This post is not related to the matepe project, but certainly wouldn’t be here without it.
In late 2022, Tatenda Cangola and I started the self- and donation-funded project Visibility for Kalimba makers and players in rural Mozambique. For various reasons, including the matepe project, we had to take a longer break.
Three weeks ago Leo Batuki showed up at the Harare concert rehearsal, and it turned out he not only had some recording gear with him, but is also partly based in Maputo, speaks Portuguese and is very interested in the Mozambican mbiras.
In just two days, Tatenda gathered a number of musicians for a recording session at his home in Chimoio, while Leo and his friend and teacher Wiriranai Chigonga made their way there.
Our plan is to produce an album with the music and release on Bandcamp.
Tatenda and bike driver picking up João Veruca from his fields
Sekuru Manejo playing the Nyonganyonga
Sekuru Eduardo Keni and João Veruca playing the Kalimba mudoko
Leo recording Sekuru Macequessa playing his 4-finger Kalimba nkulu
and his friend Misongwe singing
Fundraiser
Please share, and support our fundraiser to help us cover the expenses of this album with partly ultra-rare Mozambican mbiras! It’s a non-profit project, the money is used to pay (in this priority):
- for the musicians’ transport, food and accommodation
- the musicians a fee for the recording session
- [update:] for Tatenda’s damage
- Immediately after the recordings, Tatenda went with Leo to the presentation concert in Harare. Meanwhile, burglars broke into his house. Fortunately they were caught later while breaking into another house, but they had vandalized a couple of things. Perhaps the recording activities and the presence of a foreign guy had attracted the thieves.
- for the facilitators’ own expenses (all of us work for free)
- for the album production
Fundraiser: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/92G93MTgza
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