Zvishavane artist Mhike lands global fellowship

Standard Style
The Prince of Mazvihwa, as Mhike is widely known in Zvishavane, did not hide his excitement when Standard Style contacted him last week.

BY STYLE REPORTER Award-winning arts, media and development practitioner Emmanuel Hove Mhike was recently selected for the 2022 South to South Arts Fellowship run by the Living Arts International (LAI).

He is among the few Africa and Asia fellows who were selected to participate in this year’s programme.

The Prince of Mazvihwa, as Mhike is widely known in Zvishavane, did not hide his excitement when Standard Style contacted him last week.

“I feel humbled and honoured to be one of the selected fellows to participate in this noble fellowship,” he said.

“I understand the competition and the coverage of the South to South Arts Fellowship.

“To see my name on the 2022 SSAF participants list it’s really phenomenal.”

The South to South Arts Fellowship is a programme designed to support unique arts and cultural initiatives formulated by creatives living within the geographical context of developing countries.

The fellowship is run in two phases, the first one being implementing individual initiatives while the second will see fellows from two different countries develop and deliver collaborative initiatives in pairs.

Mhike said his unique individual initiative focuses on Biocultural Protocol writing.

“A Biocultural Protocol is all about stewardship of a community’s natural resources and culture, assertion of indigenous rights and affirming of responsibilities,” he said.

“BCPs set out rules of engagement with external actors as well as procedures for dealing with community violators.”

Mhike is the first and only Southern African creative to win the South to South Arts Fellowship.

Other participants are from Lebanon, Pakistan, Indonesia, India and Ethiopia.

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