As you’re probably already aware, it’s been exactly thirty years since Zimbabwe was declared independent. As a new generation gears itself up to take the reins we thought we’d do a head count of thirty young Zimbabweans whose stories and achievements we would rather celebrate as opposed to the doom and gloom the mainstream media enjoys peddling about Zim.
Some we’ve known all along, others we have recently come up on, some are established, some are on their way, all are living examples that despite what we’re told there are people getting on with it, making a difference in their respective arenas just by doing them.
This list is is in no particular order, and is by no means definitive. We invite you to add more names in the comments. We had fun making the selection and hope you will enjoy reading it too.
Kudzanai Chiurai
If one single person epitomized the Zim 30 as we otherwise refer to this list, Kudzanai Chiurai would be the one. Born in 1981 Zimbabwe, he was the first black student to graduate with a BA (fine art) from the university of Pretoria in South Africa where he lives in exile after his early works dared challenge and poke fun at president Robert Mugabe’s politics.
This will be the reason he will often be typecast as a political artist.
Certainly there is no escaping the long shadow of Bob over the lives of Zimbabweans in general but we at AfriPOP! are thoroughly enjoying unpacking the many layers densely contained in Kudzi’s Basquiat and Hip-hop -inspired perspective on African politics, urban living, and identity amongst other things.
He has shown his work in cities like Dakar, Melbourne, London, Cape Town and Johannesburg. That main image up top is his work.
Jozi dwellers can catch his latest exhibition Communists and Hot Chicken Wings, The Birth of a Nation at the Goodman Gallery Project Space until 10 May 2010 .
Danai Gurira
Born in Iowa, raised in Zimbabwe and graduated from New York University, Danai Gurira is a force for African women everywhere. Not only as an actress (The Visitor, Law and Order) but also as a playwright. In The Continuum, a 2006 Pulitzer finalist play which portrays the parallel lives of two women living with AIDS – one in LA, the other in Zimbabwe. And that’s been the mould for her more recent play Eclipsed (2009) in which the characters, former Liberian sex slaves go about life after their respective horror-filled pasts.
Eska Mtungwadzi
Vocalist, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Eska is one of the great unsung heroes of British music. In a fair and just world she would be bigger than Amy and Alicia, but for now fans have to be content with her scene-stealing guest appearances with the likes of Tony Allen, Ty and Nitin Sawhney. Or even her own recordings which we wish would culminate into an album already. Check out her Shona-spiced rendition of The Police’s Walking on The Moon here. It will do things to ya!
Jonathan Khumbulani Nkala
Playwright/actor/musician/comedian Jonathan Nkala’s play The Crossing does two things: It brings home the plight of immigrants in South Africa and reminds one just how resilient the human spirit can be. Nkala plays himself in the one-man play, which retraces his trek from his home in Zimbabwe across the Limpopo river and into South Africa in search of a better life. Enroute he loses everything (including the best friend he begun the journey with) except his dream. The Crossing ran at the Grahamstown arts festival in South Africa, and is at the Cape Town theatre until 1 May. Jonathan also appears in Disgrace and String Caesar
Prudence Mabhena
Music By Prudence, the equally devastating and inspiring story about Liyana, a band of 8 Zimbabwean students with varying disabilities who come second in an All Africa music competition, had us in tears even before its recent and rightful Oscar win.
It’s centred around the band leader Prudence Mabhena who suffers horrific neglect and abandonment in her childhood due to arthrogryphosis (a rare disorder that severely deforms the joints of the body) but then comes into herself, finds her singing voice, even composing in five languages, and choreographing dance from her wheelchair.
Ellah Allfrey
A former senior editor at Jonathan Cape, Allfrey became one of the most powerful women in publishing when she was made deputy editor of literary magazine Granta last year. A tireless champion of new African writing, she has edited the likes of Brian Chikwava and Dinaw Mengestu, and will be on the judging panel of this year’s Caine Prize.
Thandie Newton
Not a lot of introduction needs to be made about this A-list Zimbabwean/English actress, without a doubt one of the most successful in Britain (where she is based) having proved herself with roles in films like Run Fat Boy Run, The Pursuit of Happiness, her bafta-winning one in Crash and also as Condoleezza Rice in W.
