Project:Safeguarding of the Mbende Jerusarema Dance

46 - CLT/CIH/ITH 553ZIM4000

The report is prepared for the review meeting scheduled for March 2008

Project:Safeguarding of the Mbende Jerusarema Dance

Budget code:553ZIM4000

Sector/Division:UNESCO Harare Office (HAR/CLT)

Project officer:Mulekeni Ngulube

Project budget: US$: 67,003.00 (including programme support costs)

(First Year = US$34,350.50)

(Second Year = US$22,629.50)

(Third Year = US$2,315)

(13% overhead costs = US$7,708)

Implementation period:28 months:December 2006 – March 2009

Date of most recent regular progress report on project:None

Major developments since the most recent progress report:

1. Establishment of the safeguarding committee

The project required a Project Coordinator who would be based in Murewa and operating from Murewa Culture Centre. In order to start properly, the project required community involvement and participation represented by Master Practitioners and two Headmen one for Murewa and the other for Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe (UMP): Headman Zihute and Headman Chimaga respectively. Mr. Sherpard Meda was appointed as the Project Coordinator.

The next step was to establish the Safeguarding Committee. The strategy used was to start with the training of stakeholders from Murewa and UMP districts and based on their participation and understanding of the dance and the project itself, participants would choose the appropriate people to be in the committee. This also ensured that the participants voted for people they knew had the capacity and potential to carry out duties they would be mandated to do within the Safeguarding Committee. The training also ensured that those who were elected were capacitated on how to conduct their duties in the best interest of the project and the community at large. After two such training meetings, one in Murewa and the other in UMP, the Safeguarding Committeewas established.

The Murewa Training Meeting which was held on 12th June 2007 at the Murewa Culture Centre the UMP Training meeting took place on 20th June 2007 at the District Administrator’s Office at Mutawatawa Growth Point. This helped finalise the formation of the Safeguarding Committee which was constituted as follows:

ChairmanHeadman Zihute (Murewa)

Vice ChairmanHeadman Chimaga (UMP)

SecretaryMr. S. Meda (Murewa Culture Centre Head)

Vice SecretaryMrs. T. Nyakabau (Ministry of Education - UMP)

TreasurerMr. E. Mujuma (Assistant District Administrator - Murewa)

Committee MembersMr. R. Ziware (Jenya Club-Mangwende Jerusarema)

Mr. D. Vambe (UMP No. 1 Jerusarema)

Mr. M. Jekete (Diza Jerusarema)

Mr. J. Rupondo (Masiyandaita Jerusarema)

Mr. Mudarikwa (No.1 Chitimbe Jerusarema)

Mr. F. Chabaya (No.1 Jerusarema- Machembere)

Mr. B. Matambo (Chinyemba Matara)

The Safeguarding Committee was then mandated to play its role – mainly to be responsible for representing all groups in the areas of Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe (UMP) and Murewa. It was expected to mobilise community participation and involvement in the Mbende Jerusarema Dance preservation, safeguarding and transmission activities.They were further requested to employ promotional and marketing strategies that are sustainable in nature. The committee was further requested to be the link between the Secretariat and the community in this project appraising them on what was happening.

In addition to the above assignments, the Committee was also given the responsibility for fund-raising to ensure sustainability of the project in light of UNESCO’s eventual pullout, at the close of the funding period.

2. Research

A team of researchers has been appointed and headed by Mr Mangoya from the University of Zimbabwe, African Languages and Research Institute assisted by Mrs. Maurine Matubu. A total of six research assistants have been drawn from the community to undertake the research study in Murewa and UMP. The research, which is still underway, encompasses the examination of existing records in various institutions, carrying out interviews, setting up of registers and the identification of the elderly that will be of future assistance to the project in terms of information.

3. Equipment

Equipment as regards the coordination of the project, documentation and research has been purchased and delivered to Murewa Culture Centre. The equipment includes:

• 2 Dell Computers
• 1 HP LaserJet Printer
• 1 Phillips DVD Player
• 1Hitachi 14' Television
• 1 Sony Digital Camcorder
• Steel Cabinets

Several accessories such as CDs and Mini-DV tapes were also bought. The equipment is already in use and pictures related to the establishment of the Safeguarding Committee are available in the library at the Culture Centre.

