Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
THE postponement of the official opening of the recent Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) from Friday to Saturday turned out to be a blessing in disguise in the end, as the last day of the fair turned into a colourful celebration of the brotherly ties between Zimbabwe and Kenya, while showcasing the flair and talent of the city’s artistes.
This year the ceremony, for many a highlight of the fair, was both a welcome and a farewell, as instead of taking place on Friday as it usually does, this year it was pushed back to Saturday after inclement weather delayed Kenyan President William Ruto’s departure from his country.
While Zimbabwe has not witnessed any flooding on the scale seen in East Africa recently, grey skies greeted the Kenyan President in Bulawayo on the last day of the fair, where after five days of business, the focus shifted to a ceremony that has often left a lasting impression on those that visit the City of Kings and Queens during the annual trade showcase.
The low temperatures and cloudy skies did little to dampen the spirits of those who made their way to the ZITF that Saturday morning. Miniature Zimbabwean and Kenyan flags in the hands of younger attendees proudly swayed in the face of blustery winds that swept across the arena, as if to prove that no flood, wind or rain could stand in the way of a ceremony that was meant to gloriously bring down the curtain on a week during which trade relations between the two countries were solidified.
As he welcomed President Ruto, the Industry and Commerce Minister, Nqobizitha Ndlovu went back in time, to illustrate Zimbabwe and Kenya’s storied reputations as traditional strongholds of trade and commerce on the continent.
“Between 70 AD and 1500 AD, trade routes spanning Africa, Asia and Europe, integrated the Kenyan coastal strip into the world economy. Foreign merchants would bring their merchants to the Kenyan coast and leave with African goods. I can’t help but cast our minds to a period when this nation laid the groundwork for our country’s enduring entrepreneurial spirit. Just a few hundred kilometres from here lies a great national monument called the Great Zimbabwe from which this nation derives its name. The awe-inspiring Great Zimbabwe is a testament to a civilisation that thrived here centuries ago. More than just ancient stone structures, Great Zimbabwe embodies the essence of trade and commerce,” Minister Ndlovu said.
Back in the present, an ensemble of some of Bulawayo’s sweetest voices lit up the tail-end of the ceremony, as the rock-solid ties between the two countries were celebrated in song and dance.
Musicians Sandra Ndebele, Thandi Dlana and Nkwali bade a melodious farewell to dignitaries and delegates with songs that spoke of Zimbabwe’s rich history and culture.
As Ndebele sang, bringing together this cast of songbirds into harmony, in the background, drum majorettes from various schools in Bulawayo poured onto the field, painting the ZITF arena into a kaleidoscope with a well-choreographed mass display.
The songbirds had barely sung their last notes when Maasai dancers exploded onto the scene with their elegant but aggressive movements.
As he left, President Ruto was showered with gifts, which included a hefty allocation of Mazoe Orange Crush, as he was encouraged to wash down the experiences of his stay in Zimbabwe with one of its proudest products.
This seamlessly blended performance, bringing together East and Southern Africa, and the array of proudly Zimbabwean gifts that he received, were symbolic of a week during which the brotherly spirit that exists between both countries was brought to the fore.
For veteran choreographer Richard Ndlovu, one of the artistes who put together the spellbinding display, the performance was the culmination of painstaking teamwork.
“It’s all about teamwork and working together in harmony. For example, (Saimon) Mambazo will come up with the script and the concept and give us as choreographers. Our job is to make sure that it comes out the way that it did. We had dancers, the drummers and then we had the musicians alongside the directors, which was me and a few others. For the whole thing to come together, we needed to work together because we were taking a concept from Mambazo and giving it to the kids and their teachers. It is quite a big thing and not an easy task to pull off. It’s also about the ability to receive guidance because there are a lot of people,” he said.
Ndlovu said while everything looks co-ordinated when things fall in place, assembling all the pieces of the puzzle, in the beginning, was the hardest part.
“At the beginning of the entire process for the piece, things are harder because people don’t see the vision. They don’t truly understand the whole concept which means you get a lot of resistance because some will be saying this and that won’t work. However, as long as you know that you are experienced and organised it becomes easier because it gives you leeway to break things down to a level they can understand.
“For example, you tell the drummies this is what we want to see happen. You tell them Sandra Ndebele’s song is going to give us seven or eight beats and they have to tailor their routine accordingly. In the beginning, it’s difficult but in the end, they will master it. Then you tell the band that for one minute we need you to play like this. In the beginning, it’s difficult because you’re trying to translate the producer’s idea to the last person, who is the artiste meant to execute the concept,” he said.
While the display lasted for barely an hour, Ndlovu said the artistes needed at least a week of hard work to perfect their routines.
“As they start to understand the concept it becomes easier. The musician will give you four bars, the band will give you four bars and then the drummies will give you bars and so on. It becomes easier when everything is laid down properly which is why you need to do your research when the concept director tells you what he wants from you as the choreographer.
“You need to research how Kenyans dance, how the drummies at your disposal move and the strengths of the musicians. From then on, it all becomes a bit easier. You need two weeks’ rehearsal time. So, instead with a week’s practice, you can make something spectacular.”