Documentary chronicles unity in diaspora communities

By Kundai Marunya

Unity, looking out for each other and lending a helping hand not only to fellow countrymen but other immigrants as a whole is what makes life easier for millions of Zimbabweans who find themselves in foreign lands seeking greener pastures.
Socio-economic and political challenges that have been bedeviling the country for over two decades have seen many Zimbabweans trekking across the globe, to find employment and safe havens.
Many a times they are faced with mountains of challenges, impossible to tackle singlehandedly. But with the sense of family-like-unity, diasporans have persevered, in the end managing to finance others left behind at home.
This is the gist of a documentary “Chezhira – Where is Home?”, told through the eyes of Swedish-based musician, writer and cultural ambassador Makandire Luckson Chezhira Chikutu, popularly known as ManLuckerz.
Produced by Saymore Ngonidzashe Sayid’Ali Kativu under The Nexus Think at Zarawi Trust – the documentary will premiere online on January 19.
Inspired by ManLuckerz’s journey from Zimbabwe to Sweden “Chezhira – Where is Home?” is a culmination of efforts by two fellow countrymen from Zimbabwe working to help each other on their journeys of life in a foreign land.
The two met while Kativu was attending Digital Summer School Viadrinicum 2020 with the European-University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) themed ‘Transsectoral Lab on (Post-) Migration. (Dis-)Integrative Encounters’.
He took keen interest in ManLuckerz’s work which includes uniting different nationalities mostly Africans under his band, the Zim Traditional Unity, and his recently published book Flashback Identity.
Kativu sought an interview on identity as part of his school work, something that developed into a documentary.
“A brotherhood was immediately born between us owing to the passion to help others grow,” said Kativu.
One would say their spirits of Ubuntu reconnected in the faraway land of Sweden.
Kativu went on to produce the documentary simultaneous to his studies with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences working with a team from The Nexus Think Tank at Zarawi Trust, a Zimbabwean-based hybrid entity working in the field of development.
“To fully know who we are as a people, we must be ready and willing to discover ourselves through the stories of others. Saymore (Kativu) was curious as an anthropologist to understand the importance of and what becomes of one’s identity when you are far from home for so long as I have been and in this age of globalisation.
“The story follows the name Chezhira, how it came to be and the power behind one’s identity in determining the path of life,” said ManLuckerz.
“When my young brother from Zimbabwe approached me while doing his summer studies on migration to help him, I could not let the opportunity pass by. In the spirit of Together As One (TAO), we helped each other as we always do. After his summer studies were over, we both saw an opportunity to tell a story that would hopefully inspire others when Saymore pitched it.”
The documentary is an educational piece that also shows ManLuckerz’s versatility in showbiz and how his talent is manifested in his various artistic roles.
ManLuckerz is a multi-award winning artiste and accomplished dancer who is one of the most sought-after African traditional musicians in Sweden. Nhau/Indaba