LETTER FROM EDITOR There are plenty things in life we fear.
From fear of the future to irrational fears like driving over bridges or dryer lint. (It’s a thing). But the thing we should all understand is that fear can be deafening at times. Being so wrapped up in what scares you can stop you, if you allow. I know from experience, starting an independent publication at nineteen years old is hella scary.
I had no one funding me, I didn’t really have full knowledge on how to do it or
how to get started, and I was also afraid whether my friends or family would support me. But I still took the risk to start TheZoom digital magazine in the beginnings of 2017, which is now a growing online platform and thankfully I am blessed with family and friends that support and inspire me to get better every single day even when it feels like fear is trying to cripple me.
I saw a potential of starting my magazine because I had seen that there was
not any online platform showcasing the work of young creative especially writers and bloggers, even the ones that were present it wasn’t easy for an up and coming blogger to get published unless you are well connected or ready to pay for it. TheZoom Magazine we focus on talents, we provide a platform for blogger/writer to submit their work and get published as simple as that. We are still a start-up and we believe that we still have a long way to go and a lot to learn. I want to inspire young people in my generation by saying this “Fear is something that blocks you from making your dream happen.” Cheers, SHEMA ABDOUL @shemaharris
CONTRIBUTORS
IRADUKUNDA MADINAH
@madinahxviil
NADIA LORRAINE @nadia__lorraine WINNIE RUGAMBA
SPECIAL THANKS TO
SHARON AMANDA MUVARA MELISSA UWASE @melissambera NATACHA O’NDERATA SHIMWA @tacha_shim SHABANI SERVAL @shabani.serval
THEZOOM 2018
WHAT’S INSIDE ?
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MEET DJ TOXXYK
MEET MAKTAIN
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“HOME IS NOT HOME WITHOUT YOU“
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WHAT ARE WE LISTENING TO
A piece by Sharon Amanda Muvara
Our playlist curated for you when you feel bored and lonely
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COVER STAR
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THEZOOM CULTURE Ron Karenga the creator of the pan-African and African-American holiday of Kwanzaa
HOW HAVE YOU OVERCOME FEAR We asked some of our reader how they’ve overcome fear.
MANZI JAZIL Get to know our cover star for this issue of TheZoom Magazine.
DID YOU KNOW
The “LIKE” button was originally called the “AWESOME“ button.
“15 minutes” of exercise everyday can add 3years to your life.
ALMOST
Your shoes are the first thing people subconsciously notice about you. Always wear nice shoes
“ALMOST” is the longest word in the English Language with all the letters in alphabetical order
NOT JUST A MAGAZINE - A MOVEMENT
WANT TO BE FEATURED IN THE NEXT ISSUE ? WE WANT TO FEATURE YOU
Also, feel free to submit your photographs, accomplishments, poems, articles to our email thezoommagazine@gmail.com
WE ARE WHAT WE CONSUME By Iradukunda Madinah Did you know that what we eat can effect our life? Some of us when we are eating, we only care about how the food looks or how it taste but we always forget the proteins, vitamins,calories that are in that food.
Image source: google.com
How can we tell the food is good for our health? Try to eat something light, food that won’t get your stomach tiresome while digesting, food that gives you energy. Try fruits, vegetables like “salads”, meat, breads ,a lot of water... What should we avoid? Although oily food is taste but it is not healthy, nowadays we find ourselves using poisoning oil thinking we are using the best or buy some because they are cheaper. if you really want to maintain a good healthy life, try to cook with healthy oil like coconut oil, olive oil and always remember don’t eat too much in less time or eat every hour. It is not good to immediately sleep after a meal, try at least 30 minutes before bed Don’t workout after a meal. Don’t drink too much while eating. Remember to always take a light dinner, something easy and healthy.
How can we maintain a good healthy? As we kept on saying it, try to eat healthy and in order. Drink a lot of water. Do physical exercises( if you are lazy put on songs and dance to it, or walk around to free your mind and your body). “Your body is a temple, keep it holy and fit.”
MEET DJ TOXXYK
A Little introduction ? My name is Shema Arnaud and I ‘m 24 years old When did you start DJing and what or who were your early passions and influences? I started djing in 2011 my influence were dj jazzy jeff and dj kadir and still they are. What single night out has been the most memorable for you? When I was in Goma on their independence Day, it was unforgettable. What is one mistake you see a lot of up and coming DJ’s making? Most of up and coming djs just want to get there without doing their homework right: I’m talking about practicing everyday, not just downloading new music but also take time to listen to their playlist. Are you 100% Rwandese? Well my mum is Rwandese and my dad is chinese .