Marsha Gosho Oakes
In a world where too many hopped the blogging bandwagon with no other motivation than cyber celebrity, sites like www.soulculture.co.uk restore our faith in good old-fashioned content-driven reporting. Every blogger knows the challenge it is to bring something fresh to the interwebs quickly and consistently. Marsha Gosho Oakes, the Zimbabwean/Irish editor-in-chief, rises to it every time with her work ethic and finger on seemingly every pulse.
Vimbai Muthinhiri
A bit of an it girl at the moment, Vimbai is based in South Africa where she is steadily racking up the magazine covers based on her affiliation with Bio Oil, Estee Lauder, and most recently she has been made the face of urban fashion label Baby Phat.
Kirsty Coventry
Zimbabwe’s golden girl is a world record-holding, gold medal-owning swimmer who bagged three medals (a gold, a silver, and a bronze) at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and four medals (a gold and three silver) in Beijing. Alongside former Manchester City striker Benjani Mwaruwari and cricketer Andy Flower she is one of a handful of Zimbabwean sports stars who are helping to put Zim on the map for all the right reasons.
Petina Gappah
So far, Geneva-based legal aid counsellor for developing countries Petina Gappah has held our attention with her short fiction and essays as well as her awesome blog. Here for instance, in a hilarious letter to the pope, she confesses that she voluntarily became a Catholic just to taste the holy communion wafer, and notifies him of the various sexual plunders of his clergy. Her 2009 collection of short stories Elegy for Easterly won the Guardian First Book Award and recently made the longlist for the Orwell prize.
(Watch her interview with BBC World Service’s Bola Mosuro about it here.)
We look forward to her first novel, The Book of Memory to be published in January 2011.
Lucian Msamati
Hands down, Msamati is one of Africa’s finest thesps. Whether he’s playing a lovesick mechanic in the No 1 Ladies Dectective Agency or a Mugabe-inspired tyrant in stage version of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. Msamati brings intellect and humanity to every role. Okay, so his parents are Tanzanian and he was born in the UK. But he was raised in Zim and founded one of the country’s finest theatre companies (Over the Edge) before returning to the UK in 2002 so as far as we’re concerned he qualifies.
Jah seed
What was so great about beloved South African Kwaito group Bongo Maffin was the way the individual members’ very varied appeals came together. Zimbabwean dancehall MC Adrien Anesu Mphemi aka Jah Seed brought Shona inflections to their overall sound.
He and party partner Admiral have between them held down the small but loyal following of South African revellers for whom their weekly dancehall night is a pilgrimage.
Priscilla Chigariro
International catwalk and photographic model-turned-fashion entrepreneur Priscilla Chigariro Priscilla Chigariro did the sensible thing when she found there was no platform in Zimbabwe for her to showcase the accessories, belts and shoes she created as part of her brand Chrome. She decided to create one herself. Also the founder of Bitter Candy, an interior design company, she is the creator and executive producer of Zimbabwe Fashion Week launched in South Africa in December 2009. Zimbabwe’s first ever fashion week is set to happen late in April.
Taponeswa Mavunga
You might have caught this yummy mummy-of-one in Trace Magazine’s 2007 Black Girls Rule issue, or the year after in the same magazine featured in their Women in Music campaign in association with Puma. That will be due to ten years spent in the music business either making stars out of singers like Estelle and Laura Izibor or ensuring the shine stays bright for Diddy, Jay Z Brandy, Sean Paul, T.I in her role as award-winning (2009 Record Of The Day Award for PR Campaign for JAY-Z)
Her passion for Zimbabwe drives her support work for Ndoro Children’s Charity, most recently, the NdoroCC Zimbabwe Pearl Ball.
Tinashe
Electro-soul newcomer Tinashe has had the asymmetrical haircut posse in a lather for minute with his plinky synth-laden art pop. If the caustic tale of love gone bad that is the title track to his Mayday EP is any sign of things to come, we can’t wait for the long-player.
Terrie Gunz
Tererai Avalon Mahati aka Terrie Gunz’ love for Hip-hop and design must be the inspiration behind his street-ready clothing label Harare Hustlers. The son of a former lingerie designer (according to www.greedysouth.blogspot.com), he was part of the first wave of young Zimbabweans to create Hip-hop locally.
His nickname Harare Hustler was coined because of his DIY entrepreneurial attitude. Wearing a t-shirt with the words he emblazoned on a t-shirt himself kickstarted demand for the tees which are all over his London base currently.
