imagine art after

Thoko,

If you really sit back and think about it, it is coercion that puts me ‘here’, wherever ‘here’ is in the grand scheme of things. I often think about that old song ‘Dzepfunde’ - that old old old tale of spineless society willing to accept anything to please the so-called master, boss or whoever it is who decides they are the absolute authority. How did I end up here…? I blame it on spineless society - traitors of the revolution who took advantage of their first-born son in his ignorance and young age and encouraged him to waste his effort fighting for the whims of their stomachs. If I had been 2000 years old I would have taken Jerusalem with me like the first-born of Ethiopia during Solomon’s days - but I was only 18 and blind. But then again…Jerusalem does not deserve the prison of this miserable ease. The lyrics to ‘Dzepfunde go like this….

Vanasekuru Dzepfunde
Grandfather ‘Yes-please’
Mabvoronga nyika yeZimbabwe
You have spoiled the country of Zimbabwe
Zvese, zvese ‘dzepfunde
Everything, ‘Yes-please’
Imi ndimi vakuru vedu
You are our leaders
Hapana kana chamunoramba
There is nothing you refuse
Zvese, zvese, ‘dzepfunde’
Everything, ‘Yes-please’
Zvikanzi vana vawanda
You are told ‘Your children are enough’
‘Hongu mambo, dzepfunde’
‘Yes master, yes please’
Zvikanzi garai sembeva
You are told, live like mice
‘Hongu mambo, dzepfunde’
‘Yes master, yes please’
Zvikanzi garai senhika
You are told, live like nhika
‘Hongu mambo, dzepfunde’
‘Yes master, yes. please’
Zvikanzi mart muchaiwana
You are promised [more] money
‘Hongu mambo, dzepfunde’.
‘Yes master, yes please’.

Pamberi neChimurenga! Pasi nevapambi vepfumi! Pasi nanaDzepfunde.
So these days I meditate a lot…. to utilise in the now.. it is all I have… lest I be judged as one who failed to make the most of his breath and his hands…. steady plotting and dreaming of my bull and many cows….. The spoils of the revolution…or rather my overdue inheritance so I can sacrifice to my ancestors and ask them why they befriended my coercers (madhunamutuna) who now force their first born son to live like a mouse like them. Have you seen how small the gardens are here. Regai nditaure maivemwana ndapondewa. It is true all I wish for in life is love, a fertile piece of my mother earth, a black Ox, 50 cows and a cave to finally rest in, after all I’m an old man now. Oh and a cat…a brown one. I know drawing is the key. I’m still undecided on sculpture.. and writing..Idols, statues and books make me wonder sometimes….drawing flowers is harmless though. Planting them is much better.
But it seems all there is in life is war and prison…
But War never killed Chamberlain
War never killed Rhodes
War never killed Bush
War never killed Blair
War never killed Hitler
War never killed Ian Smith
War never killed JP Morgan
War never killed Rockefeller
War never killed Rothschild
War never killed Deutche Bank
War has left us with monsters and countless history books and has made sure to rob us of the righteous and selfless
It took away my Grandfather, I never met him
It took away my Grandmother, I will never see her
It took away my Uncle…I never saw his face
I miss my father
It stole many sisters - for what?
It imprisoned many brothers …. some will never be seen again.
It starved many children….. all for this miserable ease.
This ain’t living.

I guess that’s where my mbira comes in. One day I’ll tell my grandparents the story about how I was guided to it. One day I’ll tell my grandchildren. It keeps the white noise down…
With regard to your last question my mother is back home. My father bless him, is hopefully watching over me and his many children spread all over the globe like dice. He always said a real man is not a ‘Dzepfunde’, it has taken 1984 years to figure out what he mean’t. 1984 years.

We must continue to pray for the rain and a good harvest next season.

Sanyangore