It was NoViolet Bulawayo’s year

Entertainment
2013 brought much success for author NoViolet Bulawayo, winner of the 2011 Caine Prize for African Writing, with the debut of her novel We Need New Names

THE year 2013 brought much success for Tsholotsho-born author NoViolet Bulawayo, winner of the 2011 Caine Prize for African Writing, with the debut of her novel We Need New Names, shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award. We Need New Names was also named by the New York Times as one of its 100 notable books for 2013.

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Fungai Machirori Own Correspondent

Bulawayo made history by becoming the first black female African to be shortlisted for the prestigious Man Booker Prize. Forbes recently named Bulawayo one of its 20 young power women from Africa.

  • Dudu Manhenga jailed and then releasedDUDU-MANHENGA-.The year in which popular Bulawayo-born musician Manhenga,launched her gospel career with the album For You was marred by the controversy of her arrest and sentencing to 24 months in jail after pleading guilty to charges of culpable homicide. In 2010, Manhenga is said to have driven unaccompanied, on a learner’s driver’s licence, and hit a motorcyclist after failing to give way. The cyclist later died in hospital from injuries. In the same conviction month, Manhenga was granted bail by the High Court pending an appeal against her sentence.
  • Chiwoniso Mararire dies Video thumbnail for youtube video Multimedia: A tribute to Chiwoniso Maraire - Southern Eye Arguably Zimbabwe’s best-known contemporary mbira instrumentalist, Maraire died unexpectedly in July. The daughter of renowned Zimbabwean mbira teacher Dumisani Maraire, Chiwoniso’s illustrious career was set in motion by the album. Ancient Voices which released classics like Mai, Tamari and Wandirasa; her work featured on soundtracks to important Zimbabwean movies such as Everyone’s Child. A later album Rebel Woman earned Maraire further acclaim. Her death came just over a year after that of former husband and fellow musician, Andy Brown, marking a poignant end to an important chapter of Zimbabwe’s musical history.
  • Hope Masike sets the pace for Zimbabwean musichope_masike Vocalist and mbira player Masike continued to establish her rising star this year with concerts across Europe and Africa, solo and with the band Monoswezi. Earlier in the year, Masike won the 2013 National Arts Merit Award for outstanding female musician. In September she announced a new creative take to her music which would infuse various contemporary and traditional genrés. Already seen as the natural heir to Maraire’s mbira throne, Masike’s new musical interpretation sees her take on the moniker of “The Princess of Mbira”.
  • Zuwe Re wins the UK BEFFTA for fashionThe UK-based fashion designer won the 2013 UK Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television and Arts (BEFFTA) award for best female fashion designer. In an interview with Her Zimbabwe earlier in the year, Zuwa Re (born Fungai Munyoro) — a mother of three — said that due to the multiple roles that women often occupy, it is harder to break out as a female fashion designer. Optimistically, she stated that she hoped that this would soon change.

– Her Zimbabwe