Music, land and liberation theology: exploring mai Charamba’s ‘Africa’ and Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave’s ‘Hamheno Anoramba’

Abstract

The aim of this article is to explore the textual meanings of Mai Charamba's song, Africa, and Fungisai Zvakavapano's Hamheno anoramba. This article investigates how the music of the two female artists expresses the subject of land, in the context of liberation theology. We have purposefully sampled these two artists – first, because they sing about ownership of land and natural resources, which are themes that dominate current discourses in Zimbabwe and Africa. Second, we have especially considered the songs by the two female gospel singers because their songs have a special way of merging the subject of land with theological ideas anchored in the concept of African economic liberation. Third, we have taken a special interest in exploring music that talks about land – a theme often associated with male discourses about economic freedom in Zimbabwe. It is argued that the very fact that women are now singing about land means that the subject also preoccupies their creative imagination. What this points to is that it is no longer possible to discuss the land reform without taking into consideration women's ‘voices’ and their legal and constitutional rights to have access to land and other state resources.