Pictured above: uZanele at IWD 2012
Sistaz of the Open Mic celebrate International Women’s Day
Saturday 9 March 2013, Book Cafe, Harare
On Saturday 9 March, the lively SISTAZ OPEN MIC programme at the Book Cafe celebrates International Women’s Day from 3pm, with a vivid line-up of women artists ready to step out and express themselves freely in celebration of women everywhere.
The line-up includes mbira princess Hope Masike, recently returned from a quick trip to Europe; popular singer-songwriters Rute Mbangwa and Clare Nyakujara, guitarist Rudo Chasi, Zimbabwe-rocker Kessia Magosha recently returned from a Rock music programme in Johannesburg; the afrocentric M’Afriq featuring lead singer and front-lady Pauline Gundidza, and a special performance of ‘3 Generations’: afrojazz-istas Dudu Manhenga, the strongly up&coming ‘uZanele’ and Clare Nyakujara. The spoken word will be carried by poets Roxy ‘Xapa’ Mathazia, Batsirai Chigama, Charity Hutete, and RuTendo DeNise, with Wadzanai Chiuriri as MC.
The Sistaz Open Mic ‘after-party’ continues from 5.30pm with the lady of love songs Plaxedes Wenyika and her backing band, until 7pm, featuring songs from her albums ‘Tisa Paradzane’, ‘Kamumhanzi’, ‘Sentiments’ ‘Full Circle’ and her very latest single ‘Kuva Newe’ (Being with you), hot from the studio and expected on the airwaves next week.
The Women’s Day commemoration by Pamberi Trust is supported in part by the Embassy of Canada for the second year running, giving vital support to initiatives for freedom of expression by women artists and gender advancement in general.
Other events to mark the week at Book Cafe include a free screening presented by Women Filmmakers of Zimbabwe on Wednesday 6 March of the film ‘CUT’ – a confrontation with the brutal practice of female genital mutilation; a delightful evening performance on Thursday 7 March by three of Zimbabwe’s popular women artists entitled ‘3Generations: Dudu, Uzanele and Clare’, and a networking session for women artists and organisations before the Sistaz Open Mic.
International Women’s Day around the world
The 2013 Theme for celebrations around the world is ‘The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum. Each year International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 around the world, by individuals and organisations, governments, charities, educational institutions, women’s groups, corporations and the media. Thousands of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women each year, and to draw attention to global and local gender issues.
Over time and distance, the equal rights of women have progressed. In Zimbabwe, there is much to be celebrated, and the Sistaz Open Mic on Saturday 9 March will honour some of the women in the Arts in Zimbabwe, who have
Sistaz Open Mic falls under the gender project FLAME (Female Literary Arts & Music Enterprise) of Harare-based arts development organisation Pamberi Trust, which has worked with hundreds of women artists over the years and commemorated the 16 Days of activism every year since 2007, with women artists speaking out loud and proud in protest against violence in our society.
The Book Cafe celebrations this March follow on from a powerful programme in November-December 2012 with 16 events staged around the global campaign ’16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women’, which featured film, discussion, workshops and music and poetry performances, graced by US hiphop artist Akua Naru and over 80 women artists of Zimbabwe.
As always, Sistaz Open Mic promises to be a lively and highly entertaining affair, with a strong sense of purpose – it’s a time for women of Harare to come out to meet, learn more, and celebrate themselves against a backdrop of great music and poetry from sisters in the Arts.
Other aspects of the gender programme are supported by Hivos, the European Union and other partners.
- Press Release from the Book Cafe
