photograph by kali van der merwe
Dingiswayo Juma hails from Harare, Zimbabwe. Born in 1981 into a musical family, he was inspired to play the mbira (thumb piano) by his Shona grandmother and mother who both played professionally as recording artists and pungwes. His father is a renowned hosho or rattle player. Dingiswayo began to play mbira dzavadzimu and nyunga nyunga (kalimba) when he was eight years old. At the age of 15 he was playing traditional mbira music professionally at all night functions in the city and rural areas across Zimbabwe. At nineteen he started playing other traditional instruments, the marimba (african xylophone) and ngoma, (zimbabwean drum). Dingiswayo has also mastered the art of crafting quality and personalised mbira dzavadzimu and nyunga nyunga.
Dingiswayo has performed at major events in Zimbabwe such as the UN Artists Against Poverty Awareness Campaign and in 2000 with the Kunzwana Mbira Group. He has also performed with the internationally acclaimed Mbira Queen, Ambuya Stella Chiweshe and the legendary Mbira master Ephat Mujuru. In South Africa, Dingiswayo has performed with the Zaranyika Mbira Maestros, with Ayanda Holo's marimba group and had numerous solo performances.
As a teacher, Dingiswayo has taught the mbira, traditional dance and drums professionally at Prince Edward International High school in Harare, Zimbabwe. He has also facilitated workshops in mbira dzavadzimu, kalimba, percussion, drums, singing and dancing in Zimbabwe and at Marimba House in the Free State, South Africa in 2004 and 2005. He teaches in both Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Dingiswayo is now based in Cape Town, South Africa where he performs as a soloist and with various groups. He learnt West African djembe drumming in South Africa with Ghanaian Master Drummers, Atsu Dagadu Nicholas Kotei Djane and Eugene Ansah. Dingiswayo leads drum facilitation and African music workshops.
Dingiswayo has recorded three CDs:
Shamu Yapasi with the Kunzwana Mbira group in 2000,
Zaranyika Maestros in 2003 and
Dingiswayo's solo album which is his latest release and is currently available
Hearing Dingiswayo's music, one can not help but be hypnotized by his truly beautiful sounds and spirit.
Xenophobia Unplugged
Dingiswayo took part in the documentary Xenophobia Unplugged
In response to the xenophobic violence that spread across South Africa in May 2008, this documentary directed and produced by Sarah Van Borek, explores the roots of the situation through the perspective of musicians from across the African diaspora who have adopted South Africa as their home. They speak of engaging citizens globally in ‘creative conversation’ on issues of migration, multiculturalism and the role of the artist to promote cross-cultural understanding--issues which affect us all in our diverse local and international communities.
Dingiswayo spreads a message of unity through diversity. He wishes South Africans could see for themselves the true wealth of diverse human resources right in their own nation.
Multicultural-isms and the role of musicians in contemporary South Africa
Length: 6 min 49 sec
License: Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives (by-nc-nd)
Year of Production: 2008
Director: Sarah Van Borek
Producer: Sarah Van Borek
if you don't see the video properly click on this link