Browse Titles - 11 results
See details
The Chopi Series, A Spirit Here Today: A Scrapbook of Chopi Village Music
directed by Gei Zantzinger; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions; performed by Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994, in The Chopi Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 43 mins
This lively, haunting and bittersweet memoir was shot July 1973 in Mozambique before 20 years of civil war and severe drought almost entirely devastated Chopi culture. The film, a scrapbook of sorts, is one of the few remaining records of Chopi life before the horrors, and is attended at its conclusion by footage...
Sample
directed by Gei Zantzinger; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions; performed by Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994, in The Chopi Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 43 mins
Description
This lively, haunting and bittersweet memoir was shot July 1973 in Mozambique before 20 years of civil war and severe drought almost entirely devastated Chopi culture. The film, a scrapbook of sorts, is one of the few remaining records of Chopi life before the horrors, and is attended at its conclusion by footage of what remained of Chopi life 20 years later.For the Chopi, music is an integral part of every stage of one's life. “A Spirit Here T...
This lively, haunting and bittersweet memoir was shot July 1973 in Mozambique before 20 years of civil war and severe drought almost entirely devastated Chopi culture. The film, a scrapbook of sorts, is one of the few remaining records of Chopi life before the horrors, and is attended at its conclusion by footage of what remained of Chopi life 20 years later.For the Chopi, music is an integral part of every stage of one's life. “A Spirit Here Today” explores the Chopi’s interwoven matrix of music and personal development, from youth into adulthood, where one graduates from “smaller musics” to the ultimate Chopi expression: the timbila xylophone orchestra. Throughout the movie, the path of personal development is paralleled with stages of musical education. Song text is explained to illuminate Chopi values, humor and identity. Chopi master musician Venancio Mbande collaborated with the filmmakers in production and post-production. He provided new translations to old songs, verified the contexts of the performances, and thus ensured an exact presentation of a way of life that has forever changed. Although this documentary film preserves cultural traditions that otherwise would have all but disappeared, it also is a celebration of the enduring Chopi spirit of “persevering in the face of adversity.”
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Documentary
Performer / Ensemble
Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994
Contributor
Andrew Tracey, 1936-, Michael Bailey, Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, Franka Insinger
Author / Creator
Gei Zantzinger, Andrew Tracey, 1936-, Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994
Date Published / Released
1994, 2021
Publisher
Constant Spring Productions
Series
The Chopi Series
Speaker / Narrator
Franka Insinger
Topic / Theme
Timbila, Chopi (Mozambique)
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1994 & 2021 Constant Spring Productions, Inc.
×
See details
The Chopi Series, Ndando Yawusiwana = Song Of Sadness
directed by Gei Zantzinger; composed by Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994; produced by Michael Bailey, Constant Spring Productions; performed by Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994, in The Chopi Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 19 mins
This film is at its heart a personal lament from Chopi master composer Venancio Mbande about the murder of his sister. Venancio’s piece is a song of grief and sad remembrance. The details of the event are described and then counterpointed with Venancio’s poetic rendition of this in his song. In Chopi culture,...
Sample
directed by Gei Zantzinger; composed by Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994; produced by Michael Bailey, Constant Spring Productions; performed by Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994, in The Chopi Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 19 mins
Description
This film is at its heart a personal lament from Chopi master composer Venancio Mbande about the murder of his sister. Venancio’s piece is a song of grief and sad remembrance. The details of the event are described and then counterpointed with Venancio’s poetic rendition of this in his song. In Chopi culture, an ndando is a song that can be used for many purposes, both formal and informal. These songs serve as oral histories about past import...