Sam Mtukudzi
Multi-instrumentalist Sam Mutukudzi braved the path beaten by his legendary father Oliver, never letting the potentially daunting father-son comparisons keep him from making his own mark before he died tragically in March 2010. His professional recording career took him all around the world and made him a staple at the Zimbabwe’s Harare International Festival of the Arts (H.I.F.A), South Africa’s Cape town International jazz festival, and many others. A reworked version of Oliver’s classic Tozeza appears on Sam’s debut album Rume rimwe. Rest in power, young man.
Michael Bhim
Since this young British-Zimbabwean playwright burst made a strong debut with Pure Gold at the Soho Theatre in 2007, Bhim has been building a name for himself with work for the Royal Court,Tricycle, Paines Plough and Nitro. With TV pilot for Channel 4 on the way and a BBC radio play (Look Closer) in the bag, we will be hearing more of Bhim in the future.
Farai Gundan
Girl-about-town Farai Gundan covers the the fabulous lives of black celebrities on Black Tree TV, and is also the editor of her own fun website where she does more of the same as well as give to the minute updates on what’s going on with African celebrities on the continent.
Brian chikwava
London-based Zimbabwean writer Brian Chikwava’s 2004 Caine prize-winning short story 7th Street Alchemy was the first we heard of him. Only to be further bedazzled by Harare North (published in 2009), in which the sometimes-musician believably relays an immigrant’s experience of London through a story that is disturbing and extremely gratifying. The novel is one of the only two fiction books that made the Orwell Prize long list. (Petina Gappah’s is the other one)
Zubz
Accomplished artist that he is, Zimbabwean/Zambian Zubz’ repertoire as an MC speaks for itself. Currently he helms a much-needed monthly live Hip-hop music session called The Golden Mic nights – think Jools Holland but with rap. Classics songs like Handiende have helped write him into the ranks of the region’s finest. But that’s not all that’s about special him. His mentoring programme for young people with British Council called Power In The Voice, formalized what he sees as his real calling. Sharing his art with young people in Southern Africa and in the UK brand him, as he puts, an authentic urban culture mouthpiece for young and aspirant Africa. We wish more rappers would do this kind of thing.
Chipo Chung
Tanzanian-born, Zimbabwean actress Chipo Chung’s acting ability has an impressive range that spans film (Proof, Sunshine), theatre (Royal Court Theatre, Royal National Theatre), radio (The Way We Live Right Now) and television (Doctor Who) roles.
She’s also the director of S.A.F.E (Sponsored Arts for Education) a charity which employs the use of theatre and community activities to reach the least accessible areas in Kenya to spread awareness about AIDS.
Gedion Nyanhongo
Sculptor Gedion Nyanhongo (son of Shona art pioneer Claud) uses stone (nyanga, opal etc) as his canvass, to create elegant expressions of the political and personal. He’s been exhibited all over the world and if catching him online isn’t enough (www.gedionnyanhongo.com) you can see his work on display at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Netsayi
They call her the African Tracey Chapman but it’s hard to imagine Ms Fast Cars singing a neck-snapping diss song titled Weaves and Magazines. But that’s why we love Netsayi. Ever since she debuted with her critically-acclaimed 2006 LP Chimurenga Soul she has been doing her thing, her way, and we love it so.
Farai chideya
Journalist and author Farai Chideya’s novel Kiss The Sky – the story of a black, female rock musician in her 30s attempting a career comeback – Essence Magazine’s thumbs up (May 2009 book of the month) and ours too.
We love how Farai, born to an American mother and Zimbabwean father, continues to keep the culture and race dialogue fresh. See her nonfiction books Trust: Reaching the 100 Million Missing Voters, The Colour of Our Future, and Don’t Believe The Hype: Fighting Cultural Misinformation About African Americans.
Also check out this video project she calls Halfrican on her site where she explores her family’s history.
Benjani Mwaruwari
Since the glory days of Bruce Grobbelaar and Peter Ndlovu, the Premiership hasn’t exactly been awash with Zimbabwean footballing talent. But there’s one player still flying the flag for world class footy from Zimmy and that’s Benjani Mwaruwari, former Manchester City striker (currently on loan to Sunderland) and current Zimbabwe team captain.
Audius Mtawarira
Most records that this Harare-born, Australia-based pop singer/songwriter/producer touches generally go gold and upwards. He produced and co-wrote the highest selling single in Australia in 2009 under the auspices of his own Sound Academy Studios and Blindfaith Entertainment. On top of that he owns clothing label Shona Clothing.
