Gwanda Gospel Festival preps begin
ORGANISERS of the annual Gwanda Gospel Festival, which is in its third year, have announced dates for this year’s edition and preparations are in progress.
This year’s festival, which is running under the theme, “The Walls of Jericho Did Fall”, will be held from September 7-9 in Gwanda with the line-up of performers being finalised. The event is being hosted by Big Time Strategic Group in a bid to promote local and regional talents, praising and worshipping God.
In an interview, South Africa-based Big Time Strategic Group founder Justice Maphosa said they have already started planning for the event. Maphosa said they chose the theme, “The Walls of Jericho Did Fall” because it signifies strength.
“Any obstacle, any problem, any mountain in your life can be overcome through prayer. The story of the walls of Jericho falling down is one that vividly demonstrates the miraculous power of God.
“But more than that, the utter destruction of Jericho teaches us several grand truths regarding God’s grace and our salvation,” he said.
He said although the dates and theme have been revealed they are still working on contracts with some musicians who are billed to take part.
“The line-up is being finalised. We usually keep this as a secret up until the final month before the event. This is for us to keep our house in order in case one artiste pulls out, and allows us to minimise the damage caused,” he said.
Maphosa said each year they bring new aspects.
“When we praise God, we would always raise the bar. This year people can expect huge sound systems, major fireworks, fancy stage works, state-of-the-art lighting and surprise guest musician.”
The business tycoon said the festival has boosted Zimbabwe’s tourism industry.
“Religious tourism can be one of the most effective tools for inclusive and sustainable development. It raises awareness of our common heritage, which helps to ensure its preservation. This is what the people of Gwanda are doing with this show. Religious heritage sites have an immeasurable value in religious terms and as a source of public education, identity and pride.
“And we can re-invest the income from religious tourism in preserving our cultural heritage if we build them and model them around such events. Secondly, it can contribute to community development and empowerment. When tourists meet and show interest in the unique values of local communities, these communities can be empowered.
“Currently, we have internal tourism around the Gwanda gospel show,” he explained.
Maphosa said although a huge investment is sacrificed for the festival, they also face some challenges.
“As you know that the event has surprised some, its magnitude, its message, the people around it - community participation around it, our God has blessed us all the time. This has kept us humble and praying. However, this does not mean there are no challenges. Clearance at the border posts remains a challenge especially when one is racing against time and working on deadlines.
“Moving tonness of equipment between two countries remains a huge task that cannot be ignored. More than 680km of road travel and heavy tonnage always posee a risk to the event. We do our best to make sure everything goes smoothly under such testing conditions.”
He said there is also a challenge of hosting guests because Gwanda has limited accommodation facilities.
AWORKSHOP is a meeting at which a group of people engage in intensive discussion and activity on a particular subject. The National Gallery of Zimbabwe on March 28 will host a two-day Art Teachers’ Workshop targeted at Early Childhood Development (ECD) and junior schools.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education introduced a new educational curriculum which makes art an essential part of study. Art helps build innovation and creativity therefore it is intrinsic to a balanced education repertoire. Child development aspect among preschools is a solid foundation for a country’s development. The period of Early Childhood Development has a strong and positive impact on further development and children`s learning in later ages.
Art spaces are of importance to society as they promote, preserve and conserve cultural heritage. ECD and junior level contribute significantly to nurturing of young children at various levels including physical, social, emotional, intellectual, cultural and spiritual.
The two-day workshop is meant for Early Childhood Development (ECD) and junior school teachers. Each school is expected to send two participants, one from ECD and the other from junior school who will then return to their respective schools to disseminate what they will have learnt the workshop with their colleagues.
Emphasis will be on step-by-step concept building for the young learner’s cul- tural heritage, source of heritage material in the classroom and use of alternative art materials for art making. The workshop will be a means to enlist a diverse group that will contribute a range of perspectives, various art genres, life experience, and pedagogical methodologies.
The workshop will be categorised into discussions and presentations led by men and women with expertise in particular topics. It will touch on both the practical aspect and theory of the following themes: figure drawing, print making, painting, mixed media, sculpture, still life set-up among others.
Workshop themes are grouped in accordance with days, for example day one topics for discussion include thinking creatively with art, communicate through art, know the language of art; and day two, talking about art, connecting with art, creating art and use of alternative art materials for art making.
The workshop will enable participants to gain expertise from Gallery educators, curators and content experts, through Gallery talks, discussion groups and presentations. It will also enable participants to learn to use Zimbabwean art in the classroom to foster critical thinking skills and deepen student engagement with content and to make interdisciplinary connections among Zimbabwean art, social studies, history, and language arts develop and share lesson ideas with peers.
Registration forms are available for collection at the Gallery’s reception. Teachers may apply as individuals or as part of a team of two or three, but each member of the team must submit a completed individual registration form. The cost of the workshop is $30 per person, due upon registration. The fee covers the cost of take-home materials as well as teas and lunches.