Lest we forget our fallen musicians

By The Standard | Mar. 5, 2017

As human beings, we are all secretly terrified of death. It is one inevitable aspect of life, so to speak, that civilisation has not improved.

in the groove with Fred Zindi

Since independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has lost many musicians. These include Leonard Dembo, Simon Chimbetu, Ndux Malax, Martin Ndlovu, Titus Zihute, George Pada, Clever Kazera, Paul Phiri, Biggie Tembo, Shakie Kangwena, Shepherd Munyama, Marshall Munhumumwe, Thomas Makioni, Sekuru Gora, Kenneth Chigodora, Doreen Ncube,Tinei Chikupo, Flavian Nyathi, System Tazvida, Oliver Havadi, Leonard “Pickett” Chiyangwa, Andrew Chakanyuka, Chowas Mdoka, Chris Chabuka, Simangaliso Thuthani, David Mankaba, Ephat Mujuru, Jethro Shasha, Sebastian Mbata, Jonah Sithole, Johnny Papas, Fanyana Dube, David “Mr Bulk” Chiyangwa, Paul Matavire, Don Gumbo, Brian Sibalo, Ashton “Sugar” Chiweshe, William Mhlanga, Jethro Shasha, Safirio Madzikatire, Chrispen Matema, James Chimombe, John Chibadura, Jonah Sithole, Susan Mapfumo, Beaulah Dyoko, Beater Mangethe, Manu Kambani, David Marumahoko, Freedom Sengwayo, Jackie Madondo, Elliot Manyika, Pio Farai Macheka, Fortune Mparutsa, Mukoma Ketai, Marko Sibanda, Franco Hodobo, Joe Masters, Solomon Skuza, Cephas Mashakada, Tendai “Culture T” Gamure, Tongai Moyo, Hilton Mambo, Adam Chisvo, Sam Mtukudzi, Tymon Mabaleka, Prince Tendai Mupfurutsa, Andy Brown, Cookie Tuthani, Chiwoniso Maraire, Jamal, Munya Nyemba and Joyce Simeti, to mention only a few. There are hundreds of other musicians who have died but not mentioned here. Some of them remain obscure as they were regarded as backstage artists. May all their souls rest in eternal peace!

These musicians have made an immense contribution to the cultural industry of Zimbabwe. Apart from providing great entertainment to all those who cared to listen to their music. They were also Zimbabwe’s ambassadors to the rest of the world as they put the country on the world map and helped to bridge the gap between popular music and politics.

They all deserve to be honoured.

How do we get all these people remembered for life? The Zimbabwe Union of Musicians should lobby the government to declare one day in the year, a Musicians’ Rememberance Day where the whole country will be invited to a ceremony in which all dead musicians will be called out by name and tokens of appreciation given to their remaining families. We can even go further by remembering musicians such as August Musarurwa who died before independence but whose music is still being emulated by international artists to this day.

You may not necessarily know the name Simon Chimbetu, but if you are a fan of Dendera Music, you will certainly know his famous songs, Nguva Yakaoma, Samatenga or Hoko. It is fortunate that Chimbetu was declared a provincial hero when he died on August 14 2005, aged 49 years and was buried at Chinhoyi Provincial Heroes’ Acre. His grave at Chinhoyi Cemetery is clearly marked with his name shining on it. He is one of the few lucky ones.

Some of the musicians mentioned above died some 30 or so years ago and yet their graves have gone unmarked for those years because their families cannot afford tombstones. It will be good to find charities or corporate donors who can come to the rescue of these dead musicians. These guys gave so much to Zimbabwe via music. They deserve a headstone. It would be good if a single cemetery could be found for all of them. We could call it Zimbabwean Musicians’ Acre.

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One musician, and former freedom fighter famous for the hit Nesango, Clive Malunga, came up with the idea of marking the graves of dead musicians with tombstones in the 1990s but as more musicians died and without the support from authorities, his idea faded.

The musicians’ union should also organise funds for the welfare of the families left behind by these musicians.

I have come across many destitute sons and daughters of many famous musicians and I find it difficult to recommend an organisation which will look after them. In the past I would suggest that they receive royalties from Gramma Records and Zimbabwe Music Corporation, since their parents’ music catalogues were still being held by these two companies. But now that the companies have folded, I have nowhere to refer them to except to ask them to follow in the footsteps of their famous fathers to create their own wealth, hence — Don Gumbo Junior, Sulumani Chimbetu, Tryson Chimbetu, Tendai and Morgan Dembo, Ammara Brown, Charles Munhumumwe and Peter “Igwe” Moyo.

When I discussed this topic with students from the Zimbabwe College of Music, one 25-year-old ethnomusicologist remarked; “Oh, I never got to see James Chimombe because he died before I was born. His music still moves me to this day yet I never met the man. I would have loved to attend his concerts but that was before my time. There are many other musicians who I would have loved to see in real life. Since I didn’t get to see these musicians while they were alive, I could at least stop by their grave sites and pay my respects. I am even prepared to pay for a headstone for at least one of the musicians if called to do so. I would personally decorate it with either a piano, a guitar or a saxophone as a way of commemorating their big contribution to our music.”

I recently visited the grave of a close musician friend who died in 2011.

The sight was heart-breaking. The grave had long collapsed with dried flowers that had adorned it floating above the rain water that had formed a pool on top of the grave. I have since instructed the cemetery employees to maintain it at a rate of $20 a month.

I know of at least 20 musicians whose graves remain unmarked. Some are buried at Warren Hills Cemetery. Others are buried at Granville Cemetery in Harare and West Park Cemetery in Bulawayo.

There is need for us to start a musicians’ headstone project for these unmarked graves as part of our rememberance to our lost musicians.

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