Zimfest 2007

Greetings!

The 2007 Zimbabwean Music Festival will be held on August 24, 25, and 26 at South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) in Olympia, Washington, with Prefest activities on August 23. Olympia is a community rich in World Music, with local groups performing Indonesian gamelan, Brazilian samba, West African drumming, and Zimbabwean marimba and mbira, as well as many more musical traditions. We are very excited to bring Zimfest to Olympia and look forward to sharing this wonderful music and culture with friends and fellow musicians here!

Many excellent bands and musicians will be performing in the afternoon and evening concerts. There is no charge for the marketplace or the outdoor concerts, so come mingle, shop, and enjoy the festivities!

Zimbabwean Guests

Our community began when a master musician from Zimbabwe, Dumisani Maraire, arrived in Seattle in 1968. Spreading the joy and culture from his homeland, the world is now a much richer place than it was before he came. Arriving in 1982, Ephat Mujuru was the next Zimbabwean musician to make the United States a place to live and teach on a regular basis. From opposite sides of the ocean Paul Berliner and Andrew Tracey were also instrumental in propagating knowledge. It is to these people that we give a moment of recognition for the work they have started. This work continues through all the teachers who visit from Zimbabwe as well as through those of us who leave home for a while to deepen ourselves in the Shona and Ndebele cultures in Zimbabwe.

Joining us for the first time this year at Zimfest will be Tendai Muparutsa, who currently makes his home in Moscow, Idaho; Wonderful Bere (Fafi aka 3%), a DJ who lives in New York and spins mbira and beats from Zimbabwe; Ambuya Stella Chiweshe, who is coming to teach some workshops during her North American tour; and the four members of the group Bongo Love (Themba Mawoko, John and Mpho Mambira, and Trymore Jombo), who are visiting and touring all the way from Bulawayo and Harare. Additionally, we welcome back old friends Garadziva Chigamba, Ronnie Daliyo, Ambuya Beauler Dyoko, Cosmas Magaya, Sheasby Matiure, Lucky Moyo, and Michael Sibanda. Joining us from their residences in the United States are Lora Chiorah-Dye and Paul Mataruse. Read about our Zimbabwean guests on the Workshop Teachers and Presenters page.

Beyond Festival Opportunities

Most of the Zimbabwean artists and teachers at Zimfest will be in the United States or Canada for an extended stay. They are likely available for both teaching and performing before and/or after the festival. Please consider bringing them to your own community to share more about Zimbabwean music and culture and to provide a unique cross-cultural experience for your community. This is one way that you can help ‘sponsor’ a Zimbabwean and make this festival work. (Donations directly to Zimfest are also appreciated.)

Zimfest offers guidance and direction to local communities who sponsor and host Zimbabweans traveling to North America for this festival, but Zimfest does not bring Zimbabweans to North America. By taking advantage of the chance to learn from these performers and teachers in your own area, you will help defray some of the costs taken on by their host communities. Please email us if you are interested in learning more about this opportunity.

About the Site

Established in 1962, South Puget Sound Community College is nestled on 101 acres of lush woods on the southwestern edge of Olympia, Washington (2011 Mottman Road SW, Olympia, WA 98512). Most Zimfest workshops as well as the evening concerts will take place within the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts. Unveiled in 2006, the Center for the Arts includes a 500-seat Main Theater, smaller Black Box Theater, classrooms, practice rooms, and an exhibition gallery which will feature art from and about Zimbabwe. Meals will be in the nearby Student Union Building, and afternoon concerts and the marketplace will be outdoors between the Center for the Arts and the SUB.

New This Year

Zimbabwean Art Exhibition: In addition to the music and culture traditionally found at Zimfest, this year we will feature visual arts in a formal setting. The Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts Gallery has 1,000 square feet which will be devoted to art from and about Zimbabwe for the month of August, culminating in Zimfest weekend. Artwork to be featured will include photography, fiber arts, and stone sculpture, including some available for purchase.

Prefest (Thursday, August 23)

Each year there are many individuals and groups who would like to have private lessons with a specific teacher. We have set aside space and instruments for this purpose on Thursday, August 23. The following teachers are available to teach during Prefest: Erica Azim, Jaiaen Beck, Ambuya Stella Chiweshe, Garadziva Chigamba, Melissa Chigamba, Lora Chiorah-Dye, Fiona ‘Ona’ Connon, Ambuya Beauler Dyoko, Kite Giedraitis, Trymore Jombo, Claire Jones, Tedd Judd, Jennifer Kyker, Cosmas Magaya, John Mambira, Mpho Mambira, Themba Mawoko, Lucky Moyo, Michael Sibanda, Wanda Walker, and Ted Wright. Most are also available to teach privately throughout the festival. Please let us know if you are interested in scheduling a session; we’ll give you the contact information and you can make arrangements.

Concerts

We have an exciting lineup of performers for Zimfest this year. Counting both the afternoon and evening concerts, there are a total of 35 performing groups over the three days of the festival! Daytime concerts start at 11:00 am on the lawn adjacent to the Center for the Arts. These outdoor concerts are free and open to all. Evening concerts will be held in the Main Theater of the Center for the Arts, a state-of-the-art venue with great acoustics. The concert schedules are posted on the Concerts web page.

