THOBELA Arts Foundation has said plans are afoot to celebrate imbube, a genre which has been in existence for decades and has helped preserve the Ndebele culture and language.
The plan to celebrate the genre was unveiled during a call for all Imbube artistes and legends' special meeting hosted by the Foundation at Enkundleni Black Umfolosi Centre in Entumbane last week.
The meeting was attended by NACZ provincial arts manager for Bulawayo — Cleopatra Dube, Zimura manager for southern region — David Makombe, Jeys Marabini, Dumisani Ramadu Moyo representing Nobuntu and Insingizi among other stakeholders.
Imbube groups including Amabhubesi, Imbizo, Umdumo Wesizwe Ezomdumo, INkanyezi Zezulu, Ijongosi Great Stars, Men of Influence, Zondamthakathi, Sunduza, Indosakusa The Morning Star ,IThokazi, Phelandaba, Amawombe and AbaNqobi were in attendance.
The event is scheduled for September and more details will be unveiled.
“We celebrate Imbube and as Thobela Arts Foundation, we decided to host this type of event because we have seen it is a good thing to celebrate our own genre.
“It is our mother genre here in our region and for all these years from its existence, it celebrates our own culture as Zimbabweans and the people from Matabeleland,” Thobela Arts Foundation founder, Oscar Siziba told Standard Style.
He said the Foundation and Imbube groups will work together to make the event a success and it is their wish to host the event annually.
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“Preparations for this big event are slated for September and we need historians to give us enough history on the establishment of lmbube genre, its existence till now.
“We are the hosts but artistes are there to help this event to be a success. The foundation is there to protect and preserve our own Imbube genre and our culture. We encourage all groups of Imbube across Zimbabwe and beyond to attend this event,” he said.
NACZ provincial arts manager for Bulawayo, Dube hailed Thobela Arts Foundation's initiative.
“It’s a very good initiative by Thobela Arts Foundation and we are happy to see the togetherness from other artistes in the Imbube genre. They all came here, the young and the old," Dube said.
“It was really nice to see them discuss and tell their about journeys, especially the legends. The young also spoke about the problems which they are facing in the industry. They raised challenges that they come across and how they are solving some of these challenges and how they are assisting each other.”
She said the meeting has showed that collaborations are possible.
“It is through togetherness that people go further. So I am looking forward to a joint event which will come out because of the collaboration and understanding each other," she said.
10th District Music and Nobuntu director Moyo also urged artistes to come together and unite.
“I’m asking that we as artistes should be united. Because we are not united siyagulelwa, siyafelwa, asivakatshelani, we don’t assist each other. So we need to support each other and not to scrutinize or ask who brought the idea. What Thobela Arts Foundation did, will benefit us all," he said.
“So as artistes, let’s all come together and help each other. Our generation ( Insingizi, Black Umfolosi , Black Spear) has run our race until this time where you guys have brought in a new idea, and we need everyone to support this which will benefit everyone."
Jeys Marabini said: “I’m happy to be part of this meeting to celebrate Imbube. Imbube music preserves our culture, language and it’s supposed to be passed on to the next generation. Myself I have a strong Imbube background, that's where I started my music journey."
Zimura manager for southern region Makombe said: “As Zimura we respect each and every genre and what Thobela Arts Foundation has done, we are behind them 100%.”
