POVO Journal 2012

THE poVo JoURnaL 2012 www.povo.co.zw

FEATUING TINA WATYOKA BATSIRAI CHIGAMA HOPE MASIKE RUTENDO AURATHAPOET

ISSUE 02: ILLUSTRATION FEATURING: Boarding Dzinotizei // Charly Makwanya // Julian Mugabe // Robert Machiri // Tafadzwa Tarumbwa // Novic Hadebe // Baynham Goredema // walter Murray // Paul Maposa

THE poVo JoURnaL 2012

ILLUSTRATION // BAYNHAM GOREDEMA

08 12 18 22 26 31

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Synik - Zimbabwean hiphop has traditionally been a scene with very talented artists with little to show for the time and dedication they put in.

Tamuka Mtengwa - A great number are of the opinion that the arts in general have a right to be disrespected, devalued and dismissed...

Tinotenda Mawoyo - Sledging has become part of the game now and is often used as a tactic by several teams to try and get the opposition batsmen unsettled...

Ryan Chokureva - There was a time when hip hop music was a conscience, the canvases on which the ghetto masses painted their everyday graffiti...

Taku Gezi - I remember we would chose to wear the same T-shirts on the same day and show off to the other kids who didn’t have relatives abroad at the time.

Baynham Goredema - But visual arts have been largely ignored and yet they play a huge role in instilling pride and patriotism in the people.

FRONT COVER // 04 San’bonani Desmond Munemo // 05 Illustration Paul Maposa // 06 The innovative Floating Mug Tigere Chiriga // 09 Illustration Novic Hadebe // 10 The 2012 Showreel from Art’s view Authur Mataruse // 11 African art Masimba Hwati // 12 A Case for the Creative Arts in Zimbabwe Tamuka Mtengwa // 13 Illustration Julian Mugabe // 14 Mushroom Cultivation Nyasha Mupaso // 15 Illustration Boarding Dzinotizei // 16 Harvesting the Low-hanging Fruit Henry Makiwa // 17 The Eradication of Poverty Tendai Michelle Mufunda // State of Breakdance in Zimbabwe Plot Mhako // 20 POVO Report // 23 Illustration walter Murray // 24 Keeping Heads Up in Harare Chief k.Masimba Biriwasha // 25 Illustration Robert Machiri // 27 Illustration Charly Makwanya // 28 Hope in the Slums Raymond Muwaniri // 29 Taking Fashion to the People Victor Nyajeka // 30 Surveys POVO // 32 Image is Everything Nqobizitha Mlilo // 33 Illustration Tafadzwa Tarumbwa // 34 Choclate Princess Rudo Nyangulu // 35 New Website // 36 Contributors // 36 Adverts BACk COVER NEXT ISSUE Photography VICTOR BAGU created the artwork above for the inaugural POVO Report unfortunately the credit for the artwork slipped through our hawk eyes and we sincerely apologise!

FONT - Foundry Sans/Sterling/Grid, News Gothic, Bauer Bodoni = OS - Apple = Software - Adobe CS6 Suite = DISCLAIMER POVO JOURNAL IS A PUBLICATION PUBLISHED BY XEALOS DESIGN FOR POVO. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the POVO or XEALOS. The information and views set out in this journal are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the POVO or XEALOS. Neither POVO or XEALOS nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

niKonianS Tsungai Muswerakuenda Heath Manyepa Tamuka Mtengwa Tatenda Gomo Robert Machiri Timmy Patsikadova Baynham Goredema Simba Mabuzani Joshua Kumunda Roddy Chakaipa David Brazier Richard Mberi Tenford Chitanana

INTRODUCING

The latest member to the POVO team.

As much as he prefers to play alone he needs his little brother [35mm 1.8]. Little bro is much sharper and he can can see much better in the dark! So without further ado, Welcome Nikon 18mm - 300mm we have been waiting patiently for your arrival!

Cameras in Zimbabwe

Jekesai Njikizana Annie Mplume Sifelani Zilawe Michele Huddy-Fortmann Fungai Machirori Rudo Nyangulu Kumbulani Mpofu Upenyu Makoni Walter Murray Nikki Kershaw Paradzai Makosa Michael Danes Lesanne Dunlop Steven Chikosi Limbikani Makani Nqobizitha Mlilo Valerie Murray Henry Hakulandaba

CanoniTeS

www.povo.co.zw

When I was at HIFA there were lots of digital cameras but none of those photos are available online or reflect the situation on the ground. What are people using all these cameras for? Lets publish Zimbabwe and document our rich arts and cultural history. Hopefully a time can come when we can enjoy documenting the sites and scenes in Zimbabwe without fear and suspicion.

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>society

San’bonani DESMOND MUNEMO

THE POVO JOURNAL 2012

PHOTOGRAPHY // BAYNHAM GOREDEMA

I

4

t is given that human beings, in one way or the other, adhere to a certain pattern of norms and values, commonly referred to as culture. However, there are those, who claim to be culture less, especially the younger generation, but I find it difficult to acknowledge, simply because being culture less is indeed a form of culture. I identified what I call the Big 2 of Humanity: Greeting and Smiling. I consider these two to be the lubricant that smoothens the well running of any society.

After spending quite some time in South Africa I began to appreciate the importance of greeting, not only folks that one knows, but even the stranger next to you, be it in a taxi, metro bus, elevator, or the Gautrain.

Coming from a society where one greets only those he/she knows, it took me some time to figure out why South Africans commonly greet not only the person next to them in a taxi but at times all passengers in the taxi.

The moment the taxi door is shut after picking up a commuter you hear, “Sanbonani”, and the whole taxi in one accord respond, “Yebo”. I must say this is one form of tradition or culture that as Zimbabweans we need to adopt, simply because acknowledging human presence makes us not just human too but human beings with a cause. I promised myself that each time I am in Zimbabwe I will certainly greet whoever is sitting next to me in a kombi. However, I already have a suspicion that a tricky situation might arise after greeting an uptown girl sitting next to me in a kombi, she will definitely be convinced that I am setting up a platform to make a move. Nevertheless, I still recommend individuals to appreciate and acknowledge the existence of fellow human beings by ways of greeting one another.

If you can allow me to generalize here, I have come to realise that in most cases white people (at least where I am from) have a tendency to smile at whoever comes their way. The lesson here is not to praise the

white race as super perfect, nor to totally dismiss other races. The point is that, it would be nice for one to wear a decent and warm smile each time one meets not only his/her fellow colleagues, classmates or workmates, but even those that are thought to be anti-social. I have observed that when a person smiles at the next person, it is almost impossible for that person not to smile back, an automatic smiling reaction usually kicks in, thereby reciprocating a mutual sense of oneness, security, and understanding.

Greeting and smiling are not the only means through which humans can express their sense of oneness. There are always other special ways in which the same message or emotions can be conveyed, through words such as “please”, “thank you” and “excuse me”. Although the ideas above might sound too simplistic, one ought to keep in mind the words by Booker T Washington that, “success in life is founded upon attention to the small things rather than to the large things”.

comicstripers@gmail.com B

STORYLINE BY PAUL MAPOSA ARTWORK BY PAUL MAPOSA

ZVAARI MASHURA!!

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“ OUNCER RAKAZONDIBVUMIDZA KUPINDA AFTER NDARIPA MARI YEMUSANA”

“ DAPINDA MUKATI NDAKASVIKOGARA PADHUZE NEKAMWE KAMUFACE KA-ITA FANIKE MBAVHA DZOKUMBARE DZIYE DZAKUDHARA ”

“ CHINGONDIPA ARI MATATU MATOTS ACHO!! “

“H

MUSORO WANGU HAUCHATORI MUSHE” INGIROZI HERE YANDIRIKUONA KUDAI!!

PASINA NGUVA

PAKABVA PASVIKA UMWE MUKADZI AINGE AINE

AIKONA KUKWATA MUDHARA INI NDINOITWA LOVE, DR LOVE!!”

CHIVAKASHURE

CHOKURAMWIRWA ”

K

“ IRI MANJARO, DOCTER LOVE, MUDHARA MUKADOTA NAKATARINA WAKE!!

ZVINOREVEI ?......... .......IZVI ZVAITODA KUMBOENDA MUIMBA HURU.....NDIMBOTOTORA MAFEMO ”

“ AAH!!...KO, ZVAARI ILLUSTRATION » PAUL MAPOSA

DAMBUDZO!!!

www.povo.co.zw

TOIRETI

5

>innovation

The innovative Floating Mug

BY TIGERE CHIRIGA

POVO AFRIKA // THE POVO JOURNAL 2012

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fter successfully completing my A-level examinations in 1997 at St John’s College in what was an extremely hectic year, in which I travelled on four different international tours to Dubai, Cape Town, and Johannesburg for rugby and basketball respectively. Having been selected for the Zimbabwe men’s basketball team, I followed my passion for basketball to West Palm Beach, Florida to attend university on a full basketball scholarship.

It was difficult being so far away from home and family, but I was focused on successfully completing my studies.

In 2001, I was offered another scholarship to transfer to the New York Institute of Technology where I completed my undergraduate and graduate programs in business. Faced with the challenges of finding employment as a nonresident, I was eventually offered a position at a firm that would sponsor my H-1B application.

Getting a firm to sponsor me was not an easy task, my advice to young individuals attempting the same journey is to start building a strong network early.

While working hard and trying to establish a career path, I started to realize that

I had strong aspirations to become a business owner. It doesn’t matter what kind of problem I’m faced with; I take pride in developing unique ways of finding solutions. This kind of thinking lead me to the conception of the Floating Mug. It is a unique design for a porcelain coffee mug that elegantly integrates a coaster via the handle. It looks fantastic and it protects your furniture from heat rings I came up with the idea in 2008 but did not pursue development of the mug as a product due to limited knowledge of the space and a lack of resources. I managed

It seems timing was the only issue as the internet led to the development of crowdfunding services that actually help you launch product concepts or businesses through capital raised from individuals interested in your concept. One such service is called Kickstarter.com, and it’s how the Floating Mug Company got started.

To produce a minimum order of five hundred mugs and cover startup costs, I needed to raise at least USD15,000.

On June 21st, 2012, I put together a brief about the project and posted some pictures as well. Amazingly the project reached it’s goal in just eleven days into a forty day schedule. I ended up raising over twice the goal and generating a great deal of publicity in magazines and on the internet.

The Floating Mug is now in development with the first batch of mugs scheduled for December delivery. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but I’m confident that I’ll close out the kickstarter project successfully and venture on to establishing my first business.

What’s Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is a funding platform for creative projects.

Everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. Kickstarter is full of ambitious, innovative, and imaginative projects that are brought to life through the direct support of others. <http://www.kickstarter.com>

www.povo.co.zw

to source a sample from a Chinese factory which I continued to use personally for about four years.

