By Peter Tanyanyiwa
Local private junior schools who were not playing the Marimba traditional instrument are in for a treat as Vaima Arts Trust, has slated a festival where novice schools who are mostly private schools will get a chance to play and share notes on how to improve their Marimba playing skills.
The festival is dubbed, “Get Together Marimba Festival,” and will be held next week Friday, on the 22nd of July 2022 from 9am-12:30 pm at St James Academy school in Borrowdale.
In an interview with Vaima Arts Trust director Mr Kelvin Chikumbirike he said that the Get Together Marimba Festival is for Beginner Schools and is not a competition but will provide a platform for sharing of knowledge on how the novice school can improve their knowledge.
“We call this festival the ‘Get Together Marimba Festival,” because we are bringing together novice schools, we have been training on how to play Marimba which they also make themselves, the beginners, who were not always playing marimba, which are mostly private schools. Schools are coming to learn and sharpen each other’s skills,” he said.
He said the festival has been facilitated as a way to prepare for big festivals that will follow. It is also a good platform for private schools which are not in the main stream to meet, polish and share the music.
“The Get together marimba festival is a platform to meet and share the gained knowledge of marimba and the Zimbabwean culture. This event is meant for beginners and novice schools and individuals. It meant to let the children mix and mingle and challenge each other in terms of playing the marimba music,” said Chikumbirike.
Each School is supposed to bring six participants and their Marimba instruments. These students and school will get certificates of participation after the festival. The festival is for free but the school and individuals are free to donate anything for Vaima Arts Trust. Kids are to bring their snacks and water.
Some of the primary schools who have confirmed participation at the festival so far include Tiny Tots Junior school, Kirkman Primary, St James Academy, Divaris.
Makaharis Primary School, Edward Jack school, Paradise junior, Derbyshire junior, South side view infant and Stone Town junior.
Vaima Arts Trust is a performing arts group, works with the vulnerable, persons living with disabilities and the less privileged, last year they were selected to represent Zimbabwe at the World championship of performing arts which were held in Las Vegas.
They have a compilation of shona poetry book titled, “Tapinda tapinda” which they are selling, they are also selling marimba and mbira traditional instruments which they make and teach how to play.
Four Vaima Arts Trust members, who are living with disabilities, recently entered the world of literature after they published their debut Shona poetry book titled Tapinda Tapinda printed by Taffy Prints. The four are Rachel Madondo, Admire Takaindisa, Stellah Jongwe and Tinotenda Gweshengwe.
Vaima Arts Trust director Kelvin Chikumbirike, who also authored some poems, said that the book’s title signalled the entry of people with disabilities (PWDs) into the literature world largely dominated by those with no disabilities.