Creative Corridors At Ndau/Ndafa Festival

By Rashiwe Chipurunyenye
CHIPAWO through its groundbreaking initiative, Creative Corridors, recently invaded Chikore Village in Chipinge district to support children with disabilities at Big Tree primary school.

Chikore, a cloud in Ndau, became the village name as its inhabitants claimed the tree looked like a small cloud from afar. Older villagers also claim that the sacred big tree, which was a Mutsamvi, could be seen by people in Beira, Mozambique and Mesina, South Africa.

However, it is said the tree was struck by lightning around 1978 and it completely disintegrated around 1980. In tribute to their beloved and “sacred” big tree where rainmaking ceremonies used to be held, villagers decided to rename Chikore primary school, Big Tree.

The learning institution is an inclusive educational institution with two special classes in addition to regular mainstream ones.

Creative Corridors, with the aim of nurturing talented children with disability, recorded children from Big Tree special classes, who are exceptional at mbira playing, dance, poetry and visual art.

With the theme My Village, the children presented a 10-minute musical production showcasing their passion and love for their village. The children were also captured dancing to Creative Corridors’ theme song, You Are Special.

Creative Corridors is a Chipawo programme, which is supported by the University of Glasgow, UK Research and Innovation, and GCRF.

“We are grateful to all the people that facilitated the smooth flow of our programme – villagers with disabilities that we interviewed, care givers and teachers. Special thanks also goes to Mr Philip Kusasa, who is the Ndau Festival director, Mr Nerah the Big Tree Headmaster, painter Edwin Hlatshwayo who is also Ndau Festival secretary,” said Chipo Basopo, Chipawo director.

“Hlatshwayo instilled a sense of belief and confidence in the children with disability, emphasising that disability is not inability. He also taught them how to paint and conducted, with them, rehearsals for their acts.”

The highlight of the whole tour was the Ndau Festival held on the 24th of September 2022 running under the theme Mainstreaming Ndau language.

Celebrating its 5th edition and how it survived the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ndau Festival came back with a bang. The festival aims to uphold the Ndau language, beliefs and culture, through Muchongoyo dance, poems and choirs.

Various groups from different villages in and around Chipinge
performed; namely Marozva, Mt Selinda, Bangira, Chibuwe High School, Chivaraidze Arts, Holland and Muzitemukuyu Dance Group.

These groups had intergenerational transmission, having more than three generations in a single troupe. This was well-received by arts gurus in attendance as it showed that the elders are instilling their culture in their children and grandchildren.

In attendance at the festival were representatives from the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation; the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, UNESCO and Chipawo.

Held in the heart of Chikore village at the famed Paiyapo Arts Development and Heritage Centre, the festival had more than 500 people in attendance all eager to celebrate and show how proud they are of their dialect, culture, beliefs and history.

Let’s Be Proud of Our Culture, History and Language. Nhau/Indaba