This film is at its heart a personal lament from Chopi master composer Venancio Mbande about the murder of his sister. Venancio’s piece is a song of grief and sad remembrance. The details of the event are described and then counterpointed with Venancio’s poetic rendition of this in his song. In Chopi culture, an ndando is a song that can be used for many purposes, both formal and informal. These songs serve as oral histories about past important events or about people who have died. These types of ndando help to bring closure to tragic events while serving as connections to the spirits in the afterlife. When this type of ndando is performed, the Chopi feel that actual contact is made between the singer and the departed loved one.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Documentary
Performer / Ensemble
Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994
Contributor
Michael Bailey, Constant Spring Productions, Champ Ramohuebo
Author / Creator
Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994, Gei Zantzinger
Date Published / Released
1999, 2021
Publisher
Constant Spring Productions
Series
The Chopi Series
Speaker / Narrator
Champ Ramohuebo
Topic / Theme
Chopi (Mozambique)
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1999 & 2021 Constant Spring Productions, Inc.
×
See details
The Chopi Series, The 1973 Mgodo Wa Mbanguzi
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; composed by Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994; produced by Michael Bailey, Andrew Tracey, 1936- and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, in The Chopi Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 53 mins
Mgodo, meaning “the whole performance or work” in Chopi, is the pinnacle of Chopi musical expression. These films are unique, real-time, two-camera records of complete Mgodo performances, filmed in the villages of Mbanguzi and Mkandeni in Mozambique. They are significant for two reasons. The documentaries are...
Sample
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; composed by Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994; produced by Michael Bailey, Andrew Tracey, 1936- and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, in The Chopi Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 53 mins
Description
Mgodo, meaning “the whole performance or work” in Chopi, is the pinnacle of Chopi musical expression. These films are unique, real-time, two-camera records of complete Mgodo performances, filmed in the villages of Mbanguzi and Mkandeni in Mozambique. They are significant for two reasons. The documentaries are the first filmed record of complete Mgodo performances in their historical village settings. Equally important, they’ve also captured...
Mgodo, meaning “the whole performance or work” in Chopi, is the pinnacle of Chopi musical expression. These films are unique, real-time, two-camera records of complete Mgodo performances, filmed in the villages of Mbanguzi and Mkandeni in Mozambique. They are significant for two reasons. The documentaries are the first filmed record of complete Mgodo performances in their historical village settings. Equally important, they’ve also captured the last of large-scale, well-rehearsed, chiefship-sponsored Chopi orchestras before Mozambique won independence from Portugal and before the death and destruction that followed in its wake. The Mgodo employs a multi-section xylophone orchestra, drummers and dancers with the entire village singing. The films present these Mgodo performances in a direct style, with minimal filmmaking mediation and without commentary. Each movement is titled with its name and composer, and each song is subtitled, first in Chopi, then in English. These two films were extensively researched with the Chopis, and then designed to capture all nuances, both visual and aural, of the performances. Camera angles were chosen to best record the players and their relationship with the dancers. The orchestras were recorded using a mobile sound studio with five microphones strategically placed. The audio was mixed in real time to obtain a balance of perspectives between the orchestra, soloists, singers and dancers. Chopi master musician Venancio Mbande was present at all editing sessions in America to ensure the accuracy of these documentaries, literally once and for all. The result is a definitive record of the Chopi Mgodo in all its power and authenticity.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Michael Bailey, Andrew Tracey, 1936-, Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions
Author / Creator
Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994, Gei Zantzinger, Andrew Tracey, 1936-
Date Published / Released
1999, 2021
Publisher
Constant Spring Productions
Series
The Chopi Series
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1999 & 2021 Constant Spring Productions, Inc.
×
See details
The Chopi Series, The 1973 Mgodo Wa Mkandeni
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; composed by Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994; produced by Michael Bailey, Andrew Tracey, 1936- and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, in The Chopi Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 49 mins
Mgodo, meaning “the whole performance or work” in Chopi, is the pinnacle of Chopi musical expression. These films are unique, real-time, two-camera records of complete Mgodo performances, filmed in the villages of Mbanguzi and Mkandeni in Mozambique. They are significant for two reasons. The documentaries are...
