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Bangkok Post

The lion roars on

Musician and bandleader Thomas Mapfumo is 80 years old this month. The man, often dubbed the "Lion of Zimbabwe", is still hugely popular in his home country, despite having gone into exile and resettling in Oregon in 2000. Mapfumo also has a nickname in his native Shona language, Mukanya, the translation of which means pompous monkey; the name reflects Mapfumo's enormous influence and refers to his Chimurenga music (struggle), which was a key element in resisting the then British colonial government. Mapfumo was born in 1945, south of the Zimbabwean capital Harare, and for his first 10 years he lived a traditional, rural life. After his family moved to Mbare, a township in Harare, he began to explore traditional Shona music, especially the ngoma drum and the mbira (thumb piano or sanza), both of which would be later incorporated into his music. Interestingly, across Central Africa (from the Congo in the west to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in the east) various versions of the mbira were used in traditional music and the transcription of mbira music to the guitar helped create the amazing guitar style found in all those countries (think of past masters like Tanzanian Hukwe Zawose or Zimbabwe's own Stella Chiweshe). By the age of 16, Mapfumo had begun to work in bands as a singer -- the Zulu Brothers and Wagon Wheels were among some of bands he played in. He worked with fellow musical pioneers like Oliver Mtukudzi and in 1972 formed his own Hallelujah Chicken Run Band, which mainly played covers of US soul and rock'n'roll. But then he began to work with guitarist Jonah Sithole (and Joshua Dube), adapting Shona music to Western, electrified instruments and singing in Shona. Naturally, singing in Shona and using his own traditions was viewed poorly by the then white-minority government of Rhodesia (changed to Zimbabwe after independence). He was arrested and jailed in 1979 but large demonstrations and Mapfumo's insistence that he was just playing the music of his ancestors led to his release. Free elections were held in 1980 and he continued to criticise the government but in ways that were subtle. In 1989, he released Corruption, an album that included his most trenchant criticism of the Mugabe government. Perhaps it was lines like these that upset the authorities: "Corruption, corruption, corruption in the society … Nothing for nothing, something for something … that's the slogan for today." This particular song, in my view, remains one of the best popular anthems against corruption around. But Mapfumo's relentless musical fight against oppression and corruption -- he doesn't do love songs -- took its toil and as he was harassed and threatened he made the decision to leave for exile in the US. He returned to his home country, most notably after the fall of Mugabe in 2017. Mapfumo's legacy and influence are considerable. His chimurenga music directly influenced a new generation, especially young guitar-based outfits like The Bhundu Boys and their jit music. There are many albums and compilations of Mapfumo; first time listeners might like to dip into some of his early work. The Corruption album was released by Mango Records (then part of Island Records) as part of label boss Chris Blackwell's search for a star to replace the late global reggae star Bob Marley (the search is still on!). You can easily find the album online. Perhaps to coincide with Mapfumo's 80th birthday celebrations, Analog Africa has released a brilliant compilation (in all formats) Roots Rocking Zimbabwe – The Modern Sound Of Harare Townships 1975-1980, with the opening track Chiiko Chinotinetsa by Mapfumo (and his Acid Band). Roots Rocking showcases the creativity during the 1975-80 period in Harare as musicians added to a solid foundation of traditional music all kinds of eclectic sounds -- rock, rumba, mambo, Congolese guitars and anything else that worked. Also look out for another Zimbabwean superstar, Oliver Mtukudzi, whose music is as catchy and irresistible as Mapfumo and the Bhundu Boys. The compilation comes with a copy of Fred Zindi's seminal 1985 book Roots Rocking In Zimbabwe, which I managed to order from Zimbabwe many years ago. The compilation is worth it just for this wonderful slim volume. Corruption and the new compilation are available on Bandcamp. I have very fond memories of my interview with this fearless musical giant in Tokyo. As we met and shook hands, he smiled. "Just call me Brother Thomas," he said.