PHOTOGRAPHY » A LOVE SUPREME PRODUCTION

The innovative floating Mug Company has roots in Zimbabwe

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>hip hop

Synik Gerald Mugwenhi

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Hip Hop Awards 2012 Best Album – ‘Syn City’ by Synik Best new comer – Synik Best collaboration – ‘Power cut’ by Synik ft Metaphysics, Junior Brown and MC Chita

POVO AFRIKA // 2012 Annual Report

PHOTOGRAPHY // KUMBULANI MPOFU

Also Nominated for Best Video

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Syn City, the most anticipated album of 2012. A lot of hype was created ahead of the launch and it lived up to expectation. <www.thisissynik.com>

Synik performing at Arts Alive Festival in Johannesburg

imbabwean hip hop has traditionally been a scene with very talented artists with little to show for the time and dedication they put in. It has birthed such names as Metaphysics, Kingpinn, Munetsi and other artists who have left an indelible mark. It incorporates all the different varieties of hip hop from the hard core underground, politically conscious, social commentary rap music to the more krunk and ‘commercial’ type. The one thing about the hip hop scene in Zimbabwe is that its clear that no matter the type of rap you do, if you’re in it, then you’re in it for the love. The potential for growth in the movement is immense with hip hop garnering more and more recognition and respect. This year has seen the 2nd Shoko festival in Zimbabwe which showcased some of the hip hop acts in the country. We are drawing closer to the 2nd Zimbabwean Hip hop awards, an initiative meant to reward hip hop artists who are working hard and helping to build the industry. Its great to see hip hop getting more appreciation and artists pulling together to further the movement. I was really thankful to see the positive responses and great reviews that Syn City has received so far. Its very motivating when your work is appreciated and I think its an inspiration to other artists as well.

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www.povo.co.zw

ILLUSTRATION » NOVIC HADEBE

>film

The 2012 Showreel from Art’s view Arthur Mataruse

As technology evolves and the human race paces to keep up with the present, I found myself at my tech savvy peak on a bandwith constricted continent, when I started streaming movies online that would come as festival submissions.

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POVO AFRIKA // THE POVO JOURNAL 2012

ith this development, a friend of mine sent me a documentary that is a must watch for young trendsetters. Press, Pause, Play. This documentary pretty much outlines where we are technologically and how we use technology in the arts and media. Overnight “photographers” popping up from using Instagram and unripe filmmakers birthed due to exceptional equipment readily available as long as the pocket allows! Well accessibility isn’t such a bad thing is it? It’s all about how one uses their tool.

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Another exciting online phenomenon was Kony 2012. A great example of having access to resources and not having the mind for factual narrative execution. I got to know of Kony, whom I had hardly heard of before, whilst being reassured how obnoxious a lot of the “free world” population is. If you missed this well made, revolution intended joke, go on youtube, Kony 2012, remember you will not get your time and bandwith back.

On to the silver screen, an appeasing documentary, Marley. The life of a legend, a musician and the world’s most famous Rastafarian. This piece shows just how Bob Marley will never die in people’s hearts and playlists.

Robert Nester Marley’s revolutionary and spiritual journey started from a young age, being spawned from a black woman and a white man he was society’s punch bag.

The story of how his music started is told first hand, a bitter daughter says expresses her woes and the firm Rita tells how she knew she was Marley’s guardian angel. A compelling piece and the story of a legend.

I have heard a lot about Che Guevara, seen images of him and knew part of his revolution. As to any revolutionary there’s a story behind. Che’s story is beautifully told in the feature Motorcycle Diaries. He travels through Latin America from his home Argentina on a bike with his best friend.

The poverty they see and the experiences he endures travelling as a young physician compelled him to whom he became. Not only is the movie a beautiful piece of cinema nouveau, it is an enthralling piece of world history that is told just as a story.

Cinema style is fast evolving with technology, films of more substance are being released and these four pieces gave my eyes visual orgasms. So for your viewing entertainment, knowledge empowerment and quality bar raising visuals, catch one or all of these on whichever platform you can access them.

africanart

>art

AS DEFINED BY MASIMBA HwATI

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he question of African art is a complicated one because Africa is a place of many identities and there is also the diaspora.....but I think it is an important issue though we might not get an answer, but it will help us at least define ourselves, because my problem is when culture takes in more than it can give. It is a bit difficult to describe art. I think certain elements, ideologies and patterns that we can call African and we can also share with other cultures as African.

Masimba was speaking at the Harare Conversations which is a discussion platform spearheaded by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. It is open to the public. It’s where art professionals and the public come together to discuss, debate and learn about various art related topics.

www.povo.co.zw

I look at it from another angle, we are using the English language right now? We have a dress that we borrowed, we have habits that are borrowed, we have got eating habits that are borrowed, our diet, so I also look at that level of our life as Africa not having.

I think Africa has more to give. I understand and I also think that when you say Africa has given, things have been taken from us because I don’t think there was an even exchange. So I’m talking from an even point of view where we can have respect for each other and share at a level and respect each other. That still has to happen in my own perspective.

PHOTOGRAPHY » BAYNHAM GOREDEMA

We import more than we export. Even in our culture. We use oil paints, Da Vinci oil paints. We don’t know anything about how they are made. Even if we have some of the raw materials right under our feet and around us. And we use canvases which we do not know the origins of. We do not know how to make it, and we buy these things and then we show our work and then we call ourselves African artists? I struggled to put my arms around that kind of an idea.

From my college days, I started looking for what I call alternative materials of work. You might find no particular pattern in my work because I am always in search of materials.

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>art

a case for the

creative arts in Zimbabwe

by Tamuka Mtengwa

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THE POVO JOURNAL 2012

PHOTOGRAPHY // TAMUKA MTENGWA

he Creative Arts for many years in Zimbabwe have been understood to be less important than all the other subjects. Generally speaking some will quickly point out the complexities of mathematic and the sciences associating them with a great amount of pondering and elitist problem solving quick to dismiss the aesthetic and intellectual complexities of the creative arts.

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A great number are of the opinion that the Arts in general have a right to be disrespected, devalued and dismissed, as one will not be employed in the “more fashionable” and traditional employment choices.

I personally remember a friend of mine telling me that when he was young his mother found him playing with a guitar and destroyed it….as she saw art as a way of failure. It is however regrettable that many individuals down on their luck do try to get attention by creatively amusing an audience by using colour and sound or song in exchange for a small amount of change.

Other creative geniuses such as Dumbudzo Marechera, Jimi Hendrix and Jean Mitchel Basquait were often intoxicated… unfortunately leading to the blossoming of certain perceptions that associate certain hairstyles, drug use and eccentricities with art, while the causes of these same eccentricities might have a lot more to do with upbringing and childhood issues - though not limited to art and artists as Albert Einstein also sported these types of hairstyles and exhibited similar eccentricities.

So why am I telling you all this? Because I believe the arts are just as important as any other discipline anywhere. Art institutions have shot themselves in the foot unfortunately by accepting the student who came to study art, because they were rejected elsewhere. An individual who pursues any discipline without the right qualifications and attitude is bound not to go very far with it…..and will continue to perpetuate the undesirable stereotypes that follow.

In order for the general public to appreciate the quality of artists produced in Zimbabwe there is a need for this creativity to be felt in sectors of advertising through its various media. Art institutions perhaps will need to concentrate on quality, rather than quantity.

Prestigious crafts men guilds can be set up to identify those of distinction in the many

avenues of the creative arts i.e Architecture, Interior design, Fashion, Graphic Design, Photography, Filmography, Multimedia, Sound engineering etc.

Unfortunately Art institutions cannot operate at optimum level without highly qualified instructors and industrial partnerships. Art materials are generally expensive and many students will require substantial financial support…Even after qualifying there is no real guarantee for any immediate individual break through however it would at least be desirable for Zimbabwe to be able to be self sufficient with regards its creative needs. One thing that is for sure is that Zimbabwe is highly dependent on South African entertainment publications, which is generally undesirable as such a situation encourages cultural dwarfing. We are also highly dependent on South African and other television broadcasts, music and other ideas.

I believe if we can invest in the creative arts a decade to come we will somehow be able to answer favourably to creative offerings produced from without our territorial boarders. It is however true that creativity is less appreciated in times of economic challenges, and hopefully the creative arts in Zimbabwe will thrive as the economy takes shape and in turn stimulate the economy by energizing commercial activity.

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www.povo.co.zw

ILLUSTRATION » JULIAN MUGABE

>agriculture

Mushroom

cultivation

BY NYASHA MUPASO

Facts & Myths Dymystifying mushrooms There are no scientific tests or rules that can accurately determine the safety or toxicity of a mushroom. Using the following “rules” could prove to be a deadly mistake!

Myth A Mushroom is considered poisonous if: Mushroom stains when bruised.

Mushroom secretes a milky sap.

Mushroom tarnishes a silver spoon when cooked with it.

Mushroom has scales, warts or other types of rough surfaces.

Mushrooms smell and taste horrible.

Cook mushrooms and put a silver spoon in, if the mushroom turns black, then its poisonous.

Feed mushrooms to chickens or dogs, if they don’t die the mushrooms are safe.

Myth B Mushroom is considered safe if: Slugs or other insects eat the mushroom ?

Squirrels, rabbits, or other wildlife eat the mushroom.

Mushroom is dried, boiled, salted or pickled in vinegar.

Mushroom does not have a ring or skirt on the stalk.

Mushroom is pure white in colour.

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THE poVo JoURnaL 2012

PHOTOGRAPHY // BAYNHAM GOREDEMA

hat makes mushroom cultivation unique from conventional farming is it does not require arable land, requires small piece of land, agro wastes are used, can be grown in rural areas and offers quick returns as within thirty days mushrooms can be harvested if the oyster mushrooms are grown and within fifteen days if the paddy mushrooms are grown. Whilst wild mushrooms remain popular the cultivated ones ensures mushrooms are available all year round.

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Mushrooms are a delicacy, over and above that there are many benefits: its such a nutritious food that is low in calories, virtually fat free, cholesterol free, have very low levels of sugar and salt; they provide a valuable source of dietary fibre, as well as several vitamins and minerals, high protein content higher than most vegetables and they also contain various medicinal properties. Mushtella is working hard to educate the nation on nutrition and medicinal benefits of mushrooms. We are also playing a role in the provision of spawn (“seed”) a critical input to mushroom production, many can grow mushrooms but spawn production is an advanced science, we also sell kits and other inputs to growers.

The government of Zimbabwe has no policy on mushrooms and does not support mushroom farmers despite the fact the mushroom industry is a multi-

billion industry worldwide, the country continues to import a substantial amount of mushrooms from South Africa. However the growing of mushrooms in Zimbabwe is on the increase, this is due to increased number of private trainers. The availability of spawn has also caused the recent increase of mushroom farms. Mushroom growing is good for urban agriculture due to its low land requirements.