Sample
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; composed by Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994; produced by Michael Bailey, Andrew Tracey, 1936- and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, in The Chopi Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 49 mins
Description
Mgodo, meaning “the whole performance or work” in Chopi, is the pinnacle of Chopi musical expression. These films are unique, real-time, two-camera records of complete Mgodo performances, filmed in the villages of Mbanguzi and Mkandeni in Mozambique. They are significant for two reasons. The documentaries are the first filmed record of complete Mgodo performances in their historical village settings. Equally important, they’ve also captured...
Mgodo, meaning “the whole performance or work” in Chopi, is the pinnacle of Chopi musical expression. These films are unique, real-time, two-camera records of complete Mgodo performances, filmed in the villages of Mbanguzi and Mkandeni in Mozambique. They are significant for two reasons. The documentaries are the first filmed record of complete Mgodo performances in their historical village settings. Equally important, they’ve also captured the last of large-scale, well-rehearsed, chiefship-sponsored Chopi orchestras before Mozambique won independence from Portugal and before the death and destruction that followed in its wake. The Mgodo employs a multi-section xylophone orchestra, drummers and dancers with the entire village singing. The films present these Mgodo performances in a direct style, with minimal filmmaking mediation and without commentary. Each movement is titled with its name and composer, and each song is subtitled, first in Chopi, then in English. These two films were extensively researched with the Chopis, and then designed to capture all nuances, both visual and aural, of the performances. Camera angles were chosen to best record the players and their relationship with the dancers. The orchestras were recorded using a mobile sound studio with five microphones strategically placed. The audio was mixed in real time to obtain a balance of perspectives between the orchestra, soloists, singers and dancers. Chopi master musician Venancio Mbande was present at all editing sessions in America to ensure the accuracy of these documentaries, literally once and for all. The result is a definitive record of the Chopi Mgodo in all its power and authenticity.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Michael Bailey, Andrew Tracey, 1936-, Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions
Author / Creator
Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994, Gei Zantzinger, Andrew Tracey, 1936-
Date Published / Released
1999, 2021
Publisher
Constant Spring Productions
Series
The Chopi Series
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1999 & 2021 Constant Spring Productions, Inc.
×
See details
The Chopi Series, The Chopi Timbila Dance
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; presented by Andrew Tracey, 1936-; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions; performed by Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994, in The Chopi Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 40 mins
This film serves as a basic introductory guide to the structure, instruments and rhythms of Chopi xylophone orchestral music and dance. Moreover, “The Chopi Timbila Dance” provides the necessary insights into the music played throughout the Chopi series. Master Chopi musician Venancio Mbande and Dr. Andrew Tra...
Sample
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; presented by Andrew Tracey, 1936-; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions; performed by Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994, in The Chopi Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 40 mins
Description
This film serves as a basic introductory guide to the structure, instruments and rhythms of Chopi xylophone orchestral music and dance. Moreover, “The Chopi Timbila Dance” provides the necessary insights into the music played throughout the Chopi series. Master Chopi musician Venancio Mbande and Dr. Andrew Tracey were together onsite for the editing of the films at Constant Spring Farm for about a month in the early ’80s. Their roles were i...
This film serves as a basic introductory guide to the structure, instruments and rhythms of Chopi xylophone orchestral music and dance. Moreover, “The Chopi Timbila Dance” provides the necessary insights into the music played throughout the Chopi series. Master Chopi musician Venancio Mbande and Dr. Andrew Tracey were together onsite for the editing of the films at Constant Spring Farm for about a month in the early ’80s. Their roles were intertwined as they both ensured that all technical and musical details would be correct. The duo explain the intricacies of timbila xylophone music, using animation and other cinematic techniques. Performances by an eleven piece orchestra with fourteen dancers vividly illustrate the musical concepts. The analysis dissects the cyclical structure of Chopi music. The tonal range and role of each xylophone in the orchestra is demonstrated as Venancio breaks down the playing of each hand to reveal its rhythmic interlock. The use of signals to control the flow of the performance is clearly depicted. The work also points out the counter-rhythms of the dancers.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Documentary
Performer / Ensemble
Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994
Contributor
Andrew Tracey, 1936-, Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994, Michael Bailey, Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions
Author / Creator
Gei Zantzinger, Andrew Tracey, 1936-, Venancio Mbande, fl. 1994
Date Published / Released
1999, 2021
Publisher
Constant Spring Productions
Series
The Chopi Series
Topic / Theme
Timbila, Chopi (Mozambique)
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1999 & 2021 Constant Spring Productions, Inc.
