H-Metro
Trust Khosa
VIRGINIA Mukwesha, the daughter of the late mbira queen, Mbuya Stella Chiweshe, says life will never be the same without her.
Mbuya Chiweshe succumbed to brain tumour on January 20 aged 76.
She was buried the traditional way at her arts centre in Masembura, Bindura.
Virginia, a mbira player in her own right with seven albums, has vowed to keep Mbuya Chiweshe’s legacy alive.
She, however, conceded she was yet to heal after losing her mother and mentor.
Speaking to H-Metro from her base in Königstein, about 20 minutes’ drive from Frankfurt, Germany, the 57-year-old said she still misses her mother.
“I still miss talking to her. We both enjoyed the long phone calls we had every Saturday.
“The shortest ones lasted two hours and the longest ones up to five hours.
“Sometimes, she would sing vachiti ndidairewo rumbo rwangu. I am still processing the loss,” she said.
To ease her sorrows and get more closure, Virginia is set to return home.
“I will be there end of next month. Ndichamboti garei kusvika first week of July.
“I am coming to spruce up my Goromonzi home ndichimbozorodza pfungwa,” she said.
Music wise, she told H-Metro that she had cancelled long tours.
“I don’t do long tours anymore; I only perform when I’m invited.
“My mother has been performing solo acts for the last few years.
“She said that rehearsing with the band consumed too much energy because she was getting old. I follow her example and perform solo.
“My last performance was in September last year, one month before my mother was admitted to hospital.
“It was at a women’s centre.
‘‘It was an incredible feeling, like travelling into space, and the audience was floating with me.”
Virginia, who is still mourning her mother, believes she will soon get the strength to resume live shows.
“My next concert is on the 13th July at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin. It’s a series of concerts and a slot will be reserved in memory of my mother, to honour her.
“She used to perform at this festival. I have been approached by the German promoters,” she said.
She added: “To date, I have seven albums. The first one was released in 1993 and was number four in the World Music charts at that time.
“I can’t really remember the years all the albums got released because I didn’t focus on music like my mother did.
“I had a full-time job. I will need time to figure that out,” she added.
Virginia said she was in love with her culture and she would certainly follow her mother’s teachings.
She will also compile a book chronicling Mbuya Chiweshe special moments.
