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Zimbabwe
in Photos - Edition 8 2008 - HIFA
Ngizwani
May 2008
http://ngizwani.wordpress.com
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here.
 This
edition is a special focus on the Harare
International Festival of the Arts held from 29 April to 4 May
at the Harare Gardens in central Harare. The existence and contination
of the festival is testament to the spirit of resilience and hope
resident in the people of Zimbabwe. We pay tribute to the artists
and managers who made this event possible. We hope that HIFA 2009
will take place in a truly free and prosperous Zimbabwe.
Somethings change, somethings don't
I am used to
mocking the Mazoe Orange Juice advert with the punchline "Something
change, somethings don't". But
although I am not sure if the ever popular Zimbabwean juice has
remained the same over the decades, I can vouch for somethings that
don't seem to change and I list them as:
- Harare International
Festival of the Arts (HIFA) - see explanation below
- Bronte Hotel
(how does this place maintain its grace and elegance in the middle
of a city wracked by neglect)
- Zimbabweans
("MaZimbo") - how do they maintain their smiles
and civility in the middle of such nonsense?
HIFA is an
anomaly in a country collapsing - dubious water that flows
intermittently; electricity rationing (polite term is "load-shedding");
pot-holes in which a hippo could take a nice swim; snaking queues
for cash at banks; ubiquitous plain-clothes police and informers;
and a hysterical state-controlled
media. Started in 1999 by world-renowned pianist Manuel Bagorro,
HIFA has grown in leaps and bounds in the short space of nine years.
HIFA is a moving feast of dance, theatre, music, poetry, food, drink
and just plain merry-making.
The 2008 HIFA
came against a backdrop of major political developments in the country.
Results of the presidential election had not yet been announced
when the event started (we had waited for a world record of 5 weeks);
the rural populace and township dwellers daring to go for a drink
in the evenings were being savaged by uniformed soldiers, militia
and ruling party thugs; the oppostion had taken over parliament
for the first time since 1980; and inflation was roaring unabated
towards 200,000 percent. In the midst of all this was HIFA -
a world-class event taking place in the Harare Gardens with the
5-star Monomotapa Crowne Plaza Hotel looking over.
The music (Freshly
Ground, Oliver Mtukudzi, Chiwoniso Maraire); the dance (Tumbuka);
drama (The Two Leaders I Know); poetry (Outspoken, Chirikure) and
the crowds!! Need I say more?
Just feast on
the pictures and see what you missed if you chickened out on being
in Harare then or simply didn't know that this miracle exists
in the pressure cooker that is Zimbabwe.
Peace.
Chris Kabwato
Editor
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