Arts fraternity mourns Chiwoniso

By Problem Masau

Condolence messages continue to pour in following the death of mbira legend Chiwoniso Maraire on Wednesday night.

Chiwoniso who is believed to have been suffering from pneumonia, died at South Medical Centre in Chitungwiza, where she had been hospitalised for 10 days suffering from chest pains. She was 37.

The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe described Maraire as a true ambassador of the Zimbabwean culture.

“As the arts council we are deeply saddened by the untimely death of one of the country’s cultural icons. Though she was young, she was a star in her own right. She was one of the first young musicians who had a keen interest in traditional instruments.

“The Maraire family should take comfort in that the entire nation has been plunged into mourning,” said Nicholas Moyo, NCAZ deputy director.

He said what was more sad was that Maraire had not finished a UNWTO project that she was currently involved in.

“Her collaboration with Suluman and others won the UNWTO theme song. They were supposed to go back into the studio and make some final touches,” he said. Speaking in his personal capacity, NCAZ director Elvas Mari said he was still in shock.

“Her death comes as a shock to me. She was still young but she managed to put the Zimbabwean flag on the international map. Unlike Mbuya Stella Chiweshe and Mbuya Beulah Dyoko, Maraire was in a class of her own because she broke the jinx by gaining international recognition at a very young age,” he said.

Another mbira prodigy, Hope Masike, said she has lost a friend and a mentor.

“It’s unbelievable, we were close friends and she would teach me one or two things. I am very depressed,” she said.
Maraire’s stepdaughter, Ammara Brown, was in tears as she described her relationship with the late mbira queen, as very intimate.

“I am so saddened by her death. She was more than a mother to me. I could confide in her and she was my shoulder to lean on. What I can say is that my candle has been blown out,” she said.

Contemporary musician Mukudzei Mukombe, also known as Jah Prayzah, expressed his sadness on the passing on of Chiwoniso.

“She was not only a fellow musician but also my sister, who inspired me to take music seriously. We worked on a number of projects together including the Peace project, which had the likes of Suluman and Edith weUtonga. I am shocked to say the least,” he said.

An accomplished singer, songwriter and exponent of Zimbabwean mbira music, Chiwoniso was the daughter of renowned Zimbabwean mbira player and teacher Dumisani Maraire.

She was born on March 5, 1976 in Seattle, Washington, when her father was a lecturer at Washington University.

At the age of 15, she returned to Zimbabwe with her family and attended Mutare Girls’ High School for Forms Three and Four before enrolling for Advanced Level evening classes at the University of Zimbabwe where her father was teaching.

Chiwoniso cut her musical teeth with her father’s marimba groups, Dumi and Minanzi and Mhuri ya Maraire. In 1991 Chiwoniso met two young hip-hop artistes Herbert Schwamborn and Tony Chihota, and formed Zimbabwe’s first afro hip-hop group Peace of Ebony.

They recorded an album “From The Native Tongue” in 1992 in Keith Farquharson’s studio, with Keith contributing much of the music and production.
Chiwoniso was honoured with the Decouverte Afrique by Radio France International after releasing her debut album “Ancient Voices” in 1998.

The album entered the World Music Charts Europe three times and brought her a nomination in the category Best Female Vocals of Africa for the Kora Award in 1999.

From 2001 to 2004, she was a member of the multinational all-women band Women’s Voice, whose original members were from Norway, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, America, Israel and Algeria. She also worked on soundtracks for movies and documentaries.

Maraire had several albums to her name and played a role as one of the most revolutionary mbira players crossing all musical borders inspiring young Zimbabweans to play the mbira in a more modern and contemporary way. She collaborated with various musicians and artistes across the world.