Mbuya Chiweshe defies age

Standard Style
Internationally-acclaimed mbira queen Mbuya Stella Chiweshe defied her age after she put up a top drawer performance on Friday night at Tanza Centre in Chitungwiza.

Internationally-acclaimed mbira queen Mbuya Stella Chiweshe defied her age after she put up a top drawer performance on Friday night at Tanza Centre in Chitungwiza.

By Moses Mugugunyeki

Mbuya Chiweshe, who has earned herself a buffet of sobriquets as arguably one of Zimbabwe’s top cultural exports headlined the mbira gig, which was held to celebrate her 50 years in music.

Modestly dressed in white African attire, white tennis shoes, waist length dreadlocks, the 70-year-old was smoking hot as she was when she first burst onto the music scene five decades ago.

The sizeable crowd went into a frenzy when Mbuya Chiweshe went on stage at 10:30pm and what a polished act she gave during the six hours she was on stage.

It was her songs Chava Chimurenga, Sarura Wako and Huya Uzoona that sent many on their feet. There was a spectacle when some female fans went into a trance during a “bira” session where Mbuya Chihera, as Chiweshe is popularly known, played the mbira.

Mbuya Chiweshe’s granddaughter Emelda Ghawula attributed the mbira queen’s endurance to healthy eating.

“She doesn’t eat fast foods. Her diet includes traditional food stuffs such as sadza rezviyo/mhunga, biltong and mufushwa, among others,” she said.

Tanza Centre entertainment manager Sarah Maigurira said they were happy to host a musician of such a calibre.

“It’s one of the memorable shows. We are planning to celebrate Mbuya Chiweshe’s 70th birthday at Tanza Centre early next month,” Maigurira said. Local mbira acts Zuva Rabuda Group and Nyamasvisva warmed up the stage for Mbuya Chiweshe.