Carl Joshua Ncube
A pioneering animator, Carl Ncube wrote and directed Nyami-Nyami, the first animated film to be shown in the history of the Zimbabwe International Film Festival. He also spreads his visual artistic talent to awards shows – he is the executive producer of this year’s Zimbabwe International Music Festival.
Shingai Shoniwa
In how many more ways can we say Noisettes’ lead singer is dope besides like this and like this and like this? Probably a few more, but then that would constitute obsession…
Wait there’s more: Robert Mugabe ringtone causes a stir // African comics on the rise // zim billion dollar notes on sale on ebay //Zimbabwe’s First Ever Fashion Week //Shingai Shoniwa in Essence Mag // AfriPOP! video interview: Tinashe // Get to know: Zubz // AfriPOP! interview: Netsayi // Zubz guest blogs: The growing pains of manhood // 50 Books every African should read //10 Hollywood castings in African hero roles
I may be pretty naive but I am pretty chuffed about what Zimbabweans
are achieving in the world today, despite all contraindications.
Look for example at what Soul Culture are doing bringing stuff to the masses - this is amongst all the wide ranging, extremely demanding activities that people do as artists which makes me so proud of what we Zims can achieve. But then having said that there is obviously massive more talent out there in Zim covered above that I raise my hat to . We all need to keep pushing forwards!
s
I have to say there is lotr of talent bout there and it's up to us to bring it forward.
Ya, this is the list i have been waiting to see. One that does not include politicians! I have met one or two of the people on this list personally and they are truly doing good work with right motives. I also agree about some of the suggestions made for others in the comments, but it is impossible to always include everyone. Bloggers are a new group in Zimbabwe and in some ways their impact has not yet been measurable but they certainly deserve our recognition as they are pioneering something big. Keep up the good work comrads.
WOW, i've never heard of most of these people but it's encouraging that there are so many Zimbabweans doing well for our flag - especially outside the realm of politics. I would, if i could add my two favorite online celebrities in Zimbabwe
1) Max Soutter from the bizsetup blog who is helping thousands of Zimbabweans in business with his very unique resources.
2) Fungai James from Zimbojam who runs the very popular music/ culture/ lifestyle website.
I don't know them personally, but i have followed their work and like others on the list they are both pioneering and making a big difference.
Lastly i would like to say that as Zimbabweans it's high time we are not jealous of each others accomplishments and celebrate the successes in and around us.
What a good idea this is. I am a strong believer in the idea of promoting our own heroes (not political ones) and celebs.
I wish this had included other categories besides the arts. I would love to see a list of Zimbabwe top bloggers or internet brands. Techzim, Bizsetup, Zimbajam and so on are all pioneering in their own right.
& who sed zimbabwe only had disasters?
too right! thanks sipho. rantoboko def deserves a nod. good looking out!
Great platforming people.. If I MAY there is one Zimbabwean whom I BELIEVE has pioneered new ground for a genre he coined URBAN AFREEKA music globally. Almost a Scandinavian territory household name is RANTOBOKO signed in 2001 to JUJU/WARNER MUSIC/UNIVERSAL MUSIC AB, remarkeably one African to be signed to two euro majors consecutively. His debut LP 'Urban Africa' in 2005 is acclaimed by industry critics as 'a modern times classic' and set a new course for urban afro acoustic guitars and voice style. Visit: myspace.com/rantoboko peace and love!!
Great platforming people.. If I MAY there is one Zimbabwean whom I BELIEVE has pioneered new ground for a nu genre, he coined URBAN AFREEKA music globally. Almost a Scandinavian territory household name is RANTOBOKO signed in 2001 to JUJU/WARNER MUSIC/UNIVERSAL MUSIC AB, remarkeably one African to be signed to two euro majors consecutively. His debut LP 'Urban Africa' in 2005 is acclaimed by industry critics as 'a modern times classic' and set a new course for urban afro acoustic guitars and voice style. Visit: myspace.com/rantoboko peace and love!!
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I feel that Munashe Gumbonzvanda the founder of TechMasai.con and slybeaver, the Pan African techie should have been on this list.
Hehas singlehandedly pioneered a voice for African technology on the internet,
I think Metaphysics should be here, king pin, oliver tuku, carlprit,
log on to www.zima.co.zw now now and support Zimbabwean music!!!!!!!!!
you 4got to include me......i managed to swim nyami nyami river in 3 minutes. ha ha ha well thumps up for recognizing zimbabwe!!!!!
