Bulawayo Arts Awards 2021 - Bekumnandi

It was clear that that the Bulawayo Arts Awards (BAA) were determined to push ahead and worked around hosting the 5th Bulawayo Arts Awards ceremony in the middle of a pandemic and the economic challenges that the city of Bulawayo continues to experience. By staging a multi-level awards ceremony, sponsored by United Refineries using its Roil brand. Guests came through in support of the 2021 edition. Arriving at the large city hall the traditional venue of the awards, it was another usual Saturday evening in Bulawayo as people went about their business.

With very little public performances in 2020 and 2021, it was mind-boggling to me how the decision to host the awards was arrived at. Could this have been a business decision or a Bulawayo creatives decision?   How “Bulawayo” are the Bulawayo Arts Awards for who by who?

Entry to the venue was simple and easy, the red carpet event hosted by Red Carpet team of Farie Jules Calvin Madula and Spanchie Omnyama mirrored an opulent time and space, as Bulawayo people dressed by local designers and self-styled guest, nominees, and sponsors posed for photos and interviews. So why “red” and who is supposed to walk on the "red carpet" could this be the best time our weavers start designing our Bulawayo carpet? 

The sitting arrangement was relaxed enabling interaction with sponsors, partners, paying guests and nominees. It was a good networking space across the creative sector in Zimbabwe and beyond the borders. Our city fathers enjoyed the event high up from the comfort of the interior balcony. It is a commendable and well-deserved gesture from the City of Bulawayo to avail the Large City Hall for this event. The poor lightning at the back of the hall and the dark parquet floors and a flooded men’s toilet signaled that it’s time to look into a contemporary space.

     

The main stage host Q. Dube, together with Charmaine Mudau kept the event flowing smoothly capturing the attention of the guests, and coordinating well with back stage. The choice jokes from the comedian could have been well thought, especially for an all-inclusive event like the BAA, kodwa they were both on point. I had a bit of a challenge with names of the great performers. 

The technical team managing audio visuals and sound were equally on point with a well sychronised script with the performances and award presenters. It’s time that our talented graphic designers develop home grown visuals to compliment events of this nature, I suppose it’s a question of quotations not matching the budget. For an indoor event the combinations of Lekos, PAR and Intelligent Lighting could be toned down since it was a multi-performance event, however the lights were professionally controlled sharp and crisp. 

We were informed that the 2021 event was organized in 3 parts allowing the organisers to compress the whole presentation and conform to the COVID-19 curfew, seeing uniformed low enforcement agents on stage in the previous edition was disturbing and crushing for everyone. The downside for me on the 3 part event was balancing the prominence of the nominees. Managing practitioners in that manner may have serious consequences to the future.

A well-presented live performance and encompassing new talent on stage was beautifully choreographed and the live band was amazing. Certainly, Bulawayo has talent but lacked originality that Bulawayo touch, perhaps a challenge to content creators. Surely, we can’t be reminiscing on the music of Lovemore Majaivana, Ilanga, Dorothy Masuku we need new legends. I must say Skhosana is the new “Bulawayo” dude, I have not had a chance to listen to his music but from what I read from Zenzele Ndebele’s FB page, and yesterday’s performance of Intethe song, I am keen to read more about him. So ngubani uSkhosana?

The actual presentation of awards was marvelous and energetic the list of nominees and eventual winners will take another review. There is so much happening in Bulawayo in terms of the Arts, Culture and Heritage. My understanding of ama awards   is that it’s a ceremony like BAA should make creative people feel that their work is valued. Like, some kind of approval and validation for a good job, and it makes people aware that good work can be rewarded. I think that recognition motivates people to support talent, what I witnessed is that the "people" were missing even though the event was streamed live. Bulawayo artists seem to be very supportive of each others acts, so much that they make up 60% of nonpaying audiences. We may need to find other ways of presenting our productions. I have noticed recently that street performances in Bulawayo generate a lot of street audiences and they do offer cash on the go. Now, how do we move forward in building up on these new audiences? 

