BULAWAYO - Decade-old Intwasa Arts Festival has partnered with the Bulawayo City Council to mark 120 years since Zimbabwe’s second largest city was established.
According to the latest council report, Intwasa, which will take place in Bulawayo from September 23 to 27, will do a theatre production called Umbiko kaMadlenya with the support of the municipal authorities.
In line with the partnership, the Bulawayo City Council will also sponsor an unnamed musical group from the South African city of Durban to perform at the Large City Hall during the 10th edition of Intwasa.
Umbiko kaMadlenya is a play adapted from an old world Ndebele novel by Mayford Sibanda.
The City of Kings’ biggest multi-disciplinary arts festival, which is headed by director Raisedon Baya, is delighted with the quality of the events it will do in partnership with the Bulawayo City Council.
“The plot of the play is about the crises of succession that resulted after King Mzilikazi’s death. We feel this is a very relevant story, not just to Bulawayo but the country as a whole as there are many lessons to be learnt from the story,” said a letter of request from Intwasa that was approved by the City Council.
“The second event will be more celebratory. It will be a musical concert to mark 120 years since Bulawayo was founded. We are hoping to host the musical concert at the Large City Hall on September 27, the last day of the festival.”
Bulawayo Town Clerk Middleton Nyoni confirmed that the City of Kings had agreed to sponsor a musical group from Durban which has been its sister city since 2002.
“Bulawayo has been represented at the annual Celebrate Durban Festival by various groups, including cultural groups and business organisations at the expense of the Durban City Council,” said Nyoni.
The town clerk added that the invitation of the Durban-based musical group is in line with the cultural relations that have developed between the two cities over the years.
“Bulawayo has a rich cultural industry and is renowned for being a cultural hub. Participation in the Intwasa Festival and support being given to the cultural sector will further reinforce Bulawayo’s image at local and international level.”