THIS week on Friday, October 24, Zambia undoubtedly puts up one of the deluxe of galas to mark 50 years of political independence, an era relatively measured as both successful and full of challenges. What has Zambia attained in the theatre arts?
Successes, yes, I admit; as Zambians, the last 50 years have gone through the proverbial travelogue of thick and thin; from a colonial heritage that held back various liberties to an autonomy that has allowed for political, economical, social and cultural freedom.
The colonialists later ‘became’ expatriates and returned to help dig copper on the Copperbelt, and established theatre houses, and a compatriot arts association that ran drama and well organised theatre festivals – besides working for the mines, these nevertheless, artistically creative men and women busied themselves with their home-country memories through plays. Festival adjudicators were British, experienced men in theatre who travelled all the way to watch the plays in Zambia.
During this time, Zambians, like many other African nations were drafted to indigenous drama, sundown concerts, traditional dances, customary poetry and conventional folklores based on legends and myths – at the end of the day messages in all these presentations left instructive, learning, enlightening inscriptions for the listeners, and spectators who often were teenagers.
From the traditional tales, ordinarily told round communal flames of fires, or and singly at exclusive homesteads, left the boys and girls fully equipped for the future – none who sat to go through this prototype of life grew up to depart from good ways!
Believably, the takeover of theatre houses was not only through what was economically ‘Zambianisation,’ but what Zambians contemplated were human rights for them to promote their plays with themes depicted their society; little were they aware that somehow, they required commitment, funds, or else the infrastructure would be cracked, and that among the club members passion would wane, decrease, diminish and decline!
The story of little theatres is illustriously familiar in Zambia when big mining conglomerates partnered to support the arts, but see today! The Roan Antelope Dramatist Operatic Society (RADOS), Kamenza Theatre and Venus theatre in Kabwe – are beholden shells and skeletons, waiting as carcasses to be swallowed up by the earth! Startlingly, even efforts to revive these theatre houses through theatre artistes, local residents and government have not been successfully easy. Yet, see how we tenaciously fought to get Zambians to run these clubs down the last 50 years!
Some of my conceited buddies make me itchy with their snide, hurtful racial remarks that boil down to ‘whatever black people touch goes to destruction!’ I hate to think this way, and any racial statement usually turns me thick green! But what would you say about most little theatre houses that are not doing well, seemingly in everything, they are going down!
Yes, it has been a fantastic, amazing, brilliant, yet excruciating experience to have Zambians run little theatres, and other arts associations, but the question linger on, have Zambians succeeded? What is substantial that has come out of Zambian theatre?
I feel challenges have regrettably outweighed successes.
Most Zambians running theatre groups have been enchained in the PHD thesis – Pull Him/her Down! Not only this, but that theatre is heavily manifested by ostensibly, sickly jokes; lack of personal commitment, lack of administrative skills and money – money is desirable to devote into play production, and marketing, infrastructure building and maintenance!
At 50 years, I expected local theatre icons like Matilda Malamamfumu as one of the prominent remaining Tikwiza theatre member to rekindle Zambia’s theatre spirit! A couple of months ago, Matilda pledged to call back her former compatriots for a Masautso Phiri latest script that choreographed the political leadership of this country. Tikwzia was such a big team to miss out on the celebration menu. Talking of Matilda reminds me of Viviene Wamala Silwamba, Freda Nkonde, Pamela Hojane and Lydia Mhango – in the yesteryears, these were ladies with such valor and vigor at Kitwe Little Theatre. Is there anything being planned like a repeat of Leonard Koloko’s What Tomorrow May Bring directed by Lydia Mhango?
Perhaps, I am being highly private, cynical, pessimistic, skeptical today, but I am surely heated up to see serious preparations going on at the Agriculture showground in Lusaka to colorfully celebrate the Golden Jubilee while the same is missing elsewhere in Zambia, in theatre houses!
I am aware there is an independence fete at Mufulira Little Theatre featuring Are the Gods to Blame by Richard Simpemba, recitals and cultural dances by Mufulira Arts Council on Friday 24 October from 17.30 to 20.00 hours. I am unsure what will be at Chingola Arts Society, Nkana-Kitwe Arts Society and Lowenthal in Ndola. What will be at Lusaka Playhouse and Capitol theatre in Livingstone?