Mushroom growing can be done as a core agriculture activity or done as a side farming activity which blends very well with conventional farming. Where a symbiotic relationship is established: mushrooms will rely on conventional farming for agro waste and in turn after mushroom growing the waste is used as manure. A number of nongovernmental organisations are involved in the promotion of mushrooms in Zimbabwe: mainly in rural areas, this is commendable in the absence of government support.

Despite the lack of government policy and support to mushroom cultivation, the prospects are bright, the improvement of the economy from the hyperinflation environment has seen stability in the industry and spawn laboratories can now import cultures and equipment, recovery of the tourism industry is also key to sustenance of the industry, the booming market is also key, not only for the Zimbabwean market but also export market.

FACTS Some people can eat mushrooms with no problems, while other people eating the same mushroom will experience severe vomiting and diarrhoea.

Some people can have allergic reactions to eating “safe” mushrooms.

Some mushrooms are only poisonous if eaten in large quantities.

Some mushrooms are poisonous when raw but become harmless when parboiled and thoroughly cooked.

Some mushrooms are poisonous regardless of how they are cooked or prepared.

Some mushrooms are poisonous only if eaten with alcoholic beverages.

Some mushrooms are classified as poisonous because they are hallucinogenic.

Some mushrooms that are edible when fresh and young become poisonous when they are old, hit by frost or if they decay.

Some mushrooms, for unknown reasons, are poisonous in one part of the country and are not poisonous in another.

Some mushrooms that are poisonous to animals do not cause major problems in humans.

Most mushrooms are more dangerous to young children, the aged and the very ill.

Ideally, people and animals should never eat mushrooms that have not been identified by an expert or bought at the store. Unfortunately, many mushrooms are difficult to identify even for a trained mycologist, (a biologist trained in the study of mushrooms).

Is it easy to identify mushrooms?

Identifying mushrooms is an art that is very difficult and timeconsuming. Before making a positive identification, mycologists look closely at the colour, gills, spores, stalks and base portion of the mushroom. Spores are examined under a microscope to detect differences. The mycologist will also consider where the mushroom was growing, such as in the woods, on a lawn or on a tree before making an identification. Because of the involved process required to accurately identify a mushroom, it is impossible to identify a mushroom from a description over the phone.

To be safe, avoid all mushrooms not purchased at a store

(Porphyrio madagascariensis)

Two birds from a collection of 30 wetland birds painted in water colour by Boarding Dzinotizei. They were commissioned for an interpretive signage project for the Rondebult Bird Sanctuary and the Leeupan Bird Sancturay both located in the East Rand of South Africa.

Red-billed Teal

(Anas erythrorhyncha)

www.povo.co.zw

Birds of the wetlands

African purple swamphen

ILLUSTRATION // BAOARDING DZINOTIZEI

>art

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>arts

Harvesting the low-hanging fruit Henry Makiwa the editor of the Peoples Hub gives us a round up of Zimbabwe’s arts scene for 2012

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his time last year, our agency, The Peoples Hub had been engaged to cater media and publicity work for a modelling event in central London. I was covering the gig when I ran into a young man whom I immensely admire, and had been conferred the guest of honour status for the show. He wasn’t staying long, he told me, as he had to fly to Harare the following day for a “very important festival”.

Some of the most exciting proponents of this new-age Zimbabwean social movement include the hip hop music producer Kuadakwashe “Begotten Sun” Musasiwa and his protégé, rapper Synik; the clothing lines POVOAfrika and Guerilla State of Mind (GSM), the Afro-Jazz musicians Victor Kunonga and Edith WeUtonga; and the comedian Carl Joshua Ncube.

His name is Akala, and the “very important festival” the famed and award-winning British rapper-cum-poet was referring to, was the inaugural 2011 Shoko International Spoken Word and Hip Hop Festival in Harare.

There’s much hope and expectation invested in these entities by their contemporaries already.

Between themselves, POVO and GSM have clothed some of the shining stars being churned off the Zimbabwean conveyer belt, including Ncube, pop stars, Bkay and Kazz; and the superstar rapper, Tendai “Baba” Maraire of the US group, Shabazz Palaces.

Low hanging fruit

I bear a conflicting bitter-sweet cocktail, of exciting yet forlorn emotions as I write from my London base again this year, knowing the fete has once again come and gone, and I was M.I .A.

Rising lyricist Synik on the other hand, recently launched his debut album, Syn City, fronted by Africa’s first ever 3D hip hop video. He has since toured South Africa and headlined Shoko. Another rapper, mUnetsi – who is also clothed by POVO, finally dropped his first international release, the monster hit EP, Chaminuka: Zimbabwe Superhero.

THE POVO JOURNAL 2012

PHOTOGRAPHY // HENRY MAKIWA

A month on, reviews of the show have been all things glowing, positive and sparkling.

Shoko has become a barometer of the Zimbabwean underground art movement; and a yardstick of social trends.

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It is of course not the be-all and all unit measurement of the atmosphere, but it grunts a genuine shout now which makes it a major highlight on most Hararians’ calendars. Needless to say, watching all these developments a pond away makes my heart ache indeed.

Kazz from the group BKay n Kazz

Edith WeUtonga and Kunonga meanwhile are reinventing the cool and jazz of Harare.

Both have in the past year toured the region extensively, with Edith WeUtonga in particular receiving rave reviews when she stopped over in Kampala, Uganda.

Virtual tune in Thankfully, because of the World Wide Web, I believe I have made a decent job at keeping myself up to speed with the frenetic elaborations in the music, art and fashion orbs of Zimbabwe.

In the past year I have seen colleagues, friends and family grow and thrive in their respective creative disciplines and genres.

Great things are expected of Carl Joshua Ncube. Last week, he put up a farewell show in Harare ahead of a three months tour of the US.

from left: Liz Dziva :DSTV Zimbabwe PR Manager, Tinashe Ncube : Artistic Liaison at JIBILIKA, Jillian Bonnardeaux - US Embassy

There is excitement in the air, and enough proof to back the premise of growth in the Zimbabwean industry. It’s been a massively self-funded organic germination, but the harvest season is beckoning indeed!

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henever one flips through a newspaper there is guarantee of a report on a national disaster, a ruthless killing or a cry for help. Today’s generation will sympathise for as long as it takes to flip to the next page. The report may even be privileged enough to get an unexpected referral, before being used as lining in a kitchen cupboard. The articles that will grasp the people’s attention however, have to be laced with adultery, fornication or corruption. What has become of us that our compassion levels have been depleted to the point where a beggar on the street gets no more than a glance?

As human beings we are mandated to “love thy neighbour as thyself”, is this still possible? If we have forgotten how to connect with our compassionate core, With Love Foundation can assist with bridging the gap. With Love foundation is a charitable organisation with aim to build lives a day at a time. All those in need, regardless of

Nafuna.tv was officially born on the 1st of July though planning for it went back 3 years prior. Once the platform was up, Nafuna created the platform’s flagship webshow, NafunaTV. NafunaTV is an Afrikan lifestyle and entertainment webshow that’s available for free to the Afrikan audience. Not only has it been a fun project to work on but a great place to test our Ideas out. NafunaTV is about to complete its inaugural season of 6 episodes.

gender or race, are at the heart of WLF and they have put in place three initiatives have been designed to meet the primary needs of the people of Zimbabwe. There is a With Love Soup Kitchen which has aim to feed five thousand people before year end.

Secondly there is “One Million Pieces” which has target to collect one million pieces of clothing by end of 2013, which will be distributed to those in need. Thirdly there is a “Zim Clean” initiative which not only intends on cleaning the country but to also bring the community together in a spirit of oneness. The only way With Love can fulfil all this however, is by getting assistance and volunteers from the citizens of Zimbabwe.

Let us once again come together as a nation and eradicate the spirit of selfishness that has settled amongst our people. We need to set an example for the generations to come, and restore the beautiful nation we call home. Let’s make a difference; all we have to do is start.

Other webshows are in the pipeline for NafunaTV spanning animation, visual effects and comedy.

Nafuna’s philosophy is “the new thinking”. It embodies the idea of fresh perspectives and outlooks. Its how we try to approach every project that we embark on, with fresh eyes every time.

We believe that true Genius always evolves and changes and learns.

BREAKDANCE IN ZIMBABWE

BY PLOT MHAkO

H

ip hop dance popularly known as breaking has grown tremendously over the past seven years. The creation of dance competitions like Undisputed, Jibilika, Breakdown and the Zimbabwean edition of the international b-boy championships Battle of the Year (BOTY) have immensely impacted on the development of the dance form.

The digital age and easy access to international dance material has also played a major role with movies such as You Got Served, Stomp the Yard, Planet b-boy and Step Up beings tops.

In major town and cities you now find a number of dance crews most majoring in new school and a few taking up b-boying.

Only a handful of dance crews have managed to go professional and dance for a living and majority struggling with lack of originality, support and proper management. This has been further compounded by promoters who have failed to fulfill their promises after organizing events leading to the diminishing morale amongst dancers.

Since 2007 when I decided to promote dance, hip hop has been our major area of focus and strength since it’s the most popular youth culture. We have been involved in a number of projects and helped develop a lot of crews and our efforts continue unabated.

Recently I took part in a three week Hip hop and Civic Engagement program in the United States which brought together 20 hip hop leaders from Africa. The program centred on how hip hop has and can be used for the positive engagement, development and empowerment of young people and children. The experience was wonderful. It opened my mind to various opportunities that lie in our young people and hip hop being the vehicle.

PHOTOGRAPHY » BAYNHAM GOREDEMA

BY TENDAI MICHELLE MUFUNDA

STATE OF

www.povo.co.zw

The eradication of poverty

17

>record breaker

TINOTENDA MAwOYO IS

The opener Tino celebrates a century against NZ ‘A’ in the first 4 day game, 126 not out at Harare Sports Club.

THE poVo JoURnaL 2012

PHOTOGRAPHY // JEKESAI NJIKIZANA

October 2010

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Did you know That the last opener to carry his bat against Pakistan was back in 1998 - oddly also from Zimbabwe ... Grant Flower.”

ASK STEVE @ CRICINFO.COM

Is Captaincy something you relish or is it a role which was rather pushed onto you as a senior player at the Mountaineers and recently with Zim A? - ForeignField Captaincy is certainly not a new area for me in the game of cricket, and therefore it is an area I find fairly comfortable in executing. Over and above captaining numerous Provincial sides, I have been fortunate enough to have captained our National age-group sides at Under 16 and Under 19 level, both for a period of 2 years. (I captained our Under 19 World Cup team that played in Bangladesh in

2004). At all instances, we had successful tours and enjoyed some great victories even over the greater test-playing sides.

