korekore people share the same culture nevanhu vekuZambia, Mozambique. Saka hapana nyaya apa. Kana mutukudzi ari wekune imwe nyika bva wakatibatsira kuisawo Zimbabwe pa map. DHARA IDHARA.
Comment by Tsano — April 16, 2010 @ 2:59 pm
Some commnts i see here really confirm what has always been a problem in Zim.He chinyau is evil ,Tuku is not a Zimbabwean ha macheso chii chii.Why is it that we got a lot of stupid pple in Zim who are only good at criticising and talking crap.Who doesnt know that in Sadc we are all one pple we emigrated the hwesa pple my clan are found in nyanga ,moza,swazilandetc.Ndebeles in Bots,zim sa etc and Nyanja are all over Zim ,zambia etc so then who is a Zimbabwean.Should all nyanjas say they are malawian.This is donright stupid and ignorant.Nyau culture is evil?This is certainly from a braiwashed houseslave.
Comment by Hwesa masango — April 19, 2010 @ 3:34 pm
The nyau issue is evil PERIOD
Comment by iwewe — April 23, 2010 @ 12:32 pm
Idi here kuti ukakuvadzwa nechigure chironda chacho hachipori
Comment by Simboti mkuru — April 26, 2010 @ 8:26 pm
Zvigure ndezve Zambia ne Malawi
Comment by Mago — July 17, 2010 @ 7:47 pm