Murmures

Pamberi Trust will today host the launch of the documentary “Kunzwana #1 Tour” at Book Cafe. The documentary explores recordings of an exciting trans-cultural collaboration of freely improvised music and storytelling between seven musicians from Zimbabwe, Austria and France.

The documentary consists of the concerts which took place in Zimbabwe and South Africa in May 2014 as well as a tour of Austria in July 2014.

Pamberi Trust arts adminstrator, Penny Yonn said the tour started with a visit by European musicians to the group “Simonga’ from Binga.

“The tour started with a visit by the European musicians to the group ‘Simonga’ in the remote village of Siachilaba, Binga, deep in the Zambezi Valley where they had a vivid encounter with the traditional Ngoma Buntibe and also a musical art form of the Tonga people,

“After intense rehearsals, interaction and performances in Harare, the trans-cultural ensemble “Kunzwana # 1” performed at Book Café and HIFA in Harare, South Africa, and music festivals in Austria in July 2014,” he said.

He said the launch will also see the handing over of CDs to the artists involved and other partners, by Peter Kuthan, chairperson of Austria Zimbabwe Friendship Association who has masterminded many exchanges over the years.

“Photographs will be screened of the Kunzwana #1 Tour from its start in the Tonga village of Siachilaba, Binga, Zimbabwe, along with photography by women of Siachilaba presented by photo artists Annie Mpalume and Calvin Dondo,

“This will provide a link to AZFA’s focal project in 2015, the exhibition ‘Recalling Siachilaba’ in Austria in June to July, celebrating 20 years of cultural exchange with the Tonga community, and promoting the cultural vibrancy and diversity of Zimbabwe again,” he said.

Hope Masike, Josh Meck , Blessing Chimanga, and Orthnell ‘Mangoma’ Moyo are the artists who represented Zimbabwe with acclaimed world musicians Isabelle Duthoit from France, Franz Hautzinger and Werner Puntigam both from Austria taking part in the project.