Presentations and Discussions

As you’re selecting workshops and concerts to fill your days, please check out the Presentations and Discussions section. We are excited about a number of new offerings this year. Cosmas Magaya, who recently played a major role in installing a chief in his family lineage, will be sharing his experience with us. Ambuya Stella Chiweshe will lead a discussion about understanding each other’s cultural manners and gestures. We will join Lucky Moyo in discussing the role of music in Zimbabwean politics. Sheasby Matiure will lead discussions about AIDS and the music industry in Zimbabwe. All presentations and discussions, as well as the film described below, are offered by donation ($5 minimum requested) rather than at the workshop hourly rate. Registration is not necessary for these offerings.

Film Screening: Tanyaradzwa

This award-winning Zimbabwean feature film tells the story of a young woman’s self-discovery and survival after she is forced to leave home when her parents find out she is pregnant. It is an intelligent and intimate cry for tolerance, humanity, and the power of education. For more information or to listen to the film’s theme song, visit the film’s website: www.recognizevideo.com.

The theme song “Tanyaradzwa” was written and performed by Chiwoniso Maraire, daughter of Dumi and Mai Chi Maraire. One of Zimbabwe’s most successful young musical talents, Chiwoniso won the RFI “Best New Artist” award in 1997 for her CD “Ancient Voices.” Currently at work on her third solo CD, she has also been part of previous groups Peace of Ebony and Andy Brown and the Storm. Chiwoniso has worked on Zimbabwean movie and documentary soundtracks for the last 10 years.

Marketplace

This year we’ll once again have an outdoor market where you can purchase goods and talk to friendly people from non-profit organizations involved in Zimbabwe relief work. If you would like to have a booth, vendor information and applications are available on this website. Craft items to be sold should be made in Zimbabwe or, if not, should be appropriate to the spirit and intent of Zimfest. If you have questions about the marketplace, please e-mail market@zimfest.org.

Festival Food

Meals will be served Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the dining hall located in the Student Union Building. Prepared by students in SPSCC’s Culinary Arts Program, the meals are offered by pre-registration either as a package or individually. There is no discount for children.

Breakfast: 8:00–10:00 am
Lunch: 12:00–2:00 pm
Dinner: 5:00–7:00 pm

As in the past, a traditional Zimbabwean dinner will be provided on Saturday night.

Meal tickets must be purchased in advance. Zimfest must receive the Meal Reservation Form by August 7. Only a limited number of meals will be available without pre-registration, so don’t count on this!

Some items (not full meals) can be purchased between meal times at a concession in the Minnaert Center for the Arts. There will be no food vendors in the marketplace this year.

Fast food is available off campus a block from SPSCC, adjacent to Extended Stay America. Numerous restaurants and a grocery store can be found at a local mall 1.5 miles from campus. The Westside Olympia Food Coop and neighborhood eateries are about 2.5 miles from SPSCC. The greatest selection of dining options is available in downtown Olympia, 3.5 miles from campus.

Village Meeting (Sunday, August 26, 2:00–3:30)

There will be a Village Meeting on Sunday afternoon. This will provide us with the opportunity to discuss issues of interest to the entire Zimfest community, share common concerns, and get to know each other better. To make it easier for everyone to participate, there will be no workshops or concerts scheduled during the Village Meeting.

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers make Zimfest possible. Thousands of volunteer hours go into creating each year’s festival. This year we are again asking all participants to volunteer at least two hours. There are lots of choices, including taking concert tickets, moving instruments, and helping with registration. Please look over the list of volunteer options on the registration form, choose your areas of interest, and submit it with your registration. You can sign up for specific shifts at the registration area when you arrive.

Giving Back to Zimbabwe

In gratitude for the ways Zimbabwean music has transformed all our lives, it’s important to give something back to the people of Zimbabwe. There will be information available in the marketplace from several non-profit organizations involved in relief work in Zimbabwe. We urge you to become informed about the situation and about the ways we can help.

Child Care

A space will be set aside during the festival for parents and children to use. As in the past, the room will not be staffed. Parents need to organize/coordinate supervision. If you are interested in this option, please fill out the Child Care section of the registration forms. We encourage parents to coordinate child care so that they can attend workshops without their children. (Please see Note to Parents.)

How to Contact Zimfest

For general questions: 2007@zimfest.org
For registration questions (workshops, meals, etc.): registration@zimfest.org
For volunteer questions: volunteers@zimfest.org
For marketplace questions: market@zimfest.org
Phone messages: 360-352-3058
Postal Address: Zimfest 2007, P.O. Box 12882, Olympia, WA 98508

Zimfest 2007 Organizers

Your Olympia Zimfest committee members are Lisa Carlson, Sean Gaskell, Stephen Golovnin, Mary Jo Pellerito, Rob Saecker, Bob Sisson, and Micah Sisson.

We are extremely thankful to the following people for help putting together this year’s festival and the Registration Guide: Petra Siemion (Registration Guide copy editor), Larry Israel (Zimfest website), Ross Thompson (database and registration), Penny Martindale (Registration Guide layout), and many others including Angela Marie, Julie Ishihara, Marilyn Kolodziejczyk, and the Zimfest Association Board who have helped us greatly with information and advice.