BRUCE NCUBE a drum, music, dance and mbira teacher from Bulawayo, who has been in a one–man tour of duty for two-and-a-half months overseas and had several workshops teaching people drum beating and traditional songs sung in Zimbabwe, has returned. SHARON SIBINDI OWN CORRESPONDENT
Ncube is a product of the award- winning Umkhathi Theatre Works and he is also a founder of Mema Arts. In his tour, he visited Scotland, Wales and England.
Speaking to the Southern Eye Lifestyle, Ncube said he had a great time and learnt a lot during his tour. He is willing to apply and fuse in what he learnt with what he already knows in the arts industry.
“This was a very good tour for me and l have achieved a lot. I noticed a lot of things we do in Zimbabwe are totally different from what l witnessed during the tour. The methods used in teaching are different from ours as the people there prefer a written script unlike us. The way they conduct their workshops is also different from ours ,” he said.
Ncube said he conducted workshops in some schools and most of the schools had 700 pupils and roughly he worked with more than 4000 people during tour.
Ncube has been teaching and performing in the United Kingdom. He found time to call in at Wakefield for a week and led singing and drumming workshops at Wakefield Cathedral.
“These workshops were great fun and very well attended and I learnt a lot,” he said.
He was running several workshops and taught local cultural songs and people at Edinburgh had a lot of fun. Some of the songs include Amandla.
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“This time my approach was inclusive and participatory. I was building people’s confidence in singing to create beautiful harmonies and the songs taught were emotionally charged and uplifting,” he added.
Ncube said Mema Arts group is working on a collaboration with one group from Harare, Zvishamiso and hoping to exchange some ideas.
“We are working on a collaboration with Zvishamiso and this is a group from Harare we want to merge with,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mehluli Dube who is part of Mema Arts said they serve to create employment especially for the young generation who come from the ghetto.
“Mema Arts grooms and trains the young generation. We focus mainly in the arts,” he said.
Ncube has left the country for Zambia with his group Mema Arts.
“We are going to Zambia in Livingstone to perform for Australians. It’s a three-day tour,”he said.
Ncube is a product of Umkhathi Theatre Works in Bulawayo and his latest tour is the ninth.
“I have taken part in big events overseas before which managed to woo big crowds and l have gained popularity there, ” he said.
Ncube has been to Africa Drum village, Aberdeen International Youth Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival of Spirituality in Scotland, Matisong Festival in Botswana, Hifa, Intwasa Arts festival, Inxusa festival, Ibumba Arts Festival and many more.