×
See details
The Mbira Series, Mbira Dza Vadzimu: Dambatsoko, An Old Cult Centre
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, in The Mbira Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 53 mins
Spirit possession, mediums dressed in black, blood sacrifices, ritual beer and snuff: these are elements of Shona religious ritual as depicted in this evocative film. It focuses on the traditional cult center of Dambatsoko and its leader, Muchatera Mujuru, who is the medium of Chaminuka, one of the most revered an...
Sample
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, in The Mbira Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 53 mins
Description
Spirit possession, mediums dressed in black, blood sacrifices, ritual beer and snuff: these are elements of Shona religious ritual as depicted in this evocative film. It focuses on the traditional cult center of Dambatsoko and its leader, Muchatera Mujuru, who is the medium of Chaminuka, one of the most revered and powerful ancestor spirits of the Shona. Muchatera is seen leading several ceremonies including a spirit possession at the banya ritua...
Spirit possession, mediums dressed in black, blood sacrifices, ritual beer and snuff: these are elements of Shona religious ritual as depicted in this evocative film. It focuses on the traditional cult center of Dambatsoko and its leader, Muchatera Mujuru, who is the medium of Chaminuka, one of the most revered and powerful ancestor spirits of the Shona. Muchatera is seen leading several ceremonies including a spirit possession at the banya ritual house; prayers for peace at the mutoro prayer house; a blood sacrifice to placate the spirit of a wronged brother; and a commemorative ritual at the rushanga tree shrine. These ceremonies are accompanied by Mbira players including Muchatera’s celebrated grandson, Ephat Mujuru. The sequences at the mutoro and the rushanga were filmed at sunset, the luminous so-called “magic hour,” giving the scenes of Shona spirituality a dreamlike quality. Not long after the making of this film, Muchatera was assassinated by nationalist freedom fighters for his perceived passivity to colonial rule. Muchatera’s cult subsequently fell into sharp decline, leaving this movie as a vestigial glimpse of a once vibrant traditional practice.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Andrew Tracey, 1936-, Michael Bailey, Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions
Author / Creator
Gei Zantzinger, Andrew Tracey, 1936-
Date Published / Released
1999, 2021
Publisher
Constant Spring Productions
Series
The Mbira Series
Topic / Theme
Shona
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1999 & 2021 Constant Spring Productions, Inc.
×
See details
The Mbira Series, Mbira Dza Vadzimu: Religion At The Family Level with Gwanzura Gwenzi
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, in The Mbira Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 1 hour 7 mins
This film is a portrait of the life of Shona Mbira player Gwanzura Gwenzi existing in both the traditional and modern worlds. Gwanzura works in middle management for a western corporation in a city, dressed in western clothes. Back at his rural homestead, he hosts all-night spirit ceremonies called bira with his s...
Sample
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, in The Mbira Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 1 hour 7 mins
Description
This film is a portrait of the life of Shona Mbira player Gwanzura Gwenzi existing in both the traditional and modern worlds. Gwanzura works in middle management for a western corporation in a city, dressed in western clothes. Back at his rural homestead, he hosts all-night spirit ceremonies called bira with his sister, Francisca, serving as the family medium for their great-grandfather spirit Kaodza. The highlight and centerpiece of this documen...
