Chimurenga Renaissance

1. Red, Black & Green 2. The B.A.D. is so good 3. Wow

Rize Vadzimu Rize

9. We dont give a brah Featuring: Malitia Malimob 10. Medeas theory Featuring: Thee Satisfaction (^) 11. The taste of her lips

4. Nobody think nomo Featuring: Mall Saint ($) 5. Lean 6. The race for Cush Naptha

12. Go go gettem  Featuring: M1 of Dead Prez (%) & Ish a.k.a. Palaceer Lazaro (*) 13. The shackles are off Featuring: Moon 14.  Everyone dont love you Featuring: Nyoka

7. Its bigger than YOU Featuring: Ish a.k.a Palaceer Lazaro (*) 8. They pray in vain

Somewhere in a Small Village in Masvingo, Zimbabwe (2011)

A FOG of fresh incense cloaks Old Maposas grass thatch hut. Its scent reaches out to the clay-plastered walls of the room, rising to the tree-log trusses that hold its roof. From outside, tiny wisps of white smoke may be seen seeping out of the huts conical top. On most days, this is Old Maposas kitchen. Today, and on other specially appointed times, it is her surgery where she performs healing and divination duties. Presently, she sits cross-legged, in solemn meditation on a reed mat in front the charcoal fire from where the incense burns. Next to her, Madhava the Curate, squats in absorbed yet keen reverence. Across from the two, sits a young man with a curious and expectant look on his face. He is Old Maposas patient today and has flown all the way from the U.S. All is well child, Old Maposa says, a faint smile glinting across her face. You have returned home and reattached your umbilical cord to your beings life source. A man is not complete in flesh alone. He needs fulfillment, attained only when the body and mind connect with the spirit, Old Maposa continues. Her body is in a trance, small tremors rippling through it. Her voice is deep, like an adult males. She is vessel and medium of the spirit world, relaying a message from the spirit world to her patient. Old Maposa whispers into the ear of Madhava, who jolts up to pick an object off the earthen shelf in one corner of the room. As the object is passed to her patient, Old Maposa says: We have long awaited your coming, young man. Take this, she instructs him. Its a Mbira ye Vadzimu. A sacred instrument, powerful enough to call the spirits of the departed and make them take heed. Take it to the Pungwe river where you shall wash for three days under the waterfalls. Only after, may you play the mbira. You are, Baba Maraire!

The Journey
He never knew his father. He never met him or saw him while he lived. As a boy, his mother always told him of how his father was a great man. A famous musician and a pioneer, she always said of him. But who was his father exactly? Where was his family, how did they live, eat or drink? He grew up wanting to know more, to learn more about his roots. This is what he decided to find out for himself, by flying to Zimbabwe and visiting the famed diviner, Old Maposa.

Revelations
When he gets to Pungwe, he faithfully follows the instructions the old woman gave him. On the third day, as he steps out from under the waterfall, a misty yet luminous glow of light engulfs his very being. A vision of his father appears and presents him with a sole command. My son dearest, you are the leader of a family beyond the one your bloodline has bestowed on you, he says. Take your spot in the world and lead not as others do by brute and sword. I have given you the Mbira ye Vadzimu to be your spear and shield, a plough for your livelihood and an instrument for joy, merriment and entertainment. Be resilient and vigilant, Baba Maraire! He starts to play the mbira.

Interpreted and written by Henry Makiwa

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Chimurenga Renaissance

Rize Vadzimu Rize

All songs written By Tendai Baba Maraire except where listed Co-written by Jamal Morris ($), Ishmael Butler (*), Stasia Irons & Catherine Harris-White (^), Mutulu Olugbala (%) All songs recorded at Sanais Pad Mixed by Erik Blood at MRX Story by Henry Makiwa Released on Brick Lane Records Illustration and design by C ivilization

Mune Rumwe Ruwa Kumasvingo, Munyika ye Zimbabwe (2011)

Muimba yedyiro ra Mbuya VaMaposa mune hadyana inopfungaira zimbani pamosoro pemaratya ari kupisira kure-kure. Chiutsi chichena-chena chafukidza imba yose sechari chemhute chinosimuka chichinodzamba pambariro dzakamonerwa nechinai; chonoti tugu-u chichibuda kuzhe nemuuswa hunobata denga. Kwati zvino, VaMaposa na nanga rucheche - mubatsiri woZvemweya - vakapfunya rusero pamhasa vari kune rumwe rutivi, murwere wavo ne nhume dzake vakachonjomara vari kuno rumwe rutivi. Murwere wanhasi mujaya ashanya kubva mhiri kwemakungwa, kunyika yeMereka. Haasi murwere panyama bodo, nhunha dzake ndedze mweya nendemene. Pose patsvene ndosaka VaMaposa vakatarisa muchadenga vakagadza nyemwerero pachiso chavo se muvhimi wapunza mhembwe. Wadzoka kumusha muzukuru. Wanakura rukuvhute gwako, vanodaro vaMaposa, izwi ravo rakakodzwa kunge remurume wabva zera. Izvi zvinodaro nokuti parizvino vari mumweya, vachidudzira shoko remudzimu wemurume ari kumhepo. Munhu anonzi munhu haana kukwana panyama chete asina kubatanidzwa nomweya wake. Nhasi wekwako vari kumhepo, vakutungamidza kusvika pachivazhe chemusha wako, vanoenderera mberi VaMaposa, mushure vozevezera kuna Madhava, nanga rucheche wavo. Madhava anokwarakwazha kusimuka, onotanangura mbira yakasendekwa muchikuva chemba. Tambira! VaMaposa vanoraira mujaya uya. Tanga takakumirira kare nechipo chevatana vako ichi. Iyi imbira yeNhare, mbira yeVadzimu inoshevedza vakainda kare. Tora uende nayo kugwizi Pungwe. Kwemazuva matatu, uchashamba pasi pemapopoma, mushure wobvumidzwa kuridza mbira iyi. Iwe ndiwe Baba Maraire! ndiVamaposa voraaira zviga ava.

Rwendo
Chikuriro chake mujaya uyu akasaziva baba vake vekubereka. Amai vake vaigaro muudza kuti vaiva muimbi ane mukurumbira, asi iye anga asina kukwanisa kuona baba vake nemeso ake. Ndokusaka akafunga kushanya kunyika yeZimbabwe kuti azvionere pamhuno sefodya. Mhinduro kumibvunzo yake, yaiva nesvikiro rinemukurumbira, vaMaposa.

Zvakazarurwa
Mukusvika kuPungwe, kwaanoshamba nemvura yemapopoma sezvakarairwa muzviga zvake, mhute yemweya mutsvene inomugumbata. Meso ake anozarurwa, zvakavanzika zvinoonekwa. Sechiratidzo, baba vake vanozviratidza kwaari vachimupa zvirayo ne gwara reupenyu hwake. Anovanzwa vachiti: Wona Baba Maraire, ndiwe dangwe remusha wangu. Shingirira uri baba vemumhuri huru kupfuura yawakapiwa neropa. Uchava mutungamiri pamberi pevamwe. Usina pfumo kana gidi, nokuti rako gwara riri mumbira yawakabata. Yako mbira ichava gidi rokugwisa madzivo ako, mugoti wekubika sadza, mukoko uzere dopiro reuchi, gano rinokunda hondo dze Chimurenga. Ikwenye zvine ruwadzano neuchenjeri! Baba Maraire, anotanga kuridza mbira.

Zvakadudzirwa nekunyorwa na Henry Makiwa

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