Chiwoniso Maraire
Chiwoniso Maraire (5 March 1976 – 24 July 2013) was a Zimbabwean singer,
Biography
Born in 1976 in
In the early 1990s, when she was 15, she formed part of the Afro-fusion hip-hop trio A Peace of Ebony, which "was perhaps the first group to fuse mbira with contemporary beats".[6] In 1996, she joined The Storm, a band led by guitarist Andy Brown (who later became her husband): "The Storm became one of Zimbabwe's biggest bands, touring the world and winning accolades.... Maraire's firm voice and Brown's plucky guitar made a beautiful combination."[6]
Chiwoniso fronted her acoustic group Chiwoniso & Vibe Culture for several years. Her first album, Ancient Voices, was released to international acclaim in 1995.[7] In 1998, she toured West Africa and Europe with fellow mbira player, Kurai Mubaiwa, serving as the opening act for Cape Verdean singer-songwriter Cesária Évora.[8][9]
Chiwoniso went on to record three more albums: Timeless (2004), Hupenyu Kumusha, Life at Home, Impilo Ekhaya. The Collaboration: Volume 1 (2006), and Rebel Woman (2008). From 2001 to 2004, she was also a core member of the multinational all-women band Women's Voice, whose original members hailed from Norway, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, the United States, Israel, and Algeria.[5] Chiwoniso also starred in film, having worked on the soundtracks for movies and documentaries by an array of Zimbabwean writers and film producers in the last ten years.[10] She made her last recording in March 2013, and "Zvichapera", a cover of Thomas Mapfumo's song, was released posthumously in 2015.[11]
Speaking out against police brutality
She said, "To beat people, to threaten people, to put a person in a situation where they have to think for the next five hours about whether or not they are going to be okay — is a very, very bad thing to do."[12]
Death and suicide of daughter
Maraire died on 24 July 2013 at South Medical Hospital in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe, aged 37.[13] According to her manager Cosmas Zamangwe, she had been admitted to hospital 10 days earlier suffering from chest pains.[14] The cause of death was the result of suspected pneumonia, just a year after the death of her ex-husband, Andy Brown, also a prominent musician. The couple left behind two daughters, Chengeto and Chiedza.[1][15][16] She was buried at her rural home in Chakohwa village in Mutambara.[17]
On September 12, 2015, the younger of her daughters, 15 year old Chiedza Brown, committed suicide.[18] Chiedza was also a musician in the Mbira tradition like her mother and an accomplished singer.[19][20] The last surviving member of Maraire's family with Andy Brown is her daughter, Chengeto, although Andy Brown had other children, the half-siblings of Maraire's daughters.[21]
Awards and honours
Chiwoniso was honoured by Radio France ("Decouverte Afrique") for her debut album, Ancient Voices (1998), and was nominated in the Kora All-Africa Music Awards for best female vocals of Africa in 1999.[6][15] The album entered the World Music Charts Europe three times.[6]
Discography
Albums
- A Piece of Ebony: From the Native Tongue (1992)
- Ancient Voices (1998)
- Chiwoniso & Vibe Culture: Timeless (2004)
- The Collaboration: Hupenyu Kumusha/Life at Home/Impilo Ekhaya. Volume 1 (2006)
- Rebel Woman (2008)
Singles
- "Zvichapera" (released posthumously 2015)
Spurious/Untraced
- "Woman of the Well"[22]
- "Return Great Spirit" (alternative version to the one on Timeless)
Also appears on
- Everyone's Child: tracks 1, 15 and 17 (soundtrack, 1996)
- Andy Brown and The Storm: Hondo Ye Sadza (2000)
- Joy Denalane: Mamani (2002)
- Andy Brown and The Storm: Passage of Time (2003)
- Women Care with Marie Daulne, Talike, Anneli Drecker and others (2005)
- Tanyaradzwa (soundtrack, 2006)
- Trio Ivoire: Across the Ocean (2009)
- with Mari Boine and others: Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace - The Nobel Peace Prize 100 years (2010)
- Max Wild: Tamba (2010)
- Antonio Forcione: Sketches of Africa (2012)
Featured by
- Outspoken Tha Humble Neophyte: "The Heavens And The Skies"
- Jah Prayzah: "Dande"
Compilations
- Women Care (2005) - "African Woman", "A Mother To Them All (African Woman 2)", "A Song For A Modern Woman"
- Putumayo Kids: African Dreamland (2008) - "Usacheme"
- Hear Globally: A Cumbancha Collection (2009) - "Vanorapa", "Woman of the Well"[23]
- Listen To The Banned(2010) - "Rebel Woman"
- Positive Generation (2011)[24] - "Galgal Hatzila (The Lifeline)" with David Broza and the Jimila Choir[25]
References
- ^ a b "Chiwoniso Maraire: Zimbabwe singer dies, 37". BBC News. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
- ^ Ropafadzi Mapimhidze, "Multimedia: A tribute to Chiwoniso Maraire", NewsDay, 26 July 2013.