I have also captained the Zim ‘A’ side on numerous occasions prior to this last triangular series with Sri Lanka and South Africa as well. As much as some forms of leadership may come more naturally to certain people as opposed to others, I believe that generally leadership, like most other things in life, is something that must be worked at in order for one to do well at it. Whenever I have been given the opportunity to lead, I have certainly treasured the privilege and enjoyed the experience as well.

What really motivated you to lose that fat that you had? Flower power At some stage in my career, soon after Alan Butcher joined as National team coach, it was made clear to me that it didn’t matter

Sledging has become part of the game now and is often used as a tactic by several teams to try and get the opposition batsmen unsettled, annoyed and even aggravated. This can result in the batsmen playing a rash shot, giving a chance or even getting out. I have no problem with that and I believe that this tests ones character and resolve at the crease. As for sending a batsman off ? I don’t agree with that. If you are going to say something to me say it while I’m batting and have a chance to respond with my bat, not when I’m out and walking off.

What’s the most memorable sledge directed at you while you were batting and does it really affect your psyche?

(Laughs) I was playing against Australia ‘A’ at Country Club, and I was batting in our second innings trying to salvage a draw. It was just before lunch and my partner and I had shut up shop with about a half an hour to go to lunch. I was still relatively beefy then. Dave Warner was fielding under the helmet at short square, he pipes up, ‘Bowl him a pie Justin, I’m sure he’ll go for that’!

Do you or any of the other guys read the Zimbabwe cricket forums? - zimdoggy (ZCF) Whenever I have the opportunity I do take time to read and follow up on the key issues that are raised in the forums, so yes I do when the opportunity arises.

What do you do in your spare time?

Obviously spend a lot of time in front of the tv watching cricket, and I’m starting to read around the game a lot more than I used to.

Will go out with some friends every now and then and watch the English Premier League whenever I can…. and before you ask, it’s Manchester United!

Zimbabwe team. Tino Mawoyo seated 1st from left. Only test vs New Zealand at Napier, January 2012

In action vs NZ ‘A’ at country club in Harare during the third 4 day game, October 2010

Cutting vs Sri Lanka ‘A’ on his way to 66 at Harare Sports Club,

Saluting the crowd after 163 not out against Pakistan at Bulawayo, September 2011

July 2012

Did you play any other sport in high school and what position did you play?

I played tennis and golf but only until it started clashing with my cricket fixtures on a Friday afternoon. In hockey and soccer I was a centre forward, and on the rugby field I was a fly half. I swam at the interhouse galas but only when my house was extremely short of personnel, and I tried basketball but stopped pretty q u i c k l y when I ruptured ligaments in my right ankle and was off sport for 8 weeks! I was also part of the school athletics team.

the world. However as much as these social media formats are such a useful networking and communication tool, I have also seen a lot of professional sportsmen getting themselves into some very uncomfortable situations due to what they’ve written or said over these platforms.

Tell us something that your fans don’t know about TMK? I started off my cricket in colts as an opening bowler and batted number 10!!!

And yes I was fast! (As you know anyone who doesn’t bowl spin at colts level is a Pace bowler)!

Are you on twitter and what is your view of social media in general I’m not on twitter, and I think social media is a great way of keeping in touch with friends and family all over

Tino salutes after his maiden test century against Pakistan at Bulawayo becoming the third Zimbabwean to carry bat in a test innings.

PHOTOGRAPHY // JEKESAI NJIKIZANA / TALENT ZVANYANYA (3)

What are your thoughts on sledging, and sending a dismissed batsmen on his way?

www.povo.co.zw

how many runs I scored both locally and against touring teams, I was not going to be considered for a national team spot until I had lost a considerable amount of weight and improved on my fitness. Looking back it helped me a lot with my game, moving in the field, batting long periods and the general period of recovery for my body.

Most important however, as a professional sportsman after trimming off the weight, my self-confidence increased significantly, and I think we have all seen what positive fruits this has born on my game.

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THOUSANDS Photographs captured at various events

Rutendo

Hope Masike

Chiedza Musengezi

Mokoomba

Edith WeUtonga

Tina Watyoka

Mariachi & Alkamai

Batsirai Chigama

FEATUING TUMI AND THE VOLUME AKALA METAPHYSICS XAPA TIMOTHY MWAURA

ANNUAL REPORT 2011 www.povo.co.za

are done,love to love and be loved. www.durbandoodles.blogspot.com Animator. Photographer. Designer. www.greedysouth.blogspot.com Zimbabwe #1 ent blog www.thepeopleshub.posterous.com We are a team of PR professionals, bloggers, multi-media creatives and event managers. www.ri0.tumblr.com A meeting of the minds of two acquaintances - A photgrapher Rosiah and a poet RuTendo DeNise (.R.). www.iamblackbird.wordpress.com The Rap Empress www.commonsenseorisit.blogspot.com This blog www.muzhingi5h23.wordpress.com - Words of a Comrades Winner. www.kgskitchen.blogspot.com The food experience and experiment that is all about enjoying food and www.godfreykoti.blogspot.com enjoying the cooking. www.chirinda.tumblr.com out of Zimbabwe. www.ngizwani.wordpress.com Our interest was to tell, in pictures, the story of the Zimbabwe Election as it unfolded. www.zimbabweinpictures.com See for yourself www.25tolyf.com The aim of the blog is to showcase the talents of African hip hop artists from all over the world. www.meetmutsa.tumblr.com I’m passionate about being involved with HIV/AIDS projects especially in Africa. www.thesovereignstate.org A Zimbabwean graphic designer and social commentator. www.justpatience.com This blog is my notebook on my experiences, thoughts and opinions on fashion and lifestyle. www.farai.com Farai has combined media, technology, and diversity during her 20-year career as an award-winning author and journalist. www.carljoshuancube.

I am now a stand up comedian...what was I before? www.zuwamusic.com What began as a simple blog to house my art eventually turned into a hub where my various thoughts are documented and displayed. www.fromthesoulofaman.blogspot.com I sometimes feel that the solutions to our greatest problems rest in common sense, which doesn’t always seem so common. www.nadiabrowncow.com A Zimbabwean Princess who found her Prince and is now living happily ever after amongst the cows in the Swiss countryside.www.zambezitraveller.com destinations along the Zambezi. www.hashbrowndontfrown.com www.namelesscomms.blogspot.com - Multi-lingual poet-musician and award winning journalist working for Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation –ZBC as a Producer/Presenter,(DJ),Reporter and Newsreader for Radio Zimbabwe, National FM and ZTV. www.marondera-high.blogspot.com This is an experience I had visiting my old school. I hope it will move people to contribute towards rebuilding this school. www.simukacomedy.posterous.com The home of Zimbabwean Stand Up Comedy www.mysoullife.blogspot.com - if you speak about it, you should be about it. www.themail faithtalk.blogspot.com A platform where I discuss and probe issues that have to do with Faith and Religion in Zimbabwe and beyond. www.davidcoltart.com - David Coltart, MDC Senator, has been a human rights lawyer in Zimbabwe since his return to the www.zimbogeek.com Discovering all things I.T., one “kill -s HUP foo” at a time. www.thandowako.blogspot.com A writer, performing poet and arts consultant based in Zimbabwe, concerned with the human challenges in the journey of life. stimulusnetwork.blogspot.com This is a space where we invite you to share your stories in your journey to becoming an entrepreneur www.bizsetup.wordpress.com - An organization dedicated to helping entrepreneurs start-up and grow businesses the smart www.techzim.co.zw - We explore new technologies, ICT services provision, Internet products and companies. www.zimbloggers.info - If you’re a blogger submit your blog today to gain exposure to a larger audience to our Directory. www.seek-creativity.

- Continuously Seeking www.radioknk.com www.opium.co.zw Dynamic company breaking into media and media-related industries. www.ethos-photographic.blogspot.com - A journey through imagery with rudo nyangulu www.indiesoulchild.wordpress.com An outlet of expression. it’s my soap box, it’s my diary. it allows me to air out all my thoughts, my anxieties, my frustrations, and my outlook on both the good and the bad, the happy and the sad. www.trevormakonyonga.blogspot.com Zmbabwean news and my views.www.muzvarebettymakoni.org An organisation that champions the rights of the girl child in Zimbabwe and world over. www.afrofutures.com Futurism as a topic has to do primarily with blacks in the Diaspora but also the whole of African consciousness. www.edithweutonga.blogspot.com A mother of two sons,a wife to a very supportive hubby,very particular about how things are done,love to love and be loved. www.durbandoodles.blogspot.com Animator. Photographer. Designer. www.greedysouth.blogspot.com Zimbabwe #1 ent blog www.thepeopleshub.posterous.com We are a team of PR professionals, bloggers, multi-media creatives and event managers. www.ri0.tumblr.com A meeting of the minds of two acquaintances - A photgrapher Rosiah and a poet RuTendo DeNise (.R.). www.iamblackbird.wordpress.com The Rap www.muzhingi5h23.wordpress.com - Words of a Comrades Winner. www.kgskitchen.blogspot.com The food expe www.commonsenseorisit.blogspot.com rience and experiment that is all about enjoying food and enjoying the cooking. www.chirinda.tumblr.com www.godfreykoti.blogspot.com by one of the most insightful cricket analysists to ever emerge out of Zimbabwe. www.ngizwani.wordpress.com Our interest was to tell, in pictures, the story of the Zimbabwe Election as it unfolded. www.zimbabweinpictures.com See for yourself www.25tolyf.

