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Mudzimu Wangu’s response at Dance Mission Theater during a closing circle after the viewing of the Mixtape of the Dead & Gone #1 performance I was a part of in 2022. It was a room filled with people who had just experienced death at a very intimate level through Nkeiruka’s work. A smile of “yes, that's it, we are almost there” feeling escaped my mouth the moment I felt people had reached a good place of pronouncing and singing these Shona lyrics beautifully. I reached for the girl Mhamha Henry once helped me search for within me, and we sang until every- one was sounding like one voice. My grandmother had a way of expressing love through dance and music. Even if you did not know the song she was sharing with you, you could feel the warmth of her heart through her voice. Since moving to the Bay Area in 2010, I have felt a similar feeling from my mother. Whether we are singing “Kura Uone” for the 100th time at home or at performances, or as she decorates our house like a museum with endless Zimbabwean and African artifacts, my mother has found a way to keep my siblings and I connected to our roots. She has built a home away from home. This has also given us a way to communicate and learn in ways that I did not know would help me stay grounded in my own journey as an artist. KANUKAI CHIGAMBA is a multifaceted dancer, musician, performer, and burgeoning photogra- pher. She started dancing at a young age in Hara- re, Zimbabwe, at Biras and as part of Mhembero Dance Troupe. She is the Assistant Director of the renowned Chinyakare Ensemble, and principal in Gbedu Town Radio, a Pan Afro Urban Music and Dance Ensemble. Chigamba has performed all over the United States, including at the San Fran- cisco Ethnic Dance Festival, Oregon Zimfest, and Monterey Bay Reggaefest, Stern Grove Festival, Carnegie Hall, and Oakland Museum of California. Her travels to Togo, Nigeria and her work with Yo- ram Savion/YAK Films, Julia Chigamba, Nkeiruka Oruche, Destiny Arts, and Afro Urban Society find her embarking on her photographic essay series featuring African women navigating complexities of emotional expression.
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L-R: Kanukai, and Julia Chigamba
we were in for a long night. Ambuya Chihoro was our matriarch, and when- ever she had us dance and sing one of her favorite songs ‘Ndave Kuenda (I am leaving)’ , she took her time. How dare you start clapping before we arrive at the right groove for the call and response? Ambuya would silently give us another chance to get the song right. She would give us the lead line again, just a little louder than the last time. Singing this song now, hits differently. Chinyakare Ensemble, our family per- formance group in Oakland, founded by my mother, Julia Chigamba recently performed at Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center. I am con- vinced that our family has a deep con- nection to Dinhe rhythm. During our soundcheck, Ndave Kuenda was the song that came out of me unknowingly when I was asked to check the mic. I
respected Ambuya wanting to be in the space and went with the flow, but I could not finish as tears flooded my eyes and cheeks. My grandmother died in 2005, and her passing left a huge hole in my family. She was the keystone to the family. Every- one knew you could always come and dance kumba kwaAchihoro . Growing up, our time was filled with each other. When there was no elec- tricity we would sit around the fire with Ambuya and other adults. We would sing, play games and dance until people started retiring to their bedrooms one by one. Our personal lives were not separate from our art- istry, it was all blended in one like a hot pot of gango . “Nyarara mwana, Nyarara mwana…” I started slowly pro- nouncing the high and low parts to
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In Dance | May 2014 | dancersgroup.org
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