Post-Colonial African Groove of the Week #4 – Hwahwa
Posted on | September 18, 2009 | No Comments
This week we move even farther south, to Zimbabwe, to feature one of my favorite tunes by “the Lion of Zimbabwe,” Thomas Mapfumo. Thomas has been a great innovator in Zimbabwean pop throughout his long career. He was one of the originators of “chimurenga” music, a style that transposed the original mbira music of the Shona people onto electric guitars, and the hosho (shaker) rhythms onto drumset. Mapfumo arrived at this style after starting his career performing American-style rock, but wanted to encourage the bourgenoing anti-white rule movement at the time, and did so by promoting traditional Shona culture through his music. Along with guitarist Jonah Sithole, he transcribed the mbira parts for guitars and began to sing in the Shona language, rather than in English.
He quickly became immensly popular in Zimbabwe, and spoke out against white minority rule. During the elections, his music was banned from the state-controlled radio, but after Robert Mugabe’s victory, he found favor with the new government. However, as time progressed and the corruption and injustices of Mugabe’s regime became clear, Mapfumo again began to speak out, but this time against Mugabe. In the late 1990′s, he moved to Eugene, Oregon to escape persecution and threats of violence against him and his family. He continues to be one of Zimbabwe’s most popular musicians and tours freqently throughout the world.
I have recently joined a band here in Portland led by Zimbabwean singer and dancer Loveness Wesa. Her music draws on many of the same roots and styles as Mapfumo’s, and she, along with other band members, tours and performs with him from time to time. Rehearsing and performing with her band has been a really fun experience, and it’s been really interesting to play this style of music, which I have admired and listened to for many years. Today’s track from Mapfumo, “Hwahwa”, has long been one of my favorites – it’s one of at least two songs of his with the same name, which I understand has something to do with beer (the other “Hwahwa” is about a man who denounces beer because he got too drunk, and came home and fought with his wife, and then continued to fight with his mother in law – you can hear that one, complete with explanation, here). Anyway, this version actually doesn’t feature the traditional Zimbabwean style of 12/8 groove, but has such nice horn and guitar lines and a light, almost latin-esque drum groove, as well as Mapfumo’s trademark low-register singing, that I decided to post it rather than a more typical Zimbabwean groove. When we make it back to Zimbabwe for another edition of “Post-Colonial African Groove of the Week” in a few weeks, I’ll introduce a more typical groove. Meanwhile, enjoy your weekend!
Click to listen:
Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited – Hwahwa
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