IT IS not easy to be or feel replaced. When you are an expert in a particular field, it can be tough to accept that your expertise might become redundant when someone new steps in.
And in a challenging socio-economic environment, competition is fierce — very fierce. Resources are scarce, opportunities are limited, and you have to fight for the little that exists.
What happens when the queen of the salon suddenly finds herself dethroned in a city where competition is a matter of survival?
That is where we meet Vimbai. She is a 26-year-old hairdresser — a skilled one, perhaps the best in the business — and a single mother to her daughter, Chioniso.
She is, in every sense, a product of her environment. When we first encounter her in the book, she is thriving on the comfort of being the top hairdresser at Mai Khumalo’s salon. She is confident, slightly arrogant, and largely unaware of the broader world that exists just beyond her reach.
Then there is Dumisani. The new, shinier hairdresser in town, whose excellence with the scissors and comb is threatening to discontinue Vimbai’s reign in the salon.
He is gorgeous in every sense of the word. Charming, debonair, skilled, intelligent, and socially astute, he is the enigmatic force that shakes Vimbai out of her comfort zone and expands her worldview. Despite his affluent background, shrouded in some mystery, his warmth and friendliness disarm Vimbai, drawing her out of the psychological hiding place she has created for herself. They form an unlikely bond, which gradually deepens into something more profound.
There is something delicate and poignant about watching a relationship evolve. Following Vimbai’s retelling of events, an air of suspense lingers throughout the book.
The charm of the novel lies in its contemporary setting — firmly rooted in the bustling reality of post-independence Zimbabwe in its capital city, where survival is a daily pursuit.
The necessity of making ends meet permeates all aspects of life, including relationships, stripping them down to their bare essentials. There is no excess in reality, and consequently, no excess in relationships — whether personal or professional.
The characters navigate their relationships in a transactional, simplified manner, shaped by the demands of their socio-economic conditions.
Vimbai and Dumisani’s relationship, however, is different. It carries a depth and intimacy that sets it apart from the other stripped down relationships in the book.
Their union mirrors the intersection of two worlds — two distinct social classes. Vimbai, shaped by the hardships of growing up in a high-density suburb, has long accepted a life of struggle and scarcity.
Dumisani, in contrast, was born into privilege, raised by parents who belong to Harare’s socio-political elite. Yet, despite his material wealth, he experiences emotional and psychological struggles akin to Vimbai’s. She feels displaced in her own family due to land and property disputes, while Dumisani faces alienation from his family because of his identity and personal beliefs. Their paths converge in this shared sense of exclusion.
Tendai Huchu takes readers on a virtual tour of Zimbabwean society, subtly exposing the intricacies of class disparity. He reveals how these social structures shape the personalities and worldviews of the book’s characters. The novel paints a nuanced picture, implying that our identities are inevitably molded by the broader landscapes we inhabit.
The book tackles themes of love, identity, sexuality, power, and politics. It is a story about real people with genuine emotions, fears, desires, and anxieties, all trying to navigate an uncertain reality.
It is an excellent weekend read, offering both an escape and a dose of humour. Huchu’s commentary on music, love, politics, and relationships is consistently witty yet thought-provoking.
The novel invites readers to wrestle with their own biases, observations, and beliefs — all while enjoying a deeply-engaging narrative.
At its core, The Hairdresser of Harare is a novel about belonging — whether in family, love, class, or society at large. With humour, wit, and an unflinching look at modern Zimbabwean society, Huchu delivers a novel that’s as entertaining as it is thought-provoking.
- Chambeni is an editorial writer, book enthusiast, and a member of Trevor’s Book Club. She values the transformative power of communication to foster understanding, inspire critical thought, and build meaningful connections.
