Matesu Dube

Theatre/Dance

Matesu Dube founded Umkhathi Theatre Works in 1997, in Njube Bulawayo together with Maqhawe Moyo, Alexander Mhlanga, Richard Mahachi, Tshoga Ndlovu, John Ndlovu and the late Mthandazo Sithole.

The group was created as a way of creating employment for youths in the Njube suburb after the collapse of Young Warriors Theatre Company, which used to do its rehearsals in Njube. After the group, Matesu and some members of the folded group decided to use the skills they had already acquired by forming their group.

The name Umkhathi was inspired by the mood and environment they were living in at that time. The group specialises in drama, theatre and traditional dances such as Isitshikitsha, Amantshomane, Amabhiza, Muchongoyo, Chinyambera, Jerusalem and Setapa, a Botswana traditional dance.

At that time the group embarked on the production of very popular radio plays and made money for the group. They also performed at different schools in the city where they staged plays for the pupils.

The groups breakthrough came in 2001 when they were invited and performed at the Mitisong Festival in Botswana in 2001 and in 2004 when they were invited to perform at the Aberdeen Youth Festival in Scotland. The group has also managed to perform in South Africa, Botswana, Scotland, the United States of America, Cote d’Ivoire, and Taiwan.

In 2000 the group won a National Aids Council sponsored drama competition and went on to represent Zimbabwe at the International Aids conference in Durban, South Africa. In 2011, the group won the Chibuku Neshamwari provincial finals and came second in the national finals. In the same year, Umkhathi won their first National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) Outstanding Dance group award.

In 2019 the Group launched the Bulawayo Child Fest after realising that the city of Bulawayo had no festival that catered for young audiences. The annual performing arts festival provides a platform for artists to showcase artistic works created for young audiences mostly theatre, dance, poetry and music.

The initiative also identifies and honour the raw talent found in abundance in Bulawayo. Bulawayo child Feld has thus become an arts development programme meant to nurture rural children where practitioners visit schools in and around the city teaching children how to sing, dance and play the drums among other skills to empower them.

Matesu Dube and Umkhathi Theatre works, have stood the test of time and have established themselves as one of the leading Arts ensembles in the city. The group is also a training and mentorship hub where hundreds of young people have been trained in various arts disciplines.

Its rigorous junior policy has also ensured its continued endurance as artists come and go but the group remains strong and focused.— NACZ.