International Night Extravaganza
Members attending our night of African food, music and culture last week were privileged to hear and be entertained by a talented group of Christchurch based Zimbabweans.
Naison, Ezekiel, Victor and Shupayi shared with us various aspects of Zimbabwean history, music and culture plus some of their experiences on their personal journeys.
The evening started with a traditional Zimbabwean band playing a variety of music that reflected their journey to New Zealand as well as acknowledging where they had come from.
We then were treated to a traditional meal focussing on typical Zimbabwean food including their staple carbohydrate which is made from cornmeal. Various meats and accompanying vegetables was followed by dessert which was enjoyed by all.
During the meal we heard from two main speakers about their cultural history and experiences both in Zimbabwe and New Zealand.
These journeys included reflections as Zimbabwe gained Independence and changed from being a highly skilled and productive country that was once the bread basket of Africa to one where rising inflation and high unemployment became an ongoing challenge. This made their journeys a constant struggle and led to them deciding to move to New Zealand so their families could have a more settled life.
Zimbabweans as a people were described as being very productive wherever they choose to live and have an approach to life that has many parallels to Maori culture where being supportive of the wider family and culture is a real strength.
This was reflected on by Shupayi who talked about her involvement in a project in the place she grew up in which involved rebuilding a local playground she had enjoyed using as a child growing up.
In terms of life in New Zealand they have found that the typical Kiwi is very comfortable with people from other cultures which they especially appreciate.
They also live in hope that Zimbabwe will rise again in the future by placing the people first and using their resourcefulness to help the country once again become a strong contributor to the world economy by making the best use of its vast natural resources.
The evening ended with more conversation, music and some dancing with a few sprightly Club members trying their luck on the dance floor! Thanks to Verdi and his team for organising an informative and enjoyable event.