4. Capacity building

a)Capacity building of the Safeguarding Committee

Two workshops were conducted for the safeguarding committee one in Murewa and the other in UMP. The committee agreed to meet every six months to review and plan for the implementation of the project during and beyond the funding period.

b)Capacity building of Master Practitioners

A training of trainers’(TOT) workshop for master practitioners was also conducted at the Murewa Culture Centre.

c)Transmission of the dance

Skills and knowledge have to be passed to a younger generation. Monthly workshops for the youth and school children are have already began and are on-going and should become more intensive as the project progresses.

Schools boys trying the danceTrainers giving instructions

5. Official Launch of the Project

The project was launched at Murewa Culture Centre and handed over to the community on 20 July 2007 by Her Excellency Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Honourable Joyce Mujuru. It was a befitting occasion for the hand over ceremony, which attracted about two thousand people and a high-powered ministerial delegation. In her launching speech, the Vice President called upon communities to respect their culture and praised UNESCO and the Japanese Government for providing the funds to be used to safeguard African cultures in particular the Mbende Jerusarema Dance. She praised the community for keeping the dance alive and protecting it even when missionaries condemned it during the colonial decades. She praised UNESCO for the Proclamation of the Dance as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage as well as the Zimbabwe National Intangible Heritage Committee for identifying the dance and urged them to consider other dances from the various provinces of Zimbabwe.

The Director and Representative of UNESCO Harare Cluster Office Professor Juma Shabani handed over the Intangible Heritage Proclamation Certificate to the Vice President Honourable Joyce Mujuru who received it on behalf of the Murewa and Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe communities. During the Hand-over, Prof Shabani explained how the Mbende Jerusarema Dance became a Masterpiece and how it benefited from the Japanese Funds-in-Trust. He outlined the importance UNESCO attaches to Intangible Heritage, hence the adoption of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Speaking at the same occasion, the Japanese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, His Excellency Takeo Yoshikawa who was also present at the function indicated that the Japanese people have respect for other people’s cultures and hence the Japanese’s financial support to the project.

In celebrating the proclamation, the local community groups entertained the guests. Both adult groups and school groups took turns to showcase their skills in clear demonstration that the Mbende Jerusarema Dance can be safeguarded and passed on from generation to generation.

The event received extensive media coverage both in print and electronically. The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZTV) carried news on the launch in all its bulletins of 21 July 2007 while the widely read daily newspaper in the country, The Herald, had the story as its lead on the 21st of July. Below is the picture that was on the first page of The Herald newspaper.

Special problems encountered and the prospect of the project at present:

A number of challenges were encountered and dealt with where possible for the successful implementation of the project.

• Delay to the start of the project – At first the National Implementing Unit wanted to kick start the project by using the launch. With the highest political leadership including the President of the country interested in launching the project, there were delays in starting the implementation of the project. It was then agreed that the project implementation could still start prior to the project launch which eventually took place in July 2007.
• Inflation – the present hyperinflationary environment prevailing in Zimbabwedid not spare the project since the funds though quoted in US Dollar are paid in Zimbabwean Dollars. Once the funds are converted and paid out in local currency, of course the value is no longer the same, the national implementers have tried to source additional funds to meet some of the costs of the project.
• Rural Community Participation – the communities in the rural areas are not consistent in project participation. Since their economy is seasonally based, summer and autumn are the time they spend more time in the fields and therefore have less time for social programmes. However, through the traditional leaderships, efforts are being made to make sure that the community continues to play its pivotal role in the project implementation.
• Mobility – the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe vehicle that was assigned for the project got involved in an accident and was a right off. This has affected greatly the extensive work involving travelling in the districts of Murewa and UMP. Fuel problems faced by the nation have also affected the entire transport industry and the project has not been spared either. The UNESCO Harare Cluster Office often assists the national implementers with transport and fuel.

In spite of all these challenges, the project’s future looks very bright and its objectives will be met.

Since the projects implementation was slightly delayed, there may be a need to extend its duration for two months. However, UNESCO and the implementing agencies will do their best to continue the implementation of the project and to ensure that the delay be absorbed. An extension request may be considered by the end of 2008.

Particular observations on the financial situation of the project:

Out of a total of US$34,350.30 earmarked for 2007, a total of US$17,680 had been used by November 2007. As inflation continues to spiral in Zimbabwe, the financial position of this project is also negatively affected. The funds that were meant to purchase 10 steel cabinets for example could only buy four as the funds were eroded by inflation once converted to Zimbabwean dollars. However, stakeholders in this project have agreed that UNESCO will only release funds when they are about to be used in order to cushion a little bit the inflation as UNESCO keeps it in US Dollars and converts it using the UN Rate.

Recommendation on decisions to be taken during the review meeting:

NA

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