By Fidelis Manyange

WE are two weeks into December, a month synonymous with Christmas celebrations worldwide, at in the so-called Christian world. In Zimbabwe, for millions of people who believe in the Virgin Birth, Christmas Day often starts with a special church service, and the children, dressed in their brand new clothes, sing the songs that they have been rehearsing for this special day. After church, the whole family gets down to the long-awaited celebrations and feasting, to the accompaniment of music. In the past, as it is still today, Christmas Day in the rural areas is a time to welcome friends and friends from the cities and Diaspora who are expected to bring with them lots of goodies. It is a time when people gather and enjoy food that they rarely eat as well dancing to their favourite tunes.

A time when chickens, let alone goats, are slaughtered and consumed alongside mountains of rice. Clay pots full of frothing beer punctuate almost every homestead while lagers and bottled opaque beer rule the roost at the growth points. People who play and dance to secular music outnumber by millions those who sing Christmas carols on Christmas Day. By defi nition, a Christmas carol is a song or hymn that celebrates the birth of Christ and is traditionally sung during the Christmas season. But this is now more of an exception than the rule.

The true meaning of Christmas Day is aptly captured in Rangarirai Sagombeto and Kelvin Chikoore of R & K Africa Sounds’ song and video ‘Christmas Box’ off their album ‘Mhemberero’ whose lyrics go thus: “Christmas paruzevha isu takanakidzwa Takanga takawanda isu tirikumusha Pamusha pedu gore rino paiwe nebesanwa Tete vekuMapinga vakanga varipo Babamunini Costa takawana vaveko Hanzvadzi Kenisiya takamukokawo Ambuya takawana vakakuya dovi Amai nababa vakabaya mombe Takatakatika nemapapu nezviropa Zondo rakabikwa, guru nematumbu Nechingwa chiripowo chirimurusero chakazorwa butter, dovi pamwe nejamu”.

The video complements the lyrics in such a way that anyone who watches it will always yearn for those good old days when Christmas time was the ideal time for family get-togethers. Even total strangers were invited to help themselves to a sumptuous piece of chicken or a huge slice of bread smothered with a thick layer of jam and/or margarine. “Kudya kumaraini kwainzi kukwata, asi musi weKisimusi kwakanga kusina izvozvo. Munhu aingokokwa kudya pamusha wese-wese tichifara,” recalls Mbuya Huni of Epworth. Paul Matavire’s hit song ‘Kisimusi Yatosvika’(Ikhisimusi Sifi kile’), which was released nearly three decades ago, has become a virtual national anthem during the month of December. The song is a call to prepare adequately for the festive season and leave nothing to chance, from the transport arrangements to procuring seeds and other inputs for the cropping season. Sings Matavire: “Vanamai chifanai kuenda musazosvikirana nevamabasa Musazotenga chingwa chingazoora chichazotevera naanababa Musakanganwa mbeu mugozorima, tinoda kuwana muchisakura Musatya zvenyu bonus tinochengeta tigodyira ikoko nevana Vadriver musamboteerera zvese zvinorehwa nemapassenger Vamwe vacho ndaanagararirimo Kumhanya handiko kusvika fambai pore pore tinoda hupenyu.” The track has become so popular that several businesses are still using it today for their festive season promotions. Uzumba-born musician Jah Prayzah did a remix of the song in 2022 which was well received by his fans. Not to be outdone is sungura musician of the moment, Mark Ngwazi, who appears to have hit the right chord with his latest release ‘Huzukwende’. With this album, sungura lovers are in for a treat this Christmas.

Ngwazi appears to have got the edge over veteran Alick Macheso, whose latest album, ‘Kupa Kuturika’, has not exactly had sungura fans on their feet. However, the main consolation for the millions of Macheso fans is that the sungura king has not lost any of his electrifying stage prowess. Hit songs like ‘Mazano’ by Nicholas Zakaria, ‘Chitekete’ by Leonard Dembo, Khiama Boys’ ‘Mabhauwa’ ‘Loi’ by Koffi Olomide, ‘Hinde Monie’ by Kanda Bongo Man, ‘Yogo Gogo’ by Penny Penny, ‘Gimme Your Love’ by Girlie Mafura and ‘Bazobuya’ by The Soul Brothers also lit up our Christmas over the years. The festive season was — and maybe still is — a time for musicians to cash in by releasing new albums with their respective recording companies as they got hefty pay cheques from royalties of their record sales before piracy was rife. During the 80s and 90s Zimbabwe had only three recording companies, namely Gramma, ZMC and Record and it will always yearn for those good old days when Christmas time was the ideal time for family get-togethers.

Even total strangers were invited to help themselves to a sumptuous piece of chicken or a huge slice of bread smothered with a thick layer of jam and/or margarine. “Kudya kumaraini kwainzi kukwata, asi musi weKisimusi kwakanga kusina izvozvo. Munhu aingokokwa kudya pamusha wese-wese tichifara,” recalls Mbuya Huni of Epworth. Paul Matavire’s hit song ‘Kisimusi Yatosvika’(Ikhisimusi Sifi kile’), which was released nearly three decades ago, has become a virtual national anthem during the month of December. The song is a call to prepare adequately for the festive season and leave nothing to chance, from the transport arrangements to procuring seeds and other inputs for the cropping season. Sings Matavire: “Vanamai chifanai kuenda musazosvikirana nevamabasa Tape Promotions (RTP).

Then music was only available on vinyl and cassette tape. Upon release, music retailers from record bars and flea markets would throng those recording companies to buy music in time for Christmas. I still remember one year when riot police had to be called in to maintain order during a stampede to buy Macheso’s album ‘Simbaradzo’ for the Christmas holidays. There was always stiff competition among musicians to capitalise on the festive mood, notably Leonard Dembo, Khiama Boys, Kassongo Band, Devera Ngwena Jazz Band, Ngwenya Brothers, Somandla Ndebele, Zimbabwe Chachacha Kings, Tongai Moyo, Marko Sibanda, Andy Brown, Pengaudzoke, Obediah Matulana, Tukuye Super Sounds, Leonard Zhakata, among others, with perhaps the exception of Oliver Mtukudzi, Lovemore Majaivana, Solomon Skuza, Thomas Mapfumo and James Chimombe, who were ‘allweather musicians’, as it were.

Talk about longevity. It is worth mentioning here that Matabelelandbased musician DT. BiO Mudimba’s chartbuster, ‘Kujatajata’, was played throughout the country during the last two Christmas holidays. Meanwhile, American singer Mariah Carey’s 1994 hit single, ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’, is currently regarded as the second most-played Christmas hit, according to Spotify, trailing Brenda Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’. Whether in Zimbabwe or across the continent, music will always remain part of the festive holidays just as the mountains of food and oceans of drinks.