- ^ Robin Denselow, "Chiwoniso obituary", The Guardian, 26 July 2013.
- ^ Nouveau Africana
- ^ a b Innocent Ruwende, "Chiwoniso Maraire Dies", The Herald (Zimbabwe), 24 July 2013, AllAfrica.
- ^ a b c d Jason Moyo, "Chiwoniso Maraire: The mbira falls silent", Mail & Guardian, 27 July 2013.
- ^ "A life to celebrate: Chiwoniso Maraire (1976 – 2013)" Archived 2013-09-18 at the Wayback Machine, Harare News, 25 July 2013.
- ^ Néo Géo Nova : le Live 25 ans de sono mondiale #42 : Chiwoniso & Vibe Culture en 1998 Radio Nova Podcast by Bintou Simporé Accessed online July 25, 2022
- ^ Zimbamoto Creative BC News Aug 14, 2021. Accessed online July 25, 2022
- ^ "Chiwoniso Official Website". Archived from the original on 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2007-03-02.
- ^ "Zvichapera, by Chiwoniso". Nyami Nyami Records. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
- ^ "Chiwoniso speaks out against police brutality in Zimbabwe", Zimbabwe Metro.
- ^ "Singer Chiwoniso Maraire dies aged 37", Archived 2013-07-26 at the Wayback Machine New Zimbabwe, 24 July 2013.
- ^ "Chiwoniso Maraire - African Musician Chiwoniso Maraire Dies", Contactmusic, 25 July 2013.
- ^ a b Tatenda Gumbo, "Zimbabweans Pay Tribute to Late Mbira Maestro Chiwoniso", VOA Zimbabwe, 25 July 2013.
- ^ Violet Gonda, "Zimbabwe mbira queen Chiwoniso Maraire dies", SW Radio Africa, 26 July 2013. Replaced dead link with a archived copy of the page via the Internet Archive ( Wayback machine) July 24, 2015
- ^ "Chiwoniso laid to rest amid family feud", The Herald (Zimbabwe), 30 July 2013.
- ^ Chiedza Brown Orbituary & Funeral Arrangements published by THREE MEN ON A BOAT · 19 SEPTEMBER, 2015. Accessed online December 14, 2015
- ^ Andy Brown's daughter commits suicide Sep 13, 2015 Published online by Nehanda Radio. Accessed Online September 26, 2015
- ^ Maraire, Brown families seek privacy over Chiedza's death September 15, 2015 in Arts & Culture, Life and Style, NewsDay ZW September 15, 2015. Accessed onlined September 26, 2015
- ^ In Memoriam: Chiedza Zvondiwe Brown, December 13, 1999 - September 12, 2015 posted by the Slay Memorial Funeral Center. Accessed online December 14, 2015
- ^ Written by Keith Farquharson & Chiwoniso, recorded in 2005/2007, mixed in 2012. Louis Mhlanga guitar, Sam Mataure drums, Ian Hillman bass, Chiwoniso mbira & hosho, Keith Farquharson on piano and all other keys and programming.
- ^ "Hear Globally".
- ^ "Positive Generation". Archived from the original on 2016-08-23.
- ^ "HIV, Aids documentary set for release".
External links
- Robin Denselow, "Chiwoniso obituary", The Guardian, 26 July 2013.
- Ropafadzi Mapimhidze, "Multimedia: A tribute to Chiwoniso Maraire", NewsDay, 26 July 2013.
- Violet Gonda, "Zimbabwe mbira queen Chiwoniso Maraire dies", SW Radio Africa, 26 July 2013. replaced dead link with an archived copy of the page via the Internet Archive ( Wayback machine) July 24, 2015
- Official website
- Silence Charumbira, "Chiwoniso: Mbira queen with unique voice", The Standard (Zimbabwe), 28 July 2013.
- Pamela Stitch, "Thank God It Is Friday", 18 November 2011.
- Rebel Woman. Sister-Fire: Chiwoniso Maraire (5 March 1976 – 24 July 2013). BlackLooks, 25 July 2013.
- Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, "A star has fallen", Books Live, 25 July 2013.
- "Feminist Chronicles: Diary 12: Chiwoniso Maraire". 14 January 2012.
- "Chiwoniso Maraire - Music in Zimbabwe" (2007 interview) on YouTube.