Wicknell Chivhayo and Trying to Own Zimbabwe's Conscious Culture is Ephemeral and Futile.

By Takura Zhangazha*

We can argue about this ad-infinitum. 

But Zimbabwean cultural productions, be they in music, art, dance, books, movies, theatre and drama are not singularly purchasable. 

They have ablegacy beyond a Toyota Fortuna and a $US20 000 dollar fuel or other payment. 

And that legacy is beyond a singular assumedly financially collasal individual. 

Or that at least that they should not be that way. 

If the artistic creators of our historical national cultural being remain true to their own individual and original talent and culture. 

Based on our own national historical experiences of again our own national liberatory past, present and future(s). 

Even as mixed in with social media platforms, artificial intelligence (AI) and organic Zimbabwean holistic cultural artistry.

And also even if for the fact of seeking to just 'entertain' the nation by the same said historical and in some cases celebrity cultural 'entertainers' Zimbabweans in a specific politicised consciousness direction. 

As was the case with the recent national public holiday of Munhumutapa day on 15 September 2026.

In these consoderations one is reminded, with or without 'double meanings' as derived from 'satire' as with for example the amazing Kenyan playwrights and novelists Ngugi waThiongo and Ngugi waMirri's in their play 'I Will Marry When I Want' or Wole Soyinka's 'The Lion and the Jewel' that cultural productions are not always what  they seem.

Or Dambudzo Merechera's novella,'The House of Hunger'. 

Even before we go to his less celebrated and at one point banned 'Black Sunlight' book in the early years of his return to Zimbabwe after our national independence in 1980. 

We can even crossover (not in religious terms) to our most conscious music productions such as remembrance songs about Zimbabwe's national liberation struggle like 'Mugarandega' by the lengendary Thomas Mapfumo. 

Or that one by cde Chinx Chingaira with that amazing refrain 'Vanhu vose vemuno muAfrica' before the now generally xenophobic but independent South Africa got free. With our Southern African (Frontline States, SADCC and SADC) solidarity help! 

I however know that most artists, musicians, actors both film and theatre, authors, script writers and graphic designers (in the generic sense) are caught up in a materialistic time warp. Their work at the moment does not pay enough for their upkeep. Inclusive of mainstream media journalists.

There are no more long playing records, cassettes, compact discs (CDs), digital video discs (DVDs) that give the artist /creative direct or indirect access to their quantitative popularity income. 

This was the opposite case with Leonard Dembo, Leonard Zhakata, Oliver Mtukudzi, Thomas Mapfumo,System Tazvida, Chiwoniso Maraire, John Chibadura, James Chimombe and many others that others may preferably recall. 

Be they with us or if they have passed on.

 Including where we now have arguments about cover-songs and royalties

The key point however is that most of the musicians, artistic creators and others that I have cited above were essentially organic. 

They witnessed the general people's struggles against poverty. They sang, wrote, acted for film/ theatre, drew, sculpted, pictured and added comedy to their creative routine. 

Remember Mukadota? And how no one is talking about the Madzikatire royalties?

So when (Sir) Wicknell Chivhayo comes in with his money. 

Which no one really can give an explanation of where it came from to be as an generously given in the form of cars and physical cash. 

We must ask a number of basic artistic/creative industry questions.

The first being that is it in order to control the counter-creative artistic narrative on behalf of the ruling Zanu PF party? 

Or still, why is he funding some of our most critical artists, inudimg my personal icon Dr. Thomas Mapfumo?

 Some whom we assumed stood with the poor people of Zimbabwe? 

The second question that requires an answer with our own complicity being the susceptabilty of artists to the fact that we dont recognise them enough to appreciate them both culturally and materially. 

Back in the day it was just about one going to buy the CD, DVD or cassette recording, minus the emergent piracy and without social media platforms. 

All the while getting the creative cde a return on his/her effort. Monetarily.

We know creative cdes that had it good in the mid-to-late 1990s that are cautious about copyright issues because of the properties and royalties they acquired.

What (Sir) Wicknell Chivayo and probably others are attempting to do is to capture the popular narrative cultural context by default.

They may not deliberately intend to do so.

But they sort of deal with the material vulnerability of the artist. Or the creative. A vulnerability that can be explained in multiple ways. 

Except for the fact that I would have to watch my words for fear of arrest. 

What I can safely argue as a Zimbabwean is that our art, culture, artists and national being are not or should not be this easily purchasable. 

But I cannot sing or write a play let alone be handsome enough for theatre or film.  Or paint. Let alone sing! 

Even if an artist accepts money, vehicles, houses and everything else in-between they must, and this is not a patronising lecture.

But if the artist/creative, if they can, where they can they must remain true to the values and principles that gave them their iconic or emerging cultural status. 

Hazvitengekwi ma cde!

"Ikanzi culture ine vene vayo"

 Haitengekwi.

Yagara iripo. Hapana paichachinjwa nemari. 

Zimbabwe's cultural heritage belongs to all of us. 

It cannot be changed by money, cars, cattle or political affiliation. 

*Takura Zhangazha writes here in his personal capacity