History in repetition
I’ve heard a range of comments about the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) opening show Dreamland. Some feel, particularly as the opening show, it should have been more upbeat. Others feel it was important to not hide the realities of Zimbabwe. I had a hard time formulating an opinion because I was in awe the show happened. Everything and every minute of the show were overtly critical of the government.
The one thing that has stayed in my mind is the performance of Dudu Manhenga. She’s a wonderfully talented singer/performer, no doubt about it. But in this case, more what’s been on my mind is song selection. Dudu performed one of my favorite songs – a relatively unknown song from 1988 by American singer/songwriter Toni Childs. If my math is right, I was 23 years old in 1988 – young and naïve. I remember the song as one of the many things which opened my eyes and mind to the world around me. Generally, my interest in music is to know what lyrics mean, the message of the song, and to develop my own interpretations of the words. The lyrics of Toni Childs prompted me in 1988 to research more about the Zimbabwean Unity Accord of 1987 and the violence during the years before. I may have been wrong in thinking the 1988 song was commenting on Gukurahundi. But I can’t help but think at HIFA 2008 the song was selected as a commentary on the ways history unfortunately repeats itself – not always in exactly the same ways – but with the same painful and unjust results.
I found another blogger thinking about this 1988 song and the lyrics are below.
what you gonna do zimbabwae
what you gonna do zimbabwae
zimbabwae is a man who tried
to teach his children what was right
but then there came a time when war
split the family from inside
he said no fighting no more
what you gonna do zimbabwae
what you gonna do zimbabwae
the old man sits and shakes his head
while the multitudes insist
where is the cause of unity
with just one thought there could be peace
men gathered in silence the same
can there be some peace on earth
can there be a love
greater than the world we see
greater than us all
it’s the last station home
it’s the last station home
you ran your heart in those days
when no-one could see days
you want to run in the wind
you want to go back inside
see no more crime in your lifetime
zimbabwae, zimbabwae
no more crime in your lifetime
zimbabwae, zimbabwae
– Toni Childs