I’ve been working with some of the fabulous HIFA reviews, photos and videos Upenyu has been sending through. But one question for the HIFA organisers for next year:

Do the performers have to wear their performer bands on their wrists? It’s distracting, and it detracts from the actors’ costumes and credibility as “in character” on the stage.

We took a bit of time out today in between work and HIFA to witness the Royal Wedding. We toasted the happy couple with a whiskey in a nearby bar. We dressed up a bit, and turned a few heads, both in amazement and horror. Thanks to Liz our co-worker, colleague and woman of many talents, for taking the snap.

The Kubatana offices are on the second floor of an office building near the city centre of Harare. Yip, the women’s toilets are painted a garish pink, and the men’s a bright blue. Go figure. It seems like the whole of Harare is experiencing dry taps today, even whilst we’ve just had a major down pour – the last of the rainy season?

The Zim Dollar is about to make a come back, and BabaGilbert can barely contain his excitement. He is going to make it big with BNG Merchant Bank (Baba naMai Gilbert). Watch this video clip from Colours of Dreams currently on at HIFA.

Zimbabwean audiences have been wowed for several years by Alenka Ponjavic who regularly performs at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA).

Alenka graciously gave Kubatana some of her time and went Inside Out with us.

Alenka Ponjavic – the princess of the Balkans and Queen of Everyone and Everything and Everywhere else (she really believes this is true), Opera singer and Artist at HIFA.

Find out more about Alenka from her web site: www.alenkaponjavic.com

Describe yourself in five words?
Determined, a bit crazy, passionate, artistic, compassionate (I hope).

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
From my mother: if you’re going to do something, do it properly or don’t bother.

What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever done?
Stapling a dress together, and singing in it in front of 5000 people. Ridiculous is necessary and very present.

What is your most treasured possession?
My voice.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
On a global scale, a large number of people not having access to basic necessities. Also for us who have these things, I feel miserable that exists.

Do you have any strange hobbies?
I write poetry and paint and don’t have any talent for it.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
My nose and my double chin.

What is your greatest extravagance?
I don’t really have any.

What have you got in your fridge?
2 litres of milk that’s gone off, a bottle of champagne and a bit of cheese.

What is your greatest fear?
To be imprisoned for no reason. To be imprisoned innocent.

What have you got in your pockets right now?
No pockets on me!

What is your favourite journey?
All journeys are favourite. As long as they are journeys I am happy, and life itself is a journey.

Who are your heroes in real life?
I make a point of having no heroes. Ultimately when you meet a person who you think is a hero you realise they are just a person.

When and where were you happiest?
The day I got accepted at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to study music. Its been a holiday ever since.

What’s your biggest vice?
Addiction to popcorn. I am in the process of developing Popcorn Anonymous. The first thing I checked at HIFA after dropping my suitcase was where the popcorn machine was. Otherwise I would have called Manuel.

What were you like at school?
One of those people who wanted to have lots of results without working too hard.

What are you doing next?
Ordering a carrot cake, my second biggest vice

HIFA is made as magnificent as it is because of the assistance of a wide variety of people from artists, to caters, to people to guard cars. Here is a Kubatana inside out interview with Richard, who guards cars every year at HIFA.

Take a bow Richard.

Richard Chimunda – Postcard & Bag artist

Describe yourself in five words?
Freeman, social, Touring Game Parks.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
I mustn’t be boring and I must dress nice. Life is too short to blend in.

What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever done?
Having sex with chicks.

What is your most treasured possession?
Talent for football.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Poverty.

Do you have any strange hobbies?
Going out with my friends and reading novels in the park, Romeo & Juliet because its about love.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
Being discriminated against because I’m a Dreadman.

What is your greatest extravagance?
Watching movies in town. They’re $5.

What have you got in your fridge?
I don’t have a fridge.

What is your greatest fear?
Being in water; I cannot swim.

What have you got in your pockets right now?
My wallet and my ID card.

What is your favourite journey?
It is still to come. To Europe to see my arts.

Who are your heroes in real life?
My grandfather, because he is the father of my father.

When and where were you happiest?
When I’m playing soccer.

What’s your biggest vice?
Making bags and postcards.

What were you like at school?
My classmates liked me. I was better in English than they were.

What are you doing next?
I don’t know.