HARARE - Book cafe, Harare’s lively arts hub, will be marking Jamaica Independence Day with an exciting programme of film, music and food today.
The celebrations begin with a screening from 6pm of the film The Harder They Come starring the world famous reggae artiste Jimmy Cliff, a renowned 1972 Jamaican crime film whose famous sound track is said to have brought reggae to the world.
Directed by Perry Henzell and co-written by Trevor D Rhone the film has been described by Barbara Mennel, author of Cities and Film, as “possibly the most influential of Jamaican films and one of the most important films from the Caribbean”.
From 7pm, energetic reggae DJ Irie Lion hits the decks at Book Café’s Gochi Gochi garden with a playlist including a compilation of eclectic reggae classics which are bound to get the crowd on their feet.
Macy & The Red headlines the main event and will be joined by some of Zimbabwe’s most loved reggae acts including Yagga, Memo and Wreckless.
Macy will also be joined by Verity Norman, the young talented violinist who is quickly making a name for herself for being dynamic in supporting both local hip-hop and reggae acts.
To complement the celebrations Food as Culture, Book Café’s initiative aimed at celebrating authentic traditional cuisine, will be serving up freshly made oven-baked Herby Vegetarian Pizzas, authentic Jerk Chicken (a Jamaican favourite), Rice and Peas and so much more.
Food as Culture primarily aims at providing a platform for food practitioners to develop their craft, offering facilities for production and delivery to local audiences, while creating a space for cultural exchange through the celebration of food as a dynamic form of cultural expression.
The Jamaica Day celebration is about cultural exchange and friendship through culture.
The Book Café aims at increasing cultural links with diverse cultures as a way of building cultural understanding and friendship; and equally to promote our famed Zimbabwean cultural friendship globally.
Culture is, after all, universal in spirit. Cultural exchange is a worthwhile platform within the Book Café setting, the scope of which already includes all genres in the local music scene, theatre, film, books, poetry, stand-up comedy, fashion, craft and a wide range of arts dialogue.
Since 2012 the venue has seen steady development of facilities, offering an ever-widening cultural programme to the local arts community.
Zimbabwe is rich in culture and celebrations focusing on diverse world cultures have grown and become more popular in recent years. It is important to strengthen meaningful multicultural exchange because such platforms provide mutual understanding.
The key principle for the Jamaica Day celebrations is one of reciprocity where the Book Café, as a 100 percent Zimbabwean arts centre and its patrons aim to create a relaxed space where cultural exchange can take place freely and where everyone can enjoy a small taste of Jamaica in Harare, with a Zimbabwean twist.