By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
A Murehwa traditional dance group — Nyaungwe Arts Production — has won the Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival national finals for a record five times.
Nyaungwe Arts Production first won the grand prize of US$15000 in 2009, 2015, 2018, 2021 and now 2014, they won it at the national finals held in Masvingo at the weekend.
When judges announced the 15-member Mbende group as winners — a female dancer passed out on stage before the medics resuscitated her.
Secretary of the group Mattersettled Nyikadzino confirmed the group won because of their amazing choreography.
“The last time we won we had only three drums now we brought eight drums and secondly, we continuously change our choreography. The dances are not the same we keep changing and creating new dances,” Nyikadzino said.
All the members of the group are married except for one female dancer and they survive on public performances.
According to Nyikadzino the money will be reinvested in the group’s piggery and poultry projects back in Murehwa.
But group members could have easily shared US$1000 each from the windfall.
In second position was Harare-based group Culture Warriors who took US$10000 for their efforts.
Third placed Dapurahunanzva won US$7500 and the former winners from Manicaland conceded defeat saying Nyaungwe Arts Production deserved to win.
“This is a game, it happens and the winners deserved it because they were better performers than us of course, we had issues with the sound but we did our best,” Keven Somomondo the group’s leader said.
Later music lovers had a treat from musicians Jah Prayzah, Killer T and Tocky Vibes.
Proudly presented in collaboration with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) and the Zimbabwe National Traditional Dance Association (ZNTDA), the Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival 2024 will celebrate culture through traditional dance with the theme “Tamba Tione, Gida Sibone!”
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