October 28, 2016 will be a day that the community of Murehwa will remember for generations to come.
This historic day will see the Murehwa Uzumba, Maramba and Pfungwe (UMP) communities being handed over the Jerusarema Mbende Dance Festival by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ).
According to Cathrine Mthombeni, NACZ Communication and Marketing Officer, the 2016 Jerusarema Mbende Dance Festival will be held on the October 28 and will be organised by NACZ and NATCAZ in conjunction with the Mbende Safeguarding Committee.
Mthombeni also reiterated the importance of the festival not only to the community of UMP but also to the national cultural heritage at large.
“The Festival seeks to provide sustainable foundations for the transmission of skills to the younger generations and to promote awareness of the value of the dance as well as the importance to safeguard the Intangible Cultural Heritage.”
The handover intentions have already been presented to and accepted by Chief Mangwende. After the handover ceremony, the community of Murehwa will join other communities who have been handed over festivals by NACZ. The communities include Intwasa KoBulawayo (Bulawayo), Rainbow Arts Festival (Matabeleland South), and Dzimbabwe Arts Festival (Masvingo)
Many of us Zimbabweans have heard the news jingle that is played on national television and radio stations. However, not many actually know where it originated from or who played it.
We can reveal that the jingle played before the news is from Mbende. Mbende or dembe Jerusarema Dance is an ancient fertility dance that the people of Murehwa UMP played to celebrate fertility.
Douglas Vambe, who is now based in Marondera but still is in touch with the UMP community, formulated the beat.
 communities being handed over the Jerusarema Mbende Dance Festival by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ). According to Cathrine Mthombeni, NACZ Communication and Marketing...Read More){kind=link}