Any way here is a full list of Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards 2021 Winners 

Outstanding Song of the Year: ‘For Me’ – DJ Zandimaz

Newcomer of the Year (All Genres) : Sandra Sibanda

Outstanding Male Artist of the Year : Msizkay

Outstanding Female Artist of the Year : Vuyo Brown

Outstanding Hip Hop Artist/Act : Awa

Outstanding Kwaito/House/Gqom Act : Mawiza

Outstanding Alternative Music : Thandy Dlana

Outstanding Gospel Artist/Act : Mai Mwamuka

Outstanding Imbube/Acapella Group/Act : Focus Accapella

Outstanding Tshibilika/Rhumba Act : Insimbi Zezhwane

Outstanding Music Producer : Nashville 

Outstanding Music Video : ‘Induku Enhle’ – X Mile

Outstanding Radio DJ : Nomalanga Nyathi – ZIFM

Outstanding Club DJ : DJ Mzoe

Outstanding Dance Ensemble : Geek Twins

Outstanding Female Dancer : Dorcas Ngwenya

Outstanding Male Dancer : Hebson Ncube

Outstanding Arts Journalist : Mthabisi Tshuma – The Chronicle

Outstanding Arts Photographer : Sadee LensWorks

Outstanding Online Media : Ekasi Magazine

Outstanding Theatre Actress : Musawenkosi Sibanda

Outstanding Theatre Actor : Cadrick Msongelwa

Outstanding Theatre Production : Bhalagwe Is Burning by Victory Siyanqoba

Outstanding Comedian : Zwe Hlabangana

Outstanding Poet : Desire Moyo

Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction : All Come To Dust by Bryony Rheam

Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction : Our Food, Our Heritage, Our Culture by Makhosi Mahlangu

Outstanding Ndebele Literary Work : Ngubani Owabulalala uDube by Mihla Sitsha

Outstanding Fashion Designer/House : A Tribe Called Zimbabwe

Outstanding Model : Ben Chest

Outstanding Ambassador (worldwide) : Vusa Mkhaya

Outstanding TV Production/Programme : Mjolo FM – Byo Memes

Outstanding Short Film : Figure It Out – Nkosilesisa Ncube

Outstanding Film/TV Actress : Lee Mchoney – Wadiwa Wepamoyo

 Outstanding Film/TV Actor : Leroy Mthulisi Ndlovu – Figure it Out

Life Achievement Award : Ebba Chitambo

People's Choice Award : Mai Mwamuka

Source BAA FB page #RoilBAA21

Until the awards statement are redefined, it is my personal view that they are not inclusive, multi-disciplinary arts awards that recognise and honour exceptional individuals and collaborative artistic efforts in the city of Bulawayo. However they are the best awards organized in the southern part of the country to date, stimulating conversations about the arts in Bulawayo. To get there, it will take everyone to come to the table.

For me it was good to be out again, and I am looking forward to reviewing, documenting and archiving Arts and Cultural events. Please note that I am writing in my personal capacity with a visual arts background (feel free to edit the text), people love that.

Cliford Zulu

Independent Curator

7 November 2021

Reloaded and Moving on

 Dear friend

2020 was a challenging year for me, and most of the people in the Culture and Creative Industry better known as the CCIs. The economy of Zimbabwe has not enabled artists to prosper due to the economic and political situation that has dampened the viability of the tourism industry in the country that CCIs. 

As I was finding alternative ways of surviving, both as an employed person by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe and as an artist, COVID-19 kind of revived new hopes of reaching clients to see and consume my work. Imagine the only source of income is your artwork the only source of income and there are no buyers for your artwork. Digital platforms have become the new spaces for marketing and reaching more clients. Like many artists in Bulawayo, I was trained to respond to the tourist markets and when that market disappeared in the early 2000s many of my peers moved out of the country and some completely stopped practicing. I was "fortunate" to be asked to join the Friends of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2006 to run the Visual Arts Development and Outreach Program supported by the HIVOS.

Digital platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram reconnected me with the world and rejuvenated the artist in me. As I continue to learn and establish myself in this creative and studio space, so much is happening and I am pleased to share with you that I have decided to set up two projects that will better characterize my practice.

In the past 5 years, I have been developing my creative practice to complement my finances an Institutional Curator is a job that I have fallen in love with until I was fired in June 2021. Centre for Contemporary Arts Bulawayo CCAB, is one project that will carry the Curatorial and arts administration work. Zulunlimitedart is the other personal studio project that I am reviving and loving, to showcase my work as a sculptor, carver, and scrimshaw artist.

I will be sharing how these two projects are developing here but you can also like my pages on Facebook.

Lets keep in touch.