By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
There is a heartbeat in Mashonaland Central right now, and its name is Dzimbahwe Nengoma.
The Chinyambera dance group has stomped, spun, and sung its way to the national finals of the Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Competitions, earning the right to carry their province’s hopes to the biggest stage in Zimbabwean traditional dance.
They didn’t just win. They told a story. They moved ancestors. They made the drum proud.
Coming in second was Guruve Chinyakare, a dinhe group whose precision and fire earned them a silver spot. Bindura HideOut, a Zambia Nyau group, took third with a performance that blurred the line between mask and spirit.
But on this day, Dzimbahwe Nengoma owned the rhythm.
“Ngoma Ngairire Shamwari” — A Theme That Roars
This year’s festival beats to a powerful theme: “Ngoma Ngairire Shamwari, Tshay’sgubhu Mngane” — “Let the drum roar, friend, and strike the gubhu, comrade.”
Delta Corporation’s Marketing Director, Irimayi Muzorewa, launched the season with a rallying cry that has already turned into a chant from city taxi ranks to village gathering trees:
“Yorira ngoma shamwari — siyakhal’ is’gubhu mngane!”
(Let the drum sound, friend — we’re calling the beat, comrade!)
From 9 May to 11 July 2026, the festival will sweep across all ten provinces, transforming Zimbabwe into a living, dancing archive of tradition. Each provincial final is not just a contest — it’s a homecoming of movement, memory, and belonging.
The Stage Is Set. The Stakes Are High.
Provincial winners take home:
1st Prize: USD 2,500
2nd Prize: USD 1,500
3rd Prize: USD 1,000
But the real treasure awaits at the National Final, where the country’s best traditional dance groups will battle for:
1st Prize: USD 15,000
2nd Prize: USD 10,000
3rd Prize: USD 7,500
In partnership with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) and the Zimbabwe National Traditional Dancers Association (ZNTDA), Chibuku Neshamwari has become a living museum without walls — a celebration of the moves, stories, and rhythms that make Zimbabwean culture unstoppable.
Aspiring groups must register with NACZ and ZNTDA. So gather your crew. Polish your dinhe, your nyau, your mbende. Let the ancestors hear you coming.
The drum is calling. The gubhu is striking.
Yorira ngoma shamwari — siyakhal’ is’gubhu mngane!
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