DJTOXXYK SOUNDCLOUD / DJTOXXYK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK AXEL
Home Is Not Home Without You By Sharon Amanda Muvara
I
think that ever since I started writing, ‘home’ has been one of the words I have used quite a lot. It has been the meaning behind so many of my thoughts and probably the drive behind them as well. Why would a word keep coming back in the things that flow out my heart? Why ‘home’ of all words existing in the English language? And why is my heart interested in it? Those are the questions I asked myself after this sudden realization, questions I would love to have answers for too.
H
ome is where our heart is. Home represents safety. Home represents peace. Home is where most of our joy is found, because there’s no thriving there. Home has enough room for us to grow and home will never kick you out. Home is where we go to rest. Home is where we are seen just exactly as we are. Home will allow you to just be, home will love you when you least deserve it. Home is where silence is not fought; Home is where you never have to wake up wondering if you still matter. Home is the hands that hold you when you mean nothing to the whole world and the smile in the crowd when you have made it. Home will never let you walk alone.
t is not a secret that I have spent most of my time on this earth looking for a home. A home that’s deeper than just my family and house. I have searched for a home in every area of my life, in my career, my passions, in every kind of relationship I have around me, and also spiritually. For so long my heart has been after something, something I thought that if I got I would be totally fulfilled. But the journey has been long and it looks like everything keeps leading to another, and I never seem to reach home.
brilliant friend of mine once told me that from our very first cry, we are always working hard to go back to the way it was at the beginning. We are always working in one way or another towards going back home where we belong. Our hearts never stop feeling the void that leaving our safety net, our mother’s womb left us. For that reason, I have come to understand myself why this world is not indeed our home, because it doesn’t matter what we have or where we get, our heart will always look for its home and as cliché as this sounds, heaven will always be our ultimate home.
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e are travelers just passing through this world, and the wise ones have already caught this secret and started acting accordingly. We have a home and I know very well that it is not only my heart that has longed for it. However, that also means we are not here for long. I hope that instead of finding a home in this world, you will find the reason why it was important for you to leave home in the first place. What did father trust you to accomplish? What did He hope you would say at the finish line? Did you forget there was a reason why He had to send you exactly at this time? Did you get to meet the people whose cries hurt Him so bad that He had to create you? Did you find the people His heart beats for? And did you tell them He loves them? I hope you did. I hope you will. And that when your time is here to go back home you will not enter the gates of heaven alone. I hope you bring so many with you because home is not home without you or them.
PHOTO BY GOOGLE
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A
THE “ POOR PETTY “ PLAYLIST
SONGS FOR WHEN YOU FEEL BORED AND LONELY
ORGANIZED BY SHEMA ABDOUL
VARIOUS ARTISTS “RIPTIDE” LUKE COMBS “WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS” MIKE POSNER “I TOOK A PILL IN IBIZA“ LEON BRIDGES “RIVER“ FEVER TRIBE “THE BALANCE“ RUTH “LOST BOY“ WHITNEY HOUSTON “MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE“ THE REVIVALISTS “WISH I KNEW YOU“ LENNY KRAVITZ “ALWAYS ON THE RUN“ MILEY CYRUS “THE CLIMB“
MUSIC
ALBUMS (Local & Diaspora) - DOPE CRACK 02. Nyiramubande - BUSHALI THE TRIGGER 03. Soundsandheartaches - CHASE (6TH APRIL) 04. Ikibandi - YANNICK MYK 05. Seasons Change - MAKTAIN 06. Seedling EP - ANGELL MUTONI 07. A thousand hills prodigy - PRIME 01. Disclosure EP
PAN AFRICANISM
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on Karenga, also known as Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga is an African-American professor of Africana studies, activist and author, best known as the creator of the pan-African and African-American holiday of Kwanzaa. Karenga was active in the Black Power movement of the 1960s and 1970s, and co-founded with Hakim Jamal the black nationalism and social change organization US. Born in Parsonsburg, Maryland to an African-American family, Karenga studied at Los Angeles City College and the University of California, Los Angeles. During his student years, he involved himself in activism and joined the Congress of Racial Equality. Through his activism, he became involved in violent clashes with the Black Panther Party.
