BY WINSTONE ANTONIO/ CHIEDZA MAZHANGARA THE late playwright and cultural icon Stephen Chifunyise, who was popularly known as Uncle Steve in theatre circles, had children at heart.
To show his love for children, Uncle Steve was the founding member of Children’s Performing Arts Workshop (Chipawo) in 1989 together with Robert McLaren to identify and nurture young talent in the arts industry.
Sadly, the Zimbabwean arts icon, playwright par excellence and former top government official breathed his last on August 5, 2019.
The Unesco cultural expert who produced many trainers and cultural practitioners in Africa and across the globe succumbed to cancer at the age of 70.
May Uncle Steve’s soul continue to rest in peace.
In honour of this late legendary playwright and principal of the Zimbabwean Academy of Arts Education for Development, Chipawo will from August 4 to 7 host the Southern African Festival (SAFE).
The three-day festival, launched in 2019, will be held under the theme Takura (We are mature) at Harare’s Theatre in the Park.
It is making a return after a two-year sabbatical due to the COVID-19 pandemic which did not spare the creative sector.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Uncle Steve was also the ambassador of the festival up to the time of his death, so, through this event, his legacy lives on.
Participants from four countries: Zambia, Botswana, Malawi and Namibia have confirmed their participation at the potentially explosive festival.
Apart from Chipawo, some local children and youth groups will also participate at the festival.
Chipawo director Chipo Basopo-Chindungwe told NewsDay Life & Style that preparations for the festival, that will also mark the third anniversary of Uncle Steve’s death, were going according to script.
“This year’s festival theme Takura, meaning we are grown up, celebrates the artistic works that children and young people from Africa are producing and showcasing,” she said, adding that participants had started rehearsals.
“The theme is derived from the book written by the late Stephen Chifunyise in protecting our intangible cultural heritage and environment.”
The festival will be guided by a number of objectives.
“Our main goal is to create a creative space with different young minds honouring the works of the late Chifunyise in producing poems, drama plays, musicals and dance from his collection from Takura and the Talking Branches,” she said.
The festival also aims to create a platform for future southern African leaders to appreciate their own rights and the diversity of a dynamic world, as well as demonstrate the initiatives of the creative society in contributing to the building of southern Africa, creating a viable and sustainable platform for intercultural dialogue.
“The other guiding objective of the festival is to provide children and youths an opportunity of sharing ideas artistically and to demonstrate the importance, use of culture in promoting African solidarity. The festival will be programmed for three days, the first night being the opening, leading to the candle night on the second day and with a SAFE family fun day on the closing,” Basopo-Chindungwe added.
Uncle Steve, an exceptional arts mentor and culture policy expert, played a pivotal role in shaping the growth and development of theatre in Zimbabwe.
His contribution to the development of professional actors in Zimbabwe, in both stage and film acting, was unmatched.
Among the talents which passed through Chipawo were Black Panther star Danai Gurira, the late singer Chiwoniso Maraire and Chipo Chung.
- Follow us on Twitter@NewsDayZimbabwe
