It is belief defying that there are still people out there who don’t “do” Hifa. Who in their right mind would pass up the sheer joy of this once a year extravaganza! You don’t have to be rich, you certainly don’t have to be famous, and whether you can afford 30 tickets or none, there’s something for everyone, and it’s nearly all —OUTDOORS!
Sun and warmth by day, full moon and twinkling stars by night. Hifa is timed to avoid both rain and cold. Calling this weather bluff mostly works. Occasionally, unseasonal rain causes alarming moments for the organisers. It did last year.
This year, the festival was fraught neither by weather nor catastrophe, it went so smoothly that we who work there, adrenaline junkies that we are at heart, were wondering where the fire was, most of us so much less stressed than usual we awaited the crisis that never came, in adrenaline withdrawal! Worldwide, arts festivals demand massive amounts of work and nerves of steel.
Hifa has taken place through many very difficult years, facing challenges unheard of in places living through less history than we have in recent decades, and has still won the day. The festival makers have grown accustomed to pretty much coming apart at the seams after Hifa week!
This year, there’s little such evidence. Altogether a good thing, our nerves deserved the break! Or have we all imperceptibly been adjusting our attitudes and mindsets as these 13 years have rolled by, gradually taking everything in better stride? Whatever the reason, we had a wonderful Hifa.
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The magical telecel main stage
There’s something so magical about outdoor Hifa shows, especially at Telecel Main Stage, where for a moment you can look up at the clear starry night and glorious moon, get lost in your own world, and sigh with absolute contentment and wonder at the whole joyful experience — sitting on the grass sipping wine and nibbling on a picnic, or swaying to the grooves or clapping and singing along, in a huge crowd of Zimbabweans from every possible background, and visitors from all sorts of exotic sounding places. Hifa had a really special magical feel this year. Everyone was commenting on it.
Hifa: A hive of activity
Whether wandering through Simba Youth Zone watching children show off their amazing talent, or admiring, perchance buying, some of the superb arts and crafts in a leisurely stroll through the Royal Norwegian Embassy Global Quarter, or sharing a glass of wine with friends in the sunshine outside The Standard Theatre and NMB Bank Recital Room while waiting for the next performance, there’s a whole lot more to the experience of Hifa than purely the shows — as wonderful as these undoubtedly are! Hifa is for many, THE most social event on the annual calendar. New friendships, contacts and bonds are formed, barriers break down, and people just cannot wipe the smile off their faces for a week!
The glow lasts for weeks and months afterwards — festival fever, and that’s not a bad fever, it’s a good one! Mine will be sustained even longer and further by the forthcoming Bulawayo Music Festival which happens every two years, and in which several of we Harare choristers are also singing, in a huge performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, which we had the joy of learning and singing at Hifa 2010. Into the bargain, no doubt I’ll squeeze a visit or two to another passion of mine — the Matobo hills, there to roam, I hope, for at least a day.
So, returning to Rooney’s Green Room, the indoor-outdoor artistic hub of Hifa; this year’s version had been enlarged yet further to accommodate the large crowds of exuberant, noisy folk who accumulate there, especially after the latest Telecel Main Stage show.
A huge awning shelters them from sun or rain, but does not cut them off from the happenings, vibe and buzz of Coca-Cola Green, while Kerry Wallace’s adjacent annual Shop Café at Hifa is under the stars by night, umbrellas by day, and the food’s very good indeed.
Access to this hallowed place where you rub shoulders with the stars comes from being a hifAmigo — paid up member of this friends of Hifa group — a working member of Hifa’s management team, a Hifa artist or corporate investor or donor, and is much sought after as a privilege and much enjoyed by those lucky enough to have it.
It’s an incredibly lively place to socialise, network, soak up the Hifa vibe, enjoy, relax, learn and grow by chatting with artists from home and all over the world. And here comes another of those satisfied sighs, evoked by another wonderful Hifa — you just have to try it, to understand!