This film is a portrait of the life of Shona Mbira player Gwanzura Gwenzi existing in both the traditional and modern worlds. Gwanzura works in middle management for a western corporation in a city, dressed in western clothes. Back at his rural homestead, he hosts all-night spirit ceremonies called bira with his sister, Francisca, serving as the family medium for their great-grandfather spirit Kaodza. The highlight and centerpiece of this documentary is the family’s bira, to our knowledge the only one ever captured on film in its entirety. Witness the various stages and liturgical components of the ceremony culminating in the arrival of the spirits late at night. Francisca’s daughter, Stella Chiweshe, becomes possessed by a snake spirit. Kaodza arrives through Francisca, and the family confers with the spirit in an extraordinary scene that displays how the living interact with their ancestors.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Andrew Tracey, 1936-, Michael Bailey, Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions
Author / Creator
Gei Zantzinger, Andrew Tracey, 1936-
Date Published / Released
1999, 2021
Publisher
Constant Spring Productions
Series
The Mbira Series
Topic / Theme
Shona
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1999 & 2021 Constant Spring Productions, Inc.
×
See details
The Mbira Series, Mbira Dza Vadzimu: Urban And Rural Ceremonies with Hakurotwi Mude
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions; performed by Hakurotwi Mude, fl. 1975, in The Mbira Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 47 mins
Hakurotwi Mude, a deeply spiritual man and a famed world-class singer, straddles the traditional rural and urban modern worlds in this compelling portrait of a Shona musician. Earning a living in the city as an automobile upholstery worker during the workdays, Mude is also the leader of a professional group of Mbi...
Sample
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions; performed by Hakurotwi Mude, fl. 1975, in The Mbira Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 47 mins
Description
Hakurotwi Mude, a deeply spiritual man and a famed world-class singer, straddles the traditional rural and urban modern worlds in this compelling portrait of a Shona musician. Earning a living in the city as an automobile upholstery worker during the workdays, Mude is also the leader of a professional group of Mbira players that performs in a wide range of places and contexts to invoke the spirits when and where they are needed. The performances...
Hakurotwi Mude, a deeply spiritual man and a famed world-class singer, straddles the traditional rural and urban modern worlds in this compelling portrait of a Shona musician. Earning a living in the city as an automobile upholstery worker during the workdays, Mude is also the leader of a professional group of Mbira players that performs in a wide range of places and contexts to invoke the spirits when and where they are needed. The performances are striking as they highlight the major vocal styles that Mude employs. Witness an informal spirit ceremony in Mude’s urban residence where he is possessed by an important Shona spirit while ceremonial beer is passed around. In another sequence, the group plays at a ritual sacrifice in the countryside: a great man has died and a bull is killed to follow his spirit into the afterlife. Finally, Mude performs songs of sadness and comfort at a woman’s funeral, conducted in both Christian and traditional rites. By preserving the passionate powerful performances at the peak of the artist’s talents, the documentary faithfully captures the important roles that spirit, setting and music play in Shona affairs.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Documentary
Performer / Ensemble
Hakurotwi Mude, fl. 1975
Contributor
Andrew Tracey, 1936-, Michael Bailey, Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions
Author / Creator
Gei Zantzinger, Andrew Tracey, 1936-, Hakurotwi Mude, fl. 1975
Date Published / Released
1999, 2021
Publisher
Constant Spring Productions
Series
The Mbira Series
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1999 & 2021 Constant Spring Productions, Inc.
×
See details
The Mbira Series, Mbira: Matepe Dza Mhondoro: A Healing Party with Saini Murira and Thomas Dzamwarira
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, in The Mbira Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 22 mins
“A Healing Party” features the type of Mbira called the Matepe Dza Mhondoro, which translates as “the deep notes of the lion spirits” because of its larger size than the Mbira dza Vadzimu. It is more inclusive in that anyone can participate in the singing. The Matepe group, led by Saini Murira, plays while...
Sample
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, in The Mbira Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 22 mins
Description
“A Healing Party” features the type of Mbira called the Matepe Dza Mhondoro, which translates as “the deep notes of the lion spirits” because of its larger size than the Mbira dza Vadzimu. It is more inclusive in that anyone can participate in the singing. The Matepe group, led by Saini Murira, plays while two spirit mediums sing, dance and perform a re-enactment of a ceremonial healing of a sick woman. The documentary’s look at the mus...