The aim of the blog is to showcase the talents of African hip hop artists from all over the world. www.meetmutsa.tumblr.com I’m passionate about being involved with HIV/AIDS projects especially in Africa. www.thesovereignstate.org A Zimbabwean graphic designer and social commentator. www.justpatience.com This blog is my notebook on my experiences, thoughts and opinions on fashion and lifestyle. www.farai.com Farai has combined media, technology, and diversity during her 20-year career as an award-winning author and journalist. www.carljoshuancube.posterous.com I am now a stand up comedian...what was I before? www.zuwamusic.com drums and cast to the winds by enchanting melodies www.sirnige.com What began as a simple blog to house my art eventually turned into a hub where my various thoughts are documented and displayed. www.fromthesoulofaman.blogspot.com I sometimes feel that the solutions to our greatest problems rest in common sense, which doesn’t always seem so common. www.nadiabrowncow.com A Zimbabwean Princess who found her Prince and is now living happily ever after amongst the cows in the Swiss country www.zambezitraveller.com www.hashbrowndontfrown.com namelesscomms.blogspot.com - Multi-lingual poet-musician and award winning journalist working for Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation –ZBC as a Producer/Presenter,(DJ),Reporter and Newsreader for Radio Zimbabwe, National FM and ZTV. www.maron dera-high.blogspot.com This is an experience I had visiting my old school. I hope it will move people to contribute towards rebuilding this school. www.simukacomedy.posterous.com The home of Zimbabwean Stand Up Comedy www.mysoullife.blogspot.com - if you speak about it, you should be about it. www.themailfaithtalk.blogspot.com A platform where I discuss and probe issues that have to do with Faith and Religion in Zimbabwe and beyond. www.davidcoltart.com - David Coltart, MDC Senator, has been a human rights lawyer in Zimbabwe since his return to the country in 1983. www.zimbogeek.com Discovering all things I.T., one “kill -s HUP foo” at a time. www.thandowako.blogspot.com A writer, performing poet and arts consultant based in Zimbabwe, concerned with the human challenges in the journey of life. www.stimulusnetwork.blogspot.com This is a space where we invite you to share your stories in your journey to becoming an entrepreneur www.bizsetup.wordpress.com - An organization dedicated to helping entrepreneurs start-up and grow businesses the smart way. www.techzim.co.zw - We explore new technologies, ICT services provision, Internet products and companies. www.zimbloggers.info - If you’re a blogger submit your blog today to gain exposure to a larger audience to our Directory. www.seek-creativity.blogspot.com - Continuously Seeking www.radioknk.com us all closer together. www.opium.co.zw Dynamic company breaking into media and media-related industries. www.ethos-photographic.blogspot.com - A journey through imagery with rudo nyangulu www.indiesoulchild.wordpress.com An outlet of expression. it’s my soap box, it’s my diary. it allows me to air out all my thoughts, my anxieties, my frustrations, and my outlook on both the good and the bad, the happy and the sad. www.trevormakonyonga.blogspot.com Zmbabwean news and my views.www.muzvarebet An organisation that champions the rights of the girl child in Zimbabwe and world over. www.afrofutures.com Futurism as a topic has to do primarily with blacks in the Diaspora but also the whole of African consciousness. www.edithweutonga.

A mother of two sons,a wife to a very supportive hubby,very particular about how things are done,love to love and be loved. www.durbandoodles.blogspot.com Animator. Photographer. Designer. www.greedysouth.blogspot.com Zimbabwe #1 www.thepeopleshub.posterous.com We are a team of PR professionals, bloggers, multi-media creatives and event managers. www.ri0.tumblr.com A meeting of the minds of two acquaintances - A photgrapher Rosiah and a poet RuTendo DeNise (.R.). www.iamblackbird.wordpress.com The Rap Empress www.commonsenseorisit.blogspot.com www.muzhingi5h23.wordpress.com - Words of a Comrades Winner. www.god www.kgskitchen.blogspot.com The food experience and experiment that is all about enjoying food and enjoying the cooking. www.chirinda.tumblr.com www.ngizwani.wordpress.com Our interest was to tell, in pictures, the story of the Zimbabwe Election as it unfolded. www.zim freykoti.blogspot.com babweinpictures.com See for yourself www.25tolyf.com The aim of the blog is to showcase the talents of African hip hop artists from all over the world. www.meetmutsa.tumblr.com I’m passionate about being involved with HIV/AIDS projects especially in Af www.thesovereignstate.org A Zimbabwean graphic designer and social commentator. www.justpatience.com This blog is my notebook on my experiences, thoughts and opinions on fashion and lifestyle. www.farai.com Farai has combined media, technology, and diversity during her 20-year career as an award-winning author and journalist. www.carljoshuancube.posterous.com I am now a stand up comedian...what was I before? www.zuwamusic.com A rare and engaging artist... poetic and political lilts www.sirnige.com What began as a simple blog to house my art eventually turned into a hub where my various thoughts are documented and displayed. www.fromthesoulofaman.blogspot.com I sometimes feel that the solutions to our greatest problems rest in common sense, which doesn’t always seem so common. www.nadiabrowncow.com A Zimbabwean Princess who found her Prince and is now living www.hashbrowndontfrown.com This is the online head-quarters of myself, TehN Diamond, an up and coming Zim happily ever after amongst the cows in the Swiss countryside.www.zambezitraveller.com www.namelesscomms.blogspot.com - Multi-lingual poet-musician and award winning journalist working for Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation –ZBC as a Producer/Presenter,(DJ),Reporter and Newsreader for Radio Zimbabwe, National FM and ZTV. www.marondera-high.blogspot.com This is an experience I had visiting my old school. I hope it will move people to contribute towards rebuilding this school. www.simukacomedy.posterous.com The home of Zimba bwean Stand Up Comedy www.mysoullife.blogspot.com - if you speak about it, you should be about it. www.themailfaithtalk.blogspot.com A platform where I discuss and probe issues that have to do with Faith and Religion in Zimbabwe and beyond.

- David Coltart, MDC Senator, has been a human rights lawyer in Zimbabwe since his return to the country in 1983. www.zimbogeek.com Discovering all things I.T., one “kill -s HUP foo” at a time. www.thandowako.blogspot.com A writer, per forming poet and arts consultant based in Zimbabwe, concerned with the human challenges in the journey of life. www.stimulusnetwork.blogspot.com This is a space where we invite you to share your stories in your journey to becoming an entrepreneur bizsetup.wordpress.com - An organization dedicated to helping entrepreneurs start-up and grow businesses the smart way. www.techzim.co.zw - We explore new technologies, ICT services provision, Internet products and companies. www.zimbloggers.info - If you’re a blogger submit your blog today to gain exposure to a larger audience to our Directory. www.seek-creativity.blogspot.com - Continuously Seeking www.radioknk.com mation to serve as a bridge between artists and fans alike bringing us all closer together. www.opium.co.zw Dynamic company breaking into media and media-related industries. www.ethos-photographic.blogspot.com - A journey through imagery with rudo www.indiesoulchild.wordpress.com An outlet of expression. it’s my soap box, it’s my diary. it allows me to air out all my thoughts, my anxieties, my frustrations, and my outlook on both the good and the bad, the happy and the sad. www.trevormak onyonga.blogspot.com Zmbabwean news and my views.www.muzvarebettymakoni.org An organisation that champions the rights of the girl child in Zimbabwe and world over. www.afrofutures.com Futurism as a topic has to do primarily with blacks in the Diaspora but also the whole of African consciousness. www.edithweutonga.blogspot.com A mother of two sons,a wife to a very supportive hubby,very particular about how things are done,love to love and be loved. www.durbandoodles.blogspot.com Anima tor. Photographer. Designer. www.greedysouth.blogspot.com Zimbabwe #1 ent blog www.thepeopleshub.posterous.com We are a team of PR professionals, bloggers, multi-media creatives and event managers. www.ri0.tumblr.com A meeting of the minds of two acquaintances - A photgrapher Rosiah and a poet RuTendo DeNise (.R.). www.iamblackbird.wordpress.com The Rap Empress www.commonsenseorisit.blogspot.com www.muzhingi5h23.wordpress.com - Words of a Comrades Winner. www.kgskitchen.blogspot.com The food experience and experiment that is all about enjoying food and enjoying the cooking. www.chirinda.tumblr.com www.godfreykoti.blogspot.com www.ngizwani.wordpress.com Our interest was to tell, in pictures, the story of the Zimbabwe Election as it unfolded. www.zimbabweinpictures.com See for yourself www.25tolyf.com The aim of the blog is to showcase the talents of African hip hop artists from all over the world. www.meetmutsa.tumblr.com I’m pas sionate about being involved with HIV/AIDS projects especially in Africa. www.thesovereignstate.org A Zimbabwean graphic designer and social commentator. www.justpatience.com This blog is my notebook on my experiences, thoughts and opinions on fashion and lifestyle. www.farai.com Farai has combined media, technology, and diversity during her 20-year career as an award-winning author and journalist. www.carljoshuancube.posterous.com I am now a stand up comedian...what was I before? www.sirnige.com What began as a simple blog to house my art eventually turned into a hub where my various thoughts are documented and displayed. www.fromthesoulofaman.blogspot.com I sometimes feel that the solutions to our greatest problems rest in common sense, which doesn’t always seem so common. www.nadiabrowncow. www.hashbrowndontfrown.com This is the online A Zimbabwean Princess who found her Prince and is now living happily ever after amongst the cows in the Swiss countryside.www.zambezitraveller.com www.namelesscomms.blogspot.com - Multi-lingual poet-musician and award winning journalist working for Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation –ZBC as a Producer/Presenter,(DJ),Reporter and Newsreader for Radio Zimbabwe, National FM and ZTV. www.marondera-high.blogspot.com This is an experience I had visiting my old school. I hope it will move people to contribute towards rebuilding this www.simukacomedy.posterous.com The home of Zimbabwean Stand Up Comedy www.mysoullife.blogspot.com - if you speak about it, you should be about it. www.themailfaithtalk.blogspot.com A platform where I discuss and probe issues that have

RESILIENCE BRILLIANCE PERSEVERENCE

T

Harare Hustler

Alexio

Stunner & Ba Shupi

Zubz

Memory Chirere

hrough out the year we invested a total of US$3120 all on marketing the brand which included website redesign, T-shirts, travel and business cards. As usual we invested a lot of time and all funds were provided by members and from T-shirt sales. We were able to add a ladies range in the T-shirts which proved very popular. We created tags for our T-shirts and enhanced them with puff print to add value. The second report of which we have now turned into a journal increased the number of pages from 24 to 40! The theme of this issue was illustration and we hope to have a different theme for the show case each year. And many thanks to all our contributors who continue to support the POVO brand! For the first time we were able to do some surveys

Ismael Lo

Schools Traditional dancing

Steve Kekani

Chris Gayle at Stanbic T20

Maria Von Lekow (Cape Verde)

Masimba Hwati AuraThaPoet

Liz Ogumbo (Kenya)

Hillcrest vs PE - Cottco Rugby

Publish the Quest (USA)

BOTY Auditions

Heath & Gretwin Manyepa

with designers and other artists and hope to do more in 2013. Our highlight of the year is always HIFA and the SHOKO festival although we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t manage to get to the SHOKO festival we still partnered with them in creating all their promo material. We also partnered with Jibilika Dance trust for their BOTY auditions for 2012. Another development we were part of was the Harare Conversations, an initiative by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.

Tumi And The Volume PHOTOGRAPHY Âť BAYNHAM GOREDEMA

OneNess Sankara

T SHIRT

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The graphic behind the bird is symbolic of the sun, with the ornamental ethnic devices symbolising the diverse people that make up Zimbabwe. The message being that despite our diverse backgrounds, subtle differences in culture, tone, language, dialects, we are still one people under the Bird.

SOCIAL

Tumblr & Convozine are the a new additions to the POVO Social network. Both are used to post short snippets of our stories.