n 1971, he was convicted of felonious assault and false imprisonment. He was imprisoned in California Men’s Colony until he received parole in 1974. He received his PhD shortly afterward and began a career in academia. Pan-Africanism is a worldwide intellectual movement that aims to encourage and strengthen bonds of solidarity between all people of African descent. Based upon a common fate going back to the Atlantic slave trade, The movement extends beyond continental Africans, with a substantial support base among the African diaspora in the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States. It is based on the belief that unity is vital to economic, social, and political progress and aims to “unify and uplift” people of African descent.
T
he ideology asserts that the fate of all African peoples and countries are intertwined. At its core Pan-Africanism is “a belief that African peoples, both on the continent and in the diaspora, share not merely a common history, but a common destiny”. The Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) was established in 1963 to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its Member States and to promote global relations within the framework of the United Nations. The African Union Commission has its seat in Addis Ababa and the Pan-African Parliament has its seat in Johannesburg and Midrand.
T
he rituals of the holiday promote African traditions and Nguzo Saba, the “seven principles of African Heritage” that Karenga described as “a communitarian African philosophy”:
# Umoja (unity)—To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
#
Kujichagulia (self-determination)— To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.
# Ujima (collective work and responsi-
bility)—To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems an-Africanism represents the agand to solve them gregation of the historical, cultural, together. spiritual, artistic, scientific, and philosophical legacies of Africans from # Ujamaa (cooperative economics)— past times to the present. Pan-African- To build and maintain our own stores, ism as an ethical system traces its ori- shops, and other businesses and to gins from ancient times, and promotes profit from them together. values that are the product of the Af# Nia (purpose)—To make our collecrican civilizations and the struggles tive vocation the building and develagainst slavery, racism, colonialism, opment of our community in order to and neo-colonialism. restore our people to their traditional greatness.
P
K
arenga created Kwanzaa in 1966 to be the first pan-African holiday. He said his goal was to “give Blacks an alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society.” It is inspired by African “first fruit” traditions, and the name chosen is from Swahili, “matunda ya kwanza.”
#
Kuumba (creativity)—To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
# Imani (faith)—To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle
T E ME MAKTAIN A SOUTH AFRICAN - RWANDAN RAPPER BASED IN KIGALI HIS SMOOTH VOICE OVER SOMETIMES JAZZY IS SURE TO MAKE YOU WANT TO MOVE. ENJOY GETTING TO KNOW THE TALENTED RAPPER BELOW:
Tell us more about yourself My off-stage name is Tshepang Makhethane I know it’s hard to pronounce it’s South African, I grew up in South Africa but moved to Rwanda after I completed my senior 6, my father is Rwandan, my mother is South African, I’ve been writing music for as long as I can remember but I started recording at the age of 13, I Who do you collaborate grew up listening to Hip Hop with? music, my favorite artist is I collaborate with artists who Drake and I plan to be are in the same music label bigger than him within the as me which is Green Ferry next 5 years, and I’m also a Music so that’s artists like Ice student studying IT at Auca Nova, Prime, Bushali, Red Ink, Gishushu campus. and a few others. I have also enjoyed working with Weya What do you think of Hip Hop Viatora who is a talented scene in Rwanda? vocalist here in Rwanda I think Rwandan Hip Hop has a lot of potential, there are a How would you describe lot of upcoming rappers who your own style? just need an opportunity but I would say it’s a mixture the talent and support is of different styles such as already there AfroBeat, Kwaito, House and Trap
Do you think your music is How important do you think mostly enjoyed more for the videos is to your music, and beats or for the lyrical flow how do you produce your and content? videos? I think they are both equally They are very important they important help tell the story or convey the message you are trying What are the main out through your music inspirations for the lyrics you write? Which musician would you Usually from my life like to collaborate with experiences, everything I next? write in my music is Sauti sol and Meddy something I have been through If you didn’t become a musician, what would you What would be your dream be doing right now? Probably an IT Specialist venue in which to perform? Madison Square Gardens in “ I also like fashion, I have a America clothing line by the name of Afritag wear “
KEEP UP WITH HIM HERE Maktain_TAG
MISS RWANDA 2018
HER NAME IS IRADUKUNDA LILIANE SHE WAS CROWNED AS MISS RWANDA AND MISS PHOTOGENIC ON 24 FEBUARY 2018, SHE IS 18 YEARS OLD. HEIGHT 1.70cm, WEIGHT 57, WITH OVER 26K FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM
MUSIC
ALBUMS (Global) Culture II - MIGOS .01 Man Of The Woods - JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE .02 Memories Don’t Die - TORY LANEZ .03 Invasion Of Privacy - CADRDI B .04 Victory Lap - NIPSEY HUSSLE .05 Kyota - Tyga .06 KOD - J.COLE .07
HOW DO YOU OVERCOME FEAR ? Melissa . USA, NEW YORK Everybody gets scared and fear is inevitable. The only way to overcome our fears is to never let them stop us. I believe a vital concept to learn is how to find strength in our weaknesses. I encourage everyone not to continue the race of running away from fears but to accept them and push though evermore.
