Lovemore Tshuma (Majaivana)

Singer

Born Lovemore Tshuma in Mambo Township in Gweru on December 14, 1954, Majaivana started off singing at an early age, in 1968, when he would sing in the church choir in which his father was a minister. Following his father’s death, he moved to Mzilikazi in Bulawayo with his mother where he dropped out of school to pursue a career as a musician.

As the eldest of seven children, it became his duty to fend for the family. His youngest brother also wanted to help, and he took off from Bulawayo to work at the mines in South Africa. This great trek to South Africa by young men from Matabeleland which he says led him to write the song, Isitimela Se Goli.

At 15, he became a drummer in a local Bulawayo band. He would make a short stay at the band as he realised that there was not a lot of money performing in the city’s music scene and he relocated to Harare where he performed in nightclubs singing Tom Jones and Elvis Presley songs. In the capital, he noticed that singers like Thomas Mapfumo were recording their music and playing electric guitars.

After a while, Majaivana went back to Bulawayo and performed with the Marisha band for four years after which he returned to Harare and joined the ‘The Jobs Combination’ named after businessman Job Kadengu who was hosting them.

Together with the band, Majaivana instantly became popular with songs such as Isizungu and Isitimela which were social commentary songs. Other songs he recorded with the group that included Fanyana Dube were “Okwabanye” (some people only take but never give), “Mama Ngivulele” (Mother please give me your blessing) “Istimela” (a lover blaming the train for going with his girlfriend), “Ukhozi” (the hawk taking away a child) and “Salanini Zinini” (farewell all my friends).

This however, made him move from the band’s shadow to become a competent solo artist. In 1980 Lovemore had the opportunity to share the stage with Bob Marley at Rufaro Stadium during Independence celebrations and later with musical giants such as Dorothy Masuka and Hugh Masekela.

He worked as a milk man for Dairiboard after a misunderstanding led to a break-up of the group. Returning to Bulawayo in 1985, he teamed up with his brother Anderson and several other musicians who had just returned from Victoria Falls to form the Zulu Band recording an album which included the song Amathamsanqa which spoke about him not having done well at school, wanting to buy a car, wanting to buy a house and better his life.

That song sold well and he went out and bought a house through the sales. Majaivana and the Zulu band went on to release their first album which had original sounds that had no western influence. The album had the hit song ‘Salanini Zinini’ that made the band even more popular.

Majaivana, recorded his last album Isono Sami and quit music in 2001 when he went to America to pursue personal interests. “Angilamali” was one of the songs from his last album which expressed his pain about how he had been treated by the music industry in Zimbabwe until he emigrated to the US.

A true legend of Zimbabwean music, Majaivana has been a great inspiration to many a musician such as Jays Marabini, Solomon Skuza, Sandra Ndebele, Africa Revenge, Willis Watafi, Busi Ncube, Albert Nyathi and many more. The legacy of his music is carried on today in the likes of Lwazi Tshabangu, his son Derrick Majaivana and Royal Destiny.— NACZ.