The Journals will be available for viewing and download on Issuu.com.

Facebook - 95 Likes, 66 Friends Issuu - 294 Impressions Youtube - 12, 451 views, 43 Videos, 19 Subscribers Twitter - 554 Tweets, 541 Followers, 465 Following

The assassination of hip hop

BY RYAN CHOKUREVA

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here was a stage when hip hop lived, thriving in the streets, in the spirits of the ghetto children, embedded in veins and souls, just like the blues used to be to plantation slaves.

There was a time when hip hop music was a conscience, the canvases on which the ghetto masses painted their everyday graffiti, sent out messages of hope, resistance, injustice. There was a time too when hip hoppers were artists, not just performers, their impressions were lasting and they had substance. Love was not sex and verses were not mere preschool rhymes repeated over some beat. There was also a time when hip hop artists where people of substance away from the stage and without a mic in their hand they still spoke and people would listen, they carried weight, they just did not speak off the game they where the game. Yes hip hop has a violent history, but so did the actors and players of it, and generations before them bore the scars of generous lashes, on both mental and physical scapes. It was not violent just to be entertaining it was violent because it was necessary.

THE POVO JOURNAL 2012

There is a reason why now there has been a blow up of comic artist, preschool rhymers, pretenders, bling blingers and less and less rappers of substances. There is a reason that artist and groups such as Rakim, Mos Deff, Common, Nas, Kweli, Dead Prez and so many others have mainly remained street legends and have never made it into the “limelights” they should have. There is a reason that the likes of Jay, Lil Wayne, 50 have corroded and eroded and to be fair entertained so many of us on probably the biggest stages of all. That one main reason is Uncle Sam, it is the corporate media guru, the politician who knows the power of true spoken word, it is also sadly the uniformed “We” that continues to get diluted whilst uploading.

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When the oppressed speak, the oppressed listen, think, aspire and demand. When change is stimulated action follows and systems are questioned and brought crumbling. The system always knows the best way to keep the oppressed, oppressed is to use a select of the oppressed to keep the minds of the rest off their oppression, hence entertainment. Shallow minds that feed on shallow remain shallow, if you change their diet you risk a rebellion. This is why 50c can rhyme about rims, diamond chains so

much that a child growing up is limited to thinking if you are young and black, the best way to get paid is well, to rap about shallow things and entertain.

No one tells them that for all his proposed riches, 50c is just well no one in the money tree, he’s not at all what young black youth should be aiming at, in terms of earnings.

There is a reason why MTV, and such consistently promote the lesser form of rap music that degrades women, undercuts our ideals and vision as black people. Why shallow lyrics like my “lip glossy” can be a whole song that gets air play. There is a reason why songs like Jadakiss’ “Why” were bared and the media did not voice its concern over censorship, the same reason why social conscious and intelligent rap music remains underground and one of the most difficult forms of art to get, because as long as they are underground, the ordinary man can’t get the blinkers they move around with knocked off.

The truth is, its not enough to be entertained if you are not informed. It is not enough to accept normal before you question and accept the parameters of what normal is. It is not enough to accept gangsterism, the chaos and the social degradation that comes with it when you have a better vision and capability of your self. It is not enough to be happy being stagnant when you can change and be better.

The saddest thing is that our women have accepted being strippers, wh*&%s, (naked) video dancers as a normal way of making money, without challenging nor seeking change, so their daughters who grow up in hoods where this mother is a stripper and that lady dancer have really no aspiration for getting a solid education. Teachers, doctors and intelligent people do not make television as much nor are they paid as much. It is sad that a person pretending to be a teacher, in a movie thats one hour long can earn in one production more money than a real life teacher who works everyday to teach on children can in 5 life times.

Any real movement has checks and balances, there are no checks and balances now... or let me see, may be just the checks. When Tupac started challenging the norms of how black people were viewed and how laws were applied selectively , he was checked. When Jadakiss, asked “Why” he was checked. We would rather give an award to Eminen for disrespecting his mother, to the Three Six Mafia for selling us lyrical porn and words that after the track has stopped playing there isn’t one word of reason.

The system rewards and promotes a culture of stupid black men, 20 -30 year olds who spend the whole day at home on their Playstation, that other 30 year olds created and are get millions of dollars for. A generation that puts television sets

in their cars ”pimp my ride” when they come from a hood where people don’t even have enough buses to get to and from work. The system would rather create young rappers who spend half their album advances on a platinum or diamond chains. Rappers who make 1million and run around trying to outspend Bill Gates.

The voices that should question and check the balance between entertainment and information in the meantime remain buried underground, far away from the ears that they should influence, …until the oppressed remain oppressed thinking they are getting ahead.

I remember in the height of the Jay Z vs Nas beef, Jay attacking Nas for wanting to seem and rap about knowledge, that should never be a weakness. Why would an educated young man or women buy a track that talks about my rims, I have so many Bi*&%s and wh*#@s, my money is so long, where do they come into all of that.

We need to have our own record distributing studios that do both entertain and inform. That offer an alternative to the booty shaking, sex selling performers to the more moderate likes still have some semblance of moral values and that money can still be made with your clothes on. Artists that still believe that sexy need not be sex, nor need it be graphic, there is a reason I can listen to “sexual healing” by Marvin Gay with my mother in the room or in the same car and I can’t do the same to Ying Yang Twins. It is in 50c, Lil Wayne and every other hip hoppers advantage to have more kids in school, graduating that way more and more of their fans will actually afford their music and to go to their shows, that might be hard looking at how so many of these artist lack so much in that regard themselves.

Lastly Africa needs to be very careful what we adapt, what we encourage and promote, already I’m seeing a generation that is ignorantly blind and is so TV educated we risk producing an unwanted number of hood hangers, stereotyped youth who do not view women past the value of sexual objects and any form of employment a punishment. People who would rather be at the mall than in school. There is nothing wrong with referring to a body as booty, freedom of expression right, as long as we have an understanding of the mental seed of what that is planting, what is it that word is classifying, is it saying beautiful, sexy or f*&$%ble. Words stimulate thoughts, thoughts shape up who we are, who we are shapes up our society, our society creates a culture, and in all of that our lives, so maybe its not that silly a thing to be selective and responsible for what we listening to, both in creating and consuming.

presidents of the anC A COMMISSION BY wALTER MURRAY

1967 - 1991

Oliver Reginald Tambo

2007–Present

1949 - 1952

1991 - 1997

1997 - 2007

1952 - 1967

Jacob Zuma

J. S. Moroka

Nelson Mandela

Thabo Mbeki

Albert Luthuli (1898–1967)

www.povo.co.zw

ILLUSTRATION // WALTER MURRAY

(1917–1993)

23

>society

Keeping Heads Up in Harare CHIEF k.MASIMBA BIRIwASHA

THE poVo JoURnaL 2012

PHOTOGRAPHY // BAYNHAM GOREDEMA

A

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Few years ago, a friend challenged me to keep my head up when walking down the streets of Harare.

He even gave me a tip to read street and shop signs as a way to train myself to walk with my head held high. I remember nodding my head rather flippantly. In retrospect, I never quite took up the challenge. But, I somehow never forgot it.

like heavy loads and shoulders falling down like teardrops. In addition, older people in past were always quick to castigate you if you looked straight into their face. It was regarded as a sign of disrespect. In other words, when you talked to an older person the respectful thing to do was to keep your gaze cast downwards.

In 2012, I somehow found myself driven to the challenge, and what a roller-coaster experience it’s been. Walking with head held high is not as easy as it seems: it take serious conscious effort. To make things easy for myself, I simply put what my friend told me to practice. Every time I caught myself walking with my head drooped I lifted it to read the street and shop signs round me.

Let your eyes look straight ahead fix your gaze directly before you.

Slowly, something short of a miracle started happening as I began looking straight into people’s faces. At first, I found it very intimidating to lock my eyes with other people. And then it dawned on me that most people in Harare actually walked regally with their heads raised up. At first, though, I was not very convinced by my hypothesis. So I decided to put it to test by counting the number of people that I came across walking with bowed heads and lowered eyes.

Given the multitude of problems that Hararians have been through over the past decade, I expected to find quite a number of people walking with their heads drooped

PROVERBS 4:25

And so I went round and round the streets of Harare silently counting the number of people who walked looking downwards.

To my utter surprise, my hypothesis was not confirmed: I swear I must have come across only one or two people walking looking downwards.

I daresay, most Hararians, have adopted the walk with your head up demeanour. It’s become a fashion statement. I don’t really know what to attribute this behaviour to; it could be a case of being hardened by the years of solitude and despair that our country has endured over the past decade.

As for me, I can safely say that I have discovered that walking with your head held high is not a sign of pride. It’s a process of self-affirmation, of allowing one’s light

to shine. And every time that I lock up my eyes with another person on the streets, I now simply affirm the divinity which is apparent in them and continue with my step.

In Harare, walking with head held high is definitely the in thing. In spite of the daily challenges that we continue to face, Hararians are not fazed. It’s as if there is a mystical flow in the air, prodding everyone to discover the divinity and dignity which resides in all of us and using that energy with quiet confidence to keep heads held high.

At about the same time that I seriously took up my friend’s challenge, I discovered a verse in the Bible that brought a serious jolt to my veins. It was like a message come at the right time, and it read: Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.

If there’s a great lesson that I have picked up on Harare’s teeming streets, it’s simply when you allow your eyes to look straight ahead, and when you fix your gaze directly before you, there’s a whole world that opens up and with it an affirmation of self and others and a chance to take on life’s endless challenges. It also helps to maintain poise and confidence. Through actively loving one another we nurture the richness of everyone’s fuller expression. With no more than a nod of attention we can elicit a smile or perhaps a commitment to attempt again a challenge that defeated us earlier.

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www.povo.co.zw

ILLUSTRATION » ROBERT MACHIRI

>short story

they never come back

BY TAKU GEZI

ONE Growing up in Chitungwiza the youngest of 3 kids I envied my neighbours. The Rimukas always had fireworks and big presents for Christmas their mom was a trader or something like that in SA. To the other side lived the Chichonis. Their youngest child Prince was my best friend at the time and he always had toys and stuff from SA brought by his mum who was also trading in SA. My family had enough in fact we were better off than most of the people in our raini (lane) though my dad had passed away in 1999 when I was 6 then.

TWO A year later my aunt Rah, whom I loved more than anyone else at the time decided to leave Zim for the UK. She used to play games with me. We travelled together when she had to travel. I didn’t like her plans and I made it clear to her. She promised to come back for me and buy us a big home in Borrowdale Brook. So we went to the airport to say our goodbyes. I wept. Although I was young I knew our bond would never be as strong if it actually survived the distance.