“A Healing Party” features the type of Mbira called the Matepe Dza Mhondoro, which translates as “the deep notes of the lion spirits” because of its larger size than the Mbira dza Vadzimu. It is more inclusive in that anyone can participate in the singing. The Matepe group, led by Saini Murira, plays while two spirit mediums sing, dance and perform a re-enactment of a ceremonial healing of a sick woman. The documentary’s look at the music details the main Matepe song structures and rhythms while demonstrating the broader activities of a spirit medium healing ceremony. Although the film was initially meant to be shot as a re-enactment, it is apparent from the translated soundtrack that the Shona villagers disregarded the fact that the healing party was being staged. They had gotten into the communal state of mind, showed genuine concern for the sick person, and thus the approach was a principled use of re-enactment.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Andrew Tracey, 1936-, Michael Bailey, Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, Rosemary Logie
Author / Creator
Gei Zantzinger, Andrew Tracey, 1936-
Date Published / Released
1999, 2021
Publisher
Constant Spring Productions
Series
The Mbira Series
Speaker / Narrator
Rosemary Logie
Topic / Theme
Shona
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1999 & 2021 Constant Spring Productions, Inc.
×
See details
The Mbira Series, Mbira, Njari: Karanga Songs In Christian Ceremonies with Simon Mashoko
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, in The Mbira Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 25 mins
This film is essentially an impressionistic portrait of Njari player Simon Mashoko, a deeply religious man who adapted Mbira music for use in Christian ceremonies. The Njari is a less common type of Mbira with more keys, and the Karanga are an ethnic group related to the Shona. “Karanga Songs in Christian Ceremo...
Sample
directed by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey, 1936-; produced by Michael Bailey and Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions, in The Mbira Series (Pennsylvania: Constant Spring Productions, 2021), 25 mins
Description
This film is essentially an impressionistic portrait of Njari player Simon Mashoko, a deeply religious man who adapted Mbira music for use in Christian ceremonies. The Njari is a less common type of Mbira with more keys, and the Karanga are an ethnic group related to the Shona. “Karanga Songs in Christian Ceremonies” contrasts Mashoko’s role as a performer of traditional shave, i. e. wandering spirits, songs for Karanga beer parties and dan...
This film is essentially an impressionistic portrait of Njari player Simon Mashoko, a deeply religious man who adapted Mbira music for use in Christian ceremonies. The Njari is a less common type of Mbira with more keys, and the Karanga are an ethnic group related to the Shona. “Karanga Songs in Christian Ceremonies” contrasts Mashoko’s role as a performer of traditional shave, i. e. wandering spirits, songs for Karanga beer parties and dances with his role as a rural Catholic deacon who holds catechism classes and Sunday services. Mashoko reconciled his traditional beliefs with Christianity, feeling it was his calling to bring the Mbira into the Church. Karanga beer parties serve to placate the wandering spirits of the dead who have not received a proper burial. In the film, Mashoko performs a shave song that uses the Shona language version of the New Testament as its text. His adaptation of spirit songs into hymns shows not only the blending of differing traditions, but also the compatibility of Mbira music in another religious context. The movie and the Mbira film series conclude with a lyrical montage celebrating Zimbabwe and the Shona spirit, scored by a duet of an Njari, played by Mashoko, and an Mbira Dza Vadzimu, played by his son.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Andrew Tracey, 1936-, Michael Bailey, Gei Zantzinger, Constant Spring Productions
Author / Creator
Gei Zantzinger, Andrew Tracey, 1936-
Date Published / Released
1999, 2021
Publisher
Constant Spring Productions
Series
The Mbira Series
Topic / Theme
Shona
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1999 & 2021 Constant Spring Productions, Inc.
×