Was it not going to make loads of sense for the local leaderships organising the festivities of the anniversary to incorporate seasonal theatre artists in their commemoration? I feel they would have securely got people into the auditoriums to talk about where Zambia has politically, theatrically come from?
I want to say, it has been great bliss to have shared through this column; views, opinions, notes, ideas, thoughts, dreams, visions, analysis and able to scrutinize issues, examine visions, observations and picture the destiny of theatre in Zambia the last many years exceeding 30. Indeed running this column for a couple of years have not really been an easy task, it has been through a shrewd passion! Now, listen guys don’t I deserve an accolade in the class of high honors decorated on the freedom fighters! Have I not fought for the popularisation of theatre locally and abroad? Well, in the village where I originate from, there is an edict I am always pleased about, ‘if no one praises you, praise yourself!’
Peter Chinunda and his Kasama Arts Theatre companions leave for South Africa this week on Tuesday, 21 October to join the Zambians living there, and party with them in the commemoration of Zambia’s Golden Jubilee.
In a letter to the Zambian theatre group, Chairman of the Zambia Association of South Africa (ZASA), Ferdinand Simaanya, writes that ZASA was organizing a Family Fun Day to mark this important occasion.
Part of the letter reads, “There will be soccer, volleyball and many other social sports and entertainment games for attendees to participate in.  We shall also have various Zambian cultural events to promote Zambian Culture and tourism.
“We would like to invite the Kasama Arts Theatre to be part of this wonderful occasion to mark our 50 years of our independence.  We are running on a very tight budget and we would appreciate if the group can make arrangements for a bus to and fro Johannesburg. ZASA will provide fuel.
“In return, the group will market itself from the performances, hence open more doors for them to move to higher heights. It will be a whole day event starting at 09.00hrs on Saturday 25th October 2014.
“Zambia’s independence anniversary is a milestone and great achievement to the people of Zambia and Africa as a whole. We have also invited teams from Malawi, Angola, Mozambique, DRC Congo, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Botswana, Tanzania, and Swaziland. The expected attendance is 700+ people.’’ According to Simaanya, the Guest of Honor will be the Zambian High Commissioner to South Africa Muyeba S Chikonde.
A month ago, Kasama Arts Theatre returned from a two-fold trip to France and Spain to attend the French Festival of the South.
Dear readers, I am wishing you the very best of peaceful celebrations dring the Golden Jubilee, and want to say this week I am excitedly joining you all by donning in the multihued Zambian colours; cap, shirt and pair of trousers!
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The National Theatre Arts Association of Zambia – NATAAZ national Jubilee Theatre Festival has been confirmed and takes place at Lusaka Playhouse from 29 October to November 1. Boyd Chibale, NATAAZ national chairman said in spite of the low sponsorship, the festival goes ahead with a broadened itinerary already set.
Boyd who escaped in a car accident with his wife Mapalo a couple of months ago on the Ndola-Kitwe dual carriage way admitted the festival was still lacking complete logistics and was looking forward to the National Arts Council and the Ministry of Tourism and Arts to assist with funds to run the festival.
“We are still short of funds to feed and accommodate approximately 150 participants, and that we are going ahead without rescheduling the event as it concedes with Zambia’s Golden Jubilee celebrations,” Boyd said admitting that lately his health has not been too good.
Boyd wrote, “Dear colleagues just to say I have been quite due to a health complication. My eyes have been failing me. The doctors are suspecting blockages in the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the eyes; depending on the outcome, I might be undergoing eye surgery this week.”
Boyd, I am profoundly sorry and touched about this, and wish you a quick recovery. The theatre fraternity if truth be told needs you on the saddle, and sees how far you can drive the theatre arts to higher heights.
Theatre groups that have already confirmed participation in the Golden Jubilee theatre festival are NAPSA theatre, Africa Directions, Nkwazi and Nakonde theatre clubs. Others are Mufulira Arts Council, Bantu theatre, Kasama Arts Theatre and Chingola Arts Society. John.kapesa818@yahoo.co.uk – 0955-0967-0977-710975