By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
The drums of Mashonaland East have spoken — and they speak in a language older than memory.
Marondera Gure Arts Group will represent the province at the Chibuku Neshamwari national finals next month, but their victory is about more than a ticket to the big stage. It is a historic first.
For the first time in the festival’s long and storied history, a Chewa gulewankulu (nyau) group has broken through to the national finals. With masks, movement, and the mysticism of the ancient Chewa tradition, Marondera Gure Arts stunned judges and spectators alike, leaving seasoned competitors in their dust.
The Battle for Second
Finishing in second place was the Vimbiso Dance Troupe, who delivered a powerful Mbende routine that had the crowd on its feet. Not far behind, Murehwa Prison claimed third place with their own disciplined and driving Mbende performance — proof that behind bars, the rhythm still finds a way.
But on this day, the ancestors chose Marondera.
A Festival with a Pulse
This year’s edition of Zimbabwe’s most beloved traditional dance festival beats to a powerful rallying cry:
“Ngoma Ngairire Shamwari, Tshay’gubhu Mngane”
— “Let the drum roar, friend, and strike the gubhu, comrade!”
From May 9 to July 11, 2026, that roar will echo across all ten provinces, transforming Zimbabwe into a living, breathing, dancing archive of tradition. Every provincial final is more than a contest — it is a homecoming of movement, memory, and belonging.
The Stage Is Set. The Stakes Are High.
Provincial winners have already claimed:
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 finest traditional dance groups will battle for:
1st Prize: USD 15,000
2nd Prize: USD 10,000
3rd Prize: USD 7,500
More Than a Competition
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.
For Marondera Gure Arts, the journey is not just about prize money. It is about validation. It is about visibility. It is about telling the world that nyau is not a secret to be whispered about — but a treasure to be celebrated.
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.
Because in this festival, you don’t just dance for a trophy.
You dance for history.
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