HOW DO YOU OVERCOME FEAR ? Natacha . POLAND, LUBLIN As a child, I would always run into my mom’s arms because it was the safest place in the world! But now, I do my best to face it and if it is too big for me to face alone, I do not hesitate to ask for help to those that I trust! And what I like about facing my fears, they leave me a lesson and make me a stronger and better person in all the ways.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTHONY MAES
MEET
JAZIL
MANZI JAZIL “I’M NOT A RAPPER”
Tell us more about yourself ? Well my real name is Manzi am 21 years old born in Rwanda but haven’t been there in years I grew up in South Africa, cape town. Now living & studying in Belgium I’m proudly Rwanda even though I left at a young age but I have a vision of doing amazing things over when I’m finish studying. When did you leave Rwanda ? I left in 2004, I was living in Kigali, Igikondo What do you do? I have been doing graphic design for four years now & I’ll be finished in a few months. And I got a clothing line dropping next year I want it to go worldwide that’s first of my long term goals What are some short / long term goals you have for yourself? My short term goals I’m almost over with it such as finishing school and getting
all things I wanted when I was younger such as designer clothes I always wanted grillz on my teeth since I was small if I’m not mistaken most of young boys growing up used to put Aluminum Folie paper pretending it’s gold grillz or silver grillz. Lol including myself so now I got real gold grillz with diamonds on it. My long term goals are to build up my clothing brand take it worldwide and for the love of music I’ll be practicing to be a DJ on the side too I’m willing to try anything that will bring me more bread cause I’m a hustler and I want to build up houses and shops in Kigali. I know I will make it all. I have so much faith, the Lord that got me where I am today and gave me everything I have now will do it again. I also want to help people as soon as I get the platform to do so.
How did your love of fashion came to be? I’m big hip hop fan more of trap music I got inspired by my favourite trap artist how they dress how they shine from head to toe and when I was young I couldn’t afford all that designer clothes they wear and I loved it so now that I’m older I save up and get whatever clothes I need. I’m a dream chaser.
“I want to own a football club in Rwanda” Do you have someone who influences in fashion? Yes, my elder friends and my elder cousin who live in South Africa, I’ve always wanted to dress up like him because he was so cool and all the girls wanted to hang out with him lol. And of course the hip hop world influenced me more.
What are some of your fashion essentials? Sneakers, Flashy neck How do you manage your time? My free time I go shopping with my homies or we just stay and double it up. I love relaxing with my guys who I really rock with having fun playing games and such. My free time I also use it to go visit my mom and little sisters take them out or something spend time with them because I live for them
How would you best describe your style? I’d describe my style as expensive and hard What is the best and worst purchase you’ve ever made? The best was my playstation 4 I bought it with games and everything at a low price from someone who really needed money. The worst was buying two ray ban sunglasses in a week and losing them all in the same week
ABOUT US Why You Need to Tell Your Story to the world Who are you? I bet you have a story to tell. Will you tell it? What would be the cost to you in your life if you choose not to tell your story? What would you like to share with the people who know you- and those who don’t?
WHO ARE WE ? We are an online magazine providing space for the youth to create and share their stories through art. It is important that we see ourselves in these spaces, showing that we do exist and we’re not going anywhere not only for ourselves but, for the future generations to come.
KEEP UP WITH US ON THE INTERWEBS Twitter: @thezoomrw Instagram: @thezoomrw Like us on Facebook - TheZoom Magazine #TheZoomMagazine