Love this! :) How inspiring! I read the following this morning about another Zimbabwean flying the flag high.. http://www.ymf.org/about/artist-biographies/assistant-conductor/
This is wonderful....I'm sure there's a good reason I'm not on this list, it's probably not the final draft :) Big up to all these fine Zimbabweans and the many others out there doing their thing.
Very interesting article, it's great to know what people are doing with their lives. You should start a series of these articles and maybe profile different sectors because this seems to be very much zimboz who are achieving things in the arts, which is awesome but it would be great to see more diversity. Of course you don't have a responsibility to do this, just commending your work and suggesting should you do this again please diversify . Awesome work!!
I feel utterly humbled to be in such great company. Much love...
Thanks Soul! We love Zimbojam.
Great list! thanks. didn't know half of them. Like the others I realise this is really "30 Young Zimbabweans in arts you oughta know". But nice work all the same.
Please remember the Zimbos in Zim. Let me mention Fungai James Tichawangana of Zimbo Jam http://www.zimbojam.com/ The zim celebrity and lifestyle website won a NAMA award for promoting the Zimbabwean arts on the internet...
im loving the idea of the blog and recognizing the Zimbabweans who are doing it big all over the globe. in addition to that i think you should do a top 100 at the end of each year year which should include all fields of work as far as other profession besides art…and also a top 100 for africans at the end of each year…but i again congrats to everyone who made it on the list and those who didnt keep working hard and maybe will see you next yr =)…i hope im there by next yr lol
Thanks Shisha. Zimbabwean bloggers sounds like an awesome idea. We just might ;-) We did mention that everyone on the list is at different stages. Fame wasn't necessarily the aim. More, impact and potential.
I totally understand that it was within a certain age bracket but I think the Ndoros do need a mention as they are definitely doing a great job with their charity which one of those listed above support. Some of these people are ‘unknown’ or maybe being ‘known’ is relative.
Maybe you could do a feature on Zimbabwean bloggers/ other professions who are actually out there as well and have made their mark too.
Hey Ruzh! It's only by virtue of the fact that we are a pop culture website. Artists, writers, fashionsistas are the kinds of people who will be on our radar by default so they are the natural choice for us to start the conversation with. But everyone is relevant. please let us know more names of others who get your vote. Thanks for your comment!
We certainly do! Loosely we tried to list Zimbabweans within a certain generation, outside of which for example Jenny Williams falls. Owen, on the other hand works. Hence our invitation to you, our readers, to school all of us cos truthfully this list could easily run to 300 :-) We hoped we could stretch the conversation in this very way.
Thanks so much for your comment, please keep checking the site.
I see you were only looking for artists and writers..
What of the engineers, etc
This is great! It is wonderful to know that so many fellow Zimbabweans are doing such amazings things around the world. But what about the amazing Zimbabweans who are still in Zim and struggling to achieve success and recongonition against a backdrop of hardship and political scrutinty, frustrating their efforst? Have we forgotten them? Do they not count? The likes of Owen Maseko, recently arrested and charged with 'insulting the presedent' for an art exihibtion portraying Gukurahundi at the Bulawayo art Galerry? and Jenny Williams and the women of WOZA, who were the recipients of the 26th Annual Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award last November, presented at the White House by President Obama? Lets not forget the Zimbabweans still fighting in Zimbabwe. We celebrate them too.
yes, of course! kevin is the man! thanks negrita.
Makes me feel bad that I didn't know such amazing people are my neighbours. This is great, well done!
brilliant concept.
another Zimbabwean you should know:
#31 Kevin Mambo -- Actor/Musician-- Currently starring on Broadway's FELA! as Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Born in Harare and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Kevin Mambo is a two-time Emmy winner for Guiding Light, and comes to FELA! from Off- Broadway’s Ruined. He has numerous film and television credits to his name including Cadillac Records, One Life to Live, Spin City and Soul Food and has featured in New York theatre productions such as includes Hoodoo Love , Once Around the Sun, and Fela Is a Weapon. Mambo is also an accomplished saxophone, guitar and piano player.
Wow, this looks like the beginning of a phenomenal series of features :-)
nothing to say,we cant leave any message may be because a few are obvious and the rest are unknowns,may be famous to the one who compiled the list
Interesting what we find when we analyze the diaspora.
One or two very welcome surprises in here.