It was Christmas again and Mrs Rimuka was back home after 6 months in SA. Being the good neighbour she is she had brought a box of chocolate biscuits. I joined her sons in the road lighting fireworks and throwing firecrackers in unsuspecting people’s yards. Although I envied the fancy stuff the Rimukas got when their mother returned I felt pity for them for most parts of the year when their mum wasn’t around.

THE POVO JOURNAL 2012

THREE

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Two years had gone by since my aunt had left and she still put in effort to call and talk to the whole family. Her friend Tariro, our neighbour Mr Chichoni’s first daughter had followed her to the UK. They often sent me and Prince the same toys and clothes.

I remember we would chose to wear the same T-shirts on the same day and show off to the other kids who didn’t have relatives abroad at the time. I did miss my aunt so much. Although the clothes presented an

INTRODUCTION According to Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA) “ there is an estimate of up to 4,5 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora”. On top of these some have changed their citizenship and some are living illegally abroad, so no one really knows how many people are out there It is the norm in our country to seek for ‘greener pastures’. There are snakes and snares in the grass, a few lucky find their way back home. Most of those hardly fit in when they do come back home, they are strangers in their homes.

essence of love from her, it no longer felt real. Being young and so naïve I still held on to the promise that she’d be back for me, richer! Thus she’d bring back more happiness. On the phone she would say “I’ll be back as soon as I fix my papers”, which was senseless to me at the time. Every time she called I made it a point to ask when she would come back home. It was difficult for me to understand that she had started another life seas away.

The youngest of the Rimukas Dan was 16 now and he had this beautiful girl Dudu. He would often pass me a note to drop by her on my way to school. She also would do the same and often we’d peep at them in the ‘corridor road’ for pedestrians exiting our close fulfilling their adolescent needs. The ‘corridor road’ was a small pathway between two walls left by the town planners as an exit to pedestrians from the close without having to go round the big road. It was notorious for dope smokers and couples kissing (which is unacceptable in public in our society). Masendeke and his brother Dan were throwing a party for New year as their folks weren’t around. There was a huge turnout. Prince and I weren’t invited because we were too young.

I wished the cops would come and call the party off or something bad like that would happen so we would get even but alas it didn’t happen. So we just stared from our side of the fence. All the youths drinking, smoking girls dancing on boys and boys holding on to girls. It was new to me at that age. Then I saw Dan taking Dudu into his cottage. They stayed in there till we got tired of watching and we went off to our fireworks. My friend Prince told me he would never be like any of the guys we saw smoking at the Party and we made a pact that never to smoke or drink.

FOUR 4 months later my aunt was hardly calling now and I no longer really missed her or cared about her much. Prince’s sister Tariro was now rumored to be married or cohabiting (which is regarded as the same in our society) to a white man and she had sent her dad a brand new Peugeot 406 with a sun roof. Mr Chichoni was overjoyed with the car he got. He took all the children on our raini for a ride in his car. Prince was standing on the car seat with his head out of the sun roof shouting to strangers. Later that day, Mr Chichoni went to the bar with his friends to show off his new ‘baby’.

Rumour had it Dudu was pregnant and I added up A and B from the party night and confirmed it was possible. The grapevine was confirmed when I saw her sweeping the Rimukas yard in the morning. That evening Dan’s dad came and told my mom about his ‘misfortune … or fortune’. Mr Rimuka was a good man respected by most in the society.

Some felt pity for him for he was now like a bachelor or rather a widower because most of the time his wife was not around.

The grapevine said she had another life in SA perhaps another family another man in her life. No one really knew the truth except that she was now a visitor in her home.

The Download for the full ebook coming soon on www.povo.co.zw

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www.povo.co.zw

ILLUSTRATIONS // Charly Makwanya

>development

Hope in the slums

Africa

I

THE poVo JoURnaL 2012

PHOTOGRAPHY // RAYMOND MUWANIRI

am currently in Nairobi, Kenya for 2 months (August to October) volunteering in a Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s centre in Kibera. Kibera is the 2 nd largest slum in Africa with over 1, 5 million people living in undesirable conditions.

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The centre is a preschool that deals with kids that come from very poor backgrounds. The centre is run by volunteers and currently has 75 kids. The kids are educated and fed breakfast and lunch as some of them would not have eaten at home. I am currently teaching the older class as they can speak English. I am enjoying what I am doing and I see so much potential in these children.

Every time I go to class I am greeted with joyful smiles and it makes my heart melt.

These children have no idea of the hard life they are going to lead if they stay in these slums, it is our mission to educate them so they can have a better tomorrow and avoid being at risk to poverty, HIV/AIDS, crime and a short life expectancy.

So much potential but unless that potential is realised Africa will always be at the bottom end of the ladder for others to step over.

Many Africans who go abroad seldom return, they send money back to their families which is great but what about the others. It is up to us Africans to help ourselves develop as a continent and as a people instead of depending on aid. So I am encouraging all young Africans to do their best to make Africa a better place.

You can do this by volunteering, donating money to credible charities that do the necessary work needed in Africa, also if you are educated abroad, make sure you return to your home country to put that education to good use. I will return to Zimbabwe and put the skills and knowledge that I have acquired in Europe to great use.

Africa has so much potential but unless that potential is realised Africa will always be at the bottom end of the ladder for others to step over. I am doing my part and so are plenty others but a lot more is needed. Stop the violence; stop the crime, stop trying to be hip hop American and living the material life which is fake.

Africa has a lot to treasure, our traditions and cultures, our foods, our animals, our music and joy, even our rural life is unique in itself. So let us appreciate Africa for how god made it and stop trying to make it what it is not.

Africa is the heart of the world and from my time living in Europe I can see that it is both feared and envied. The current generation of youth do not realise this. We live in a global world now where people are free to move, so let us help to make Africa a primary destination that is appreciated for more than its wildlife. I am doing my part, so play your part!

BY VICTOR NYAJEkA

2013 presents a platform for active collective transformation evoking to evolve new thought patterns igniting the rise of Zimboism authentic design forecasting the future of Zimbabwe fashion, arts, cultural tourism, business& leisure defining how we want to be known as a people. It is a time for Zimbabwe to put her best fashion foot forward. Designers, artists, and black smiths convey and portray messages and concepts through their repertoire embracing different social trending themes. Zimbabweans share different assumptions and beliefs about society, dress and culture. In most societies dress defines the cultural personality of the people. People develop and demonstrate a sense of belonging and peculiarity by wearing clothes and accessories that forms and defines their identity. Zimbabwean fashion brands must use the different divergent media platforms available to intelligently engage and catch the attention of their audience by cleverly embedding a common ground of cultural personal values and emotions with their potential followers. Brands must grow with the needs of the prevailing markets because today the audience has a wide exposure to market intelligence and is becoming more acquainted with the latest prevailing trends. Local Brands are often trailing behind as followers are becoming pace setters challenging the fashion industry on the internet and setting new street fashion trends through their personal opinions and styles and, at the same time, are in constant search for a deeper content in the mainstream global fashion world. As a result the world of fashion is becoming more dynamic and challenging posing a wake up call to local fashion brands and fashion enthusiasts. This moment calls for new thought patterns in design and a bold proudly-Zimbabwean approach to fashion igniting Zimbabwe’s fashion flame-lily.

PHOTOGRAPHY » NAIM KERIM

Taking fashion to the people

Experience the power of synchronized thinking in empowering the next generation setting new trends as Zimbabwe’s fashion is coming in leaps and bounds. Drawing lessons from Kenya and South Africa’s fascinating fashion success stories, emanating from investment in contemporary fashion using cultural personality. Zimbabwe’s eclectic form and ethnic background brings its fashion, cultural tourism, creative arts story alive recapturing and harnessing the metaphoric, ancient, creative voice that once set the drum line for the image branding of our multiethnic cultured Society and our land, the marvel of the Great Zimbabwe.

www.povo.co.zw

>fashion

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>survey

what must I do to be saved?

We then turned to the Bible to find the answer to this question. In our study, we found that the people HEARD about Jesus Christ.

They heard that He died to forgive them of their sins.

The people BELIEVED this.

They believed that Jesus is the Son of God. They understood they were lost in their sins. They were then told to REPENT of their sins. They CONFESSED that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. After confessing, they were BAPTIZED. When they were baptized, their sins were forgiven. They were not forgiven of their sins before baptism. They were forgiven only when they were baptized. Do you believe in Jesus Christ?

Have you repented of your sins? Have you confessed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Have you been baptized in order to have your sins forgiven? If you have not, then you are still in your sins. You are lost.

Obey the Gospel today just as lost sinners did in the Bible. You will be then be saved and the Lord will add you to His church. Serve God faithfully all your life. You can die with a sure hope of a home in Heaven.

would you enter a competition that offers $1000 Prize

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%

YES Only if I have the free time at my disposal & I feel its for a good cause, in our Zimbabwean industry I would definitely need the extra dollars.

NO I do not think that competitions promote good design practice in regards to impartial and professional selection of well thought out design. Design involves many stages that a panel of judges may not consider.

Should Designers pitch for work?

44

%

YES it depends on how big the campaign is that you want to pitch for. If its a big campaign I would, it would help on my portfolio.

NO That’s why we have portfolios.

Maybe 33% - Depends on their relationship with the client, I’d pitch if there’s 90% chance that I get the gig.

Do you work on a Mac or PC?

66

%

MAC All using Adobe CS Suite PC None Both Also using both Adobe suite and Coreldraw

would you lead a creative campaign for ZANU PF to win the youth?

57 YES %

YES I would participate. In principal I believe in ZANU’s political ideology i.e economic empowerment of indigenous Zimbabweans although I have reservations about most of the individuals who are in the party’s leadership. Despite my reservations I think ZANU presents a better alternative in terms of Zimbabwe’s future and direction NO Simply because politics is a power game that robs the people of the knowledge and strength that the politicians need in order to remain relevant. I wouldn’t take part in any political drive be it, ZANU PF or MDC because they are players in a flawed system and framework.

YES I would, it’s challenging and the tasks seems impossible I would love to be credited with having changed public opinion (though credit might not be given).

NO And I won’t even spend a night thinking about it. I’m not an opportunist and I believe in long term things. I’ll wait for other projects. Doing work like that will come back to haunt you, your family, your relatives, your friends etc. The question leads to personal political views, maybe if I wanted a farm I would have thought otherwise, as for the other side, I’d gladly do it for free any day.

YES Because the revolution must be intelligent - research driven and well organised. Because the answers to the questions what do you not know and what am l not supposed to know? unlock so much revolutionary potential. It is in our careful appraisal of these questions that we expand the boundaries of our freedom and re-assert why we even bother with the questions of our politics, our beings and the things we bother to stand for or against.

NO I would never work with ZANU. I see them as a corrupt, moribund party that is responsible for nearly murdering the Zimbabwean dream. Working for ZANU would merely prolong the limbo and pain of the people of Zimbabwe.

