MUNYARADZI PRIMARY SCHOOL READY FOR CHALLENGE
By Thomas Faranando
Munyaradzi Primary School has won the Mashonaland West province competition of Jikinya Dance Festival last week in Norton says they are ready to represent the province in the National finals scheduled for October 26 in Bindura.
The Mashonaland West representative said they are ready for challenge to bring home the trophy come rain, come thunder.
Jikinya dance festival an annual event hosted by National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) in partnership with National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH), supported by Delta Beverages Zimbabwe, this year’s edition is running under the theme, “Building Zimbabwe through Dance.
In his speech at Mashonaland West provincial competition in Norton last week, Provincal Education Director, Mr Gabriel Mhuma said they now have the provincial champion and geared for a victory in Bindura next week (this week).
“First I would like to congratulate Munyaradzi primary school for winning the provincial competition with a well polished act. The performance which I witnessed today gave me the confidence that our province is ready for challenge at the national finals on 26 October in Mashonaland Central Province,” he said.
“Last year we came second to Lwendulu Primary School of Hwange in Matabeleland North Province but with the engry which I saw in these learners, I hope and trust we will return home victorious,” added the PED.
PED Mhuma further urges everyone in the province to support our provincial representative.
“I further urges all stakeholders in the province to support Munyaradzi primary school as they represent us in the National finals in Bindura.
Speaking about the set piece, Munyaradzi primary school trainer Mr Cephas Tafirei Chikore said Mhande is an indigenous Zimbabwean song-dance normally performed by the Karanga people, who reside mostly in the Midlands and Masvingo provinces.
“The dance is performed as part of the Mutoro and Kurova ceremonies. Its performance goes beyond a typical dance performed to a song, as it carries historical significance and a deeper meaning,” he said.
He further explained that Mhande is a key link between the living and the ancestral spirits, performed particularly in ceremonies such as kurova guva and the mutoro, representing the settlement of ancestral spirits and rain-making rituals, respectively.