Mwari wangu ndipfuwei Kuti ndibve mukuipa Ndipei zano rakakwana Rekuita munhu kwaye

YES Because I need to survive (for the money) and besides it wouldn’t have any major impact upon the majority of voters.

Ndisimbisei zviro kwazvo Ndichigere pasi pano Ndipei mwoyo wakanaka Ndozosvika kumusoro

THE poVo JoURnaL 2012

PAT R I O T S

If ZANU PF approached you and asked you to come up with a creative campaign to win the youth, would you consider it? Of the 56 people approached which included designers, artists, musicians, journalists, only 14 responded with some siting fear as the reason not to participate.

Mwari wangu ndipfuwei

CHORUS

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Of the 56 designers asked to participate only 9 took part! Of those only one was a female. One of the main reasons for the low turn out was the 24 hour deadline for the survey. All designers own their own equipment, hourly rate is between $30 - $75 depending on experience.

Kuti ndoda kupumhuka Kubva nzira yenyu Baba Nyasha dzenyu ngadziuye Ndipingirwe padyo nemi CHORUS Apo ndine dambudziko Kana rufu ruchiuya Ndipeiwo rudo rwenyu Runodzinga kutya kwese

NO I think its safe right now, given that I am new in business and so would not want to jeopardise my reputation by getting involved in politics. Long term, it does not look like its a clever decision as Zimbabwe politics can be unpredictable.

YES But I’d keep it a big secret even my wife won’t know. I’d design and maybe strategise the concept and hand over all the files and I get my cash on hand over.

NO I will pass boss! Just that am not really comfortable discussing politics online! Let me just say in Zimbabwe people are and live in fear so whatever outcome you get, it will have that influence! When you start speaking politics you have to sort of check over your own shoulders and whisper a conversation, very funny so not speaking is the best, thing!

YES It is a very good opportunity to make money and gauge how well I can argue to resuscitate a discredited entity.

>identity

Origins of the

POVO bird BAYNHAM GOREDEMA I decided to re - design the Zimbabwe bird which I felt was outdated as a national emblem in the 21st century.

It has become the graphic identity for the POVO brand.

Despite the many strides that have been taken in Zimbabwe in its 30 year history, there are still reminders through out our country that show us that we are still stuck in the past. None other than symbols of our national identity. In particular I will use the Zimbabwe bird as an example. The graphic which is on the flag was okay 30 years ago.

As a whole the visual identity of our country has been neglected and left behind. We have immensely talented people in the design and visual arts who can come together and define a national identity of which people can relate to and be proud of. But visual arts have been largely ignored and yet they play a huge role in instilling pride and patriotism in the people.

One day the Zimbabwe bird will take to the skies and fly with joy, pride and dignity again emblem of Zimbabwe was derived from. The above is a replica of one of the sculpture which were original found at Great Zimbabwe in Masvingo.

1

2 The Zimbabwe Bird is a stylised version of the Bateleaur eagle.

3 [1] The bird depicted here on the Rhodesian flag.

[2] After Independence it was simplified and incorporated on the Zimbabwe flag and is still there to date. This current version is usually applied on national sporting uniforms

The fifty cent coin was by far my favourite coin of the line of coins that we had in Zimbabwe. There was something I loved about the rising sun which represented the promise of new and brighter day. Initially in coming up with a graphic to represent the POVO brand I wanted to make it in the form of a coin and incorporate two of the most prominent symbols in our country. The conical tower at

4 with the red star. [3] In my initial sketches I wanted to add movement to the bird to have it taking off. One concern I had was that the bird was facing backwards and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t represent what I felt would be good for a country emblem.

5 [4] So I turned the bird to face forward and the wings opening to fly started to look like the Air Zimbabwe bird. I also decided to lose the chevron design and instead replace it with the rays of the sun from the fifty cent coin.

Great Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Bird. In the process of developing the graphic it became apparent for it to be easily applied and memorable, I had to make a decision between the two and make it as simple as possible. Eventually I settled for the bird alone. So I took the bird from the front side of the coin and the rays of the sun from the back and created the current bird.

6 [5] I returned to the perched stance but focussed more on the posture of the bird. I brought out the chest and gave it a longer neck to emphasise the pride. The legs were more pronounced to establish a strong founda-

7 tion and add some majesty.

[6] In refining the idea I rounded the flat base to make it more dynamic.

[7] Finally the final product.

The essence of the bird remains the same to keep it recognisable for all Zimbabweans.

www.povo.co.zw

The iconic sculpture of which the national

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>entertainment

is everything

BY NQOBIZITHA MLILO

THE poVo JoURnaL 2012

W

32

e are now living in the future.

A place where knowledge has increased (and continues to do so) exponentially, where the internet era ushered with it an abundance of knowledge, a time where so many options are now available to the consumer. I have grown up in Afrika all my life. I have been a part of the

entertainment community for ages as a fan of music and theatre, a hip hop personality as well as “the music video and animation guy”. I have worked on multiple music projects (a total of 40 videos) as a Music video director as well as being a recording artist as well. I’ve seen projects that were pegged to make it that soon crashed and

burned as well as some that tried to deliver but fell short somehow.

01 Originality

02 Image Is Everything

03 The Business

Having American and European hits fed to us by popular music channels like MTV have left Afrikan artists in a situation where they are unable to create something unique because they still strive to first achieve the “international standard”. Some get lost in the fake dreams that these channels peddle and misconstrue that as reality when in actual fact, its all just marketing. True and unique Afrikan projects are so few and far in between.

We live in a world where realistically speaking, we are probably selling the same product as everyone else.

This goes for all creatives and artists.

Whether it be a hit song, a performance, concert, designs, videos, adverts, paintings or whatever, the products in the respective markets are in essence very similar and abundant. Managing a good image and brand is essential in positioning a product in a space that other products don’t occupy. A case study in this would be laptops... technically the parts are all the same.

There are certain motions that entrepreneurs go through when they are starting up their projects. They write up intricate plans, business proposals, registrations, cash flow projections and banking, marketing and PR strategies amongst many other activities that go into making a profitable entity. Until a day artists do these things or at the very least find someone who does, only then can there be true progression.

A solution then, would be to create really strong brands and images amongst the artists. Images that are consistent and intentional and not haphazard and accidental. Images that people can grow to expect and bank on over time, brands that your audience can relate to and in

turn subscribe to. Images that are well thought out all the way down to language and tone and words that one brand uses and even words or phrases that a brand NEVER uses. Once the artists achieve such intense levels of branding and imaging... only then could we see a great future for

our industry. In closing and in an effort to dispel the doubting readers amongst you, a group of Zimbabweans set out to test these very issues I pointed out and you will find the result of that experiment on http:// thisissynik.com and hopefully this may serve as a case study and a possible blueprint.

After observing the Zimbabwean/Afrikan industry for years to troubleshoot what the problems are, I managed to pin point a three short circuits that I believe are causing the entertainment stillborns.

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www.povo.co.zw

ILLUSTRATION » TAFADZWA TARUMBWA

>humanitarian

BY RUDO NYANGULU Chocolate Princess Online Details FB: http://www.facebook.com/TheChocolatePrincessCo Blog: http://thechocolateprincessco.blogspot.com Twitter: twitter.com/ChocPrincessCo

THE poVo JoURnaL 2012

LOGO DESIGN // CHIRATIDZO CHIWESHE

Website: thechocolateprincess.com

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T

he Chocolate Princess Company, more commonly known as ‘Chocolate Princess’ was founded by Rudo Nyangulu in April, 2012. It is the successor of the consultancy arm of the Stimulus Business Network. Initially it was aimed at developing the female entrepreneur, an audience that the traditional Stimulus business networking meetings did not quite reach. Chocolate Princess has since evolved beyond only business consultancy and training to also incorporate brand positioning / management and developing consumer intelligence with a view of being able to monitor and ultimately influence consumer trends.

The Business to Business application of Chocolate Princess Chocolate Princess offers strategic support for businesses in the area of online brand development, mixed media publicity and campaign development and below the line services.

Our approach is simple; we work with companies of varying sizes in different ways from the start up entrepreneur assisting them to develop business skills and strategies that will make their businesses viable and attractive to the consumer.

To established businesses whom we work with in developing their brand strategy and / or positioning their brands in the consumer environment (product placement) in a social way with a view to increase their brand awareness and initiate / grow brand loyalty.

The Business to Consumer application of Chocolate Princess Chocolate Princess courts the consumer in a social space and develop a relationship with them that based on giving genuine feedback of products and services and accurate and timely information on where to shop, what to buy and where / how to spend their time.

This relationship allows Chocolate Princess to suggest / direct / induce the consumer to gravitate towards certain brands and trends which then determines where they spend.

Chocolate Princess to the consumer is therefore a persona: To Women Chocolate Princess is; “The girlfriend I trust to be in the know of what’s hot and happening and what’s not, who gives good advice and is reliable” To Men Chocolate Princess is; “The inside information go to person who can tell me how to develop my personal style, impress women and also get some practical information on various issues.”

>fashion

www.povo.co.zw

The Zimbabwe Bird a symbol of our national pride.

35

>online

FOLLOW US Twitter

twitter.com/POVOAfrika

Youtube

youtube.com/POVOLive

Facebook

facebook.com/POVOAfrika

Tumblr

povoafrika.tumblr.com

Issu

issuu.com/povo

THE POVO JOURNAL 2012

Zimbabweâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first online - arts and culture opinion magazine - Launched 2010

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WHATS NEW? We are finally a .co.zw thanks to TechZim. Revamped and streamlined riding on a customised Drupal theme.

Now adaptive to devices and a more robust back end with Social intergration.

The third version of the POVO website will be launched end of March 2013. After consultation we have added more content types.

[CD Covers] A collection

of CD covers and the track listing with links to the songs online if they are available. [Magazine Covers] With the influx of magazines in Zimbabwe we will be collecting the

different covers. [Random Quote] A random quote from each article which links to the main article.

[Random Image] A random image from each article which links to the main article. [Blog Directory] A

collection of interesting blogs by Zimbabwean bloggers. [Images] A new image viewer for viewing image galleries.

[Contributors] A perk for all our contributors where

we will feature them on the home page for period of time. And lots more alternative content that you will not find anywhere else on the web except here!

Contribute your opinion.

Masimba Biriwashi

Tigere Chiriga

Ryan Chokureva

Boarding Dzinotizei

Baynham Goredema

Novic Hadebe

Masimba Hwati

Robert Machiri

Henry Makiwa

Charlie Makwanya

Paul Maposa

Arthur Mataruse

Tino Mawoyo

Plot Mhako

Nqobizitha Mlilo

Julian Mugabe

Tamuka Mtengwa

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