DANDE Journal of Social Sciences and Communication, 2017
The study reconnoitred elements of performance that are found at Korekore funerals. The purpose o... more The study reconnoitred elements of performance that are found at Korekore funerals. The purpose of the study was to revisit indigenous performance practices and elaborate elements of performance that are embodied within. Korekore funerals of Guruve district, Zimbabwe were used as a case study in this article. The paper argues that Korekore funerals demonstrate the use of theatre elements where space, actors, stagecraft and improvisation are key to a ‘Kunemera Mufi’ production. We argue that the ‘Kunemera Mufi’ at a typical Korekore funeral demonstrate the fact that theatre has always existed among the indigenous African people well before the first Whiteman came to Africa. Theatre was and remains part of the everyday activities among the Korekore, not only at funerals but also in other everyday chores such as hunting, work, child games, rites of passages, rituals and ceremonies. Thus, the paper argues against the Eurocentric definition of theatre or performance by elaborating the el...
The paper explores masculinity and / or femininity and their relationship to the prevalence of HI... more The paper explores masculinity and / or femininity and their relationship to the prevalence of HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe. The paper implicates both masculinity and femininity as accomplices in spreading HIV and AIDS.  The purpose of the paper is to highlight the growing concern that cultural practices contribute to the prevalence of HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe and beyond. The paper further argues that whereas the masculine (male or female) may impose themselves on the feminine (female or male), the latter also contributes to the prevalence of HIV and AIDS by willingly accepting the imposition as a societal ‘norm’ or value to use Taylor’s (2003) theory of scenarios. The unquestioned acceptance of the masculine’s demands becomes the norm or scenario that should be viewed as ‘natural’ by both the hegemonic masculine and the subaltern feminine in a relationship. To carry out the study, a case study design was adopted as the operational framework for data gathering. Data was col...
The paper examines the role of community participation in fighting gender based violence (GBV) th... more The paper examines the role of community participation in fighting gender based violence (GBV) through radio drama interventions. The Purpose of the study was to unpack community participation in efforts to eradicate gender based violence. Gender based violence especially against women has become epidemic in Zimbabwe and has destroyed homes and communities. The research is drawing its attention to radio, as radio allows listeners the freedom to listen, imagine, feel, critically think and consciously or unconsciously dialogue. A case study design was adopted as the operational framework for data gathering. Data was collected through Savannah Trust gender based violence radio drama intervention titled Remembering Maiguru Mai Reward. Savannah Trust with support from the Culture Fund and the Swedish Embassy came up with a seven-episode radio drama programme that sought to raise awareness and dialogue on issues of GBV on Star FM radio station. It then hosted panel discussions and live ph...
This chapter interrogates Amakhosi Theatre Productions’ (ATP) training and development programmes... more This chapter interrogates Amakhosi Theatre Productions’ (ATP) training and development programmes in post-independence Zimbabwe. It traces and highlights the development and epistemological thrust of Amakhosi Performing Arts Workshop (APAW) vis-a-vis alternative theatre practice in Bulawayo and Zimbabwe. We argue that ATPs’ training programmes in Makokoba Township played an influential role in shaping the performance styles and content emerging from the townships. We view Amakhosi Theatre Productions’ training programme as an alternative strategy to the residual colonial institutionalised training models emerging in the country’s universities. We argue that ATP’s APAW has introduced a syncretic performance style that has positive pedagogical and epistemological implications if adopted as a model at higher educational institutions as part of their ongoing curriculum review processes.
Participation has now become an established orthodoxy in theatre and development thinking and pra... more Participation has now become an established orthodoxy in theatre and development thinking and practice. But what exactly is it and how best it should be pursued in community development remains the question. This study examined the role of participation in community theatre for development interventions in Zimbabwe drawing from the Wadzanayi community as a case study. A number of paradigms of participation were explored in the search for a better and more effective model that prioritises the community. Among these paradigms, transformative participation proved to be more people centred as compared to other paradigms where participation was goal centred and donor driven. The study acknowledged that even though practitioners are striving to achieve transformative development they constantly fall in the trap of holding back power and control from the local people who are the primary stakeholders. The research also examined the monitoring and evaluation process and how participation was framed in and through live performance. The research concludes that community participation in theatre for development interventions takes on different forms at different stages of the project cycle, resulting in participation being handled differently at various stages.
DANDE Journal of Social Sciences and Communication, 2017
The study reconnoitred elements of performance that are found at Korekore funerals. The purpose o... more The study reconnoitred elements of performance that are found at Korekore funerals. The purpose of the study was to revisit indigenous performance practices and elaborate elements of performance that are embodied within. Korekore funerals of Guruve district, Zimbabwe were used as a case study in this article. The paper argues that Korekore funerals demonstrate the use of theatre elements where space, actors, stagecraft and improvisation are key to a ‘Kunemera Mufi’ production. We argue that the ‘Kunemera Mufi’ at a typical Korekore funeral demonstrate the fact that theatre has always existed among the indigenous African people well before the first Whiteman came to Africa. Theatre was and remains part of the everyday activities among the Korekore, not only at funerals but also in other everyday chores such as hunting, work, child games, rites of passages, rituals and ceremonies. Thus, the paper argues against the Eurocentric definition of theatre or performance by elaborating the el...
The paper explores masculinity and / or femininity and their relationship to the prevalence of HI... more The paper explores masculinity and / or femininity and their relationship to the prevalence of HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe. The paper implicates both masculinity and femininity as accomplices in spreading HIV and AIDS.  The purpose of the paper is to highlight the growing concern that cultural practices contribute to the prevalence of HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe and beyond. The paper further argues that whereas the masculine (male or female) may impose themselves on the feminine (female or male), the latter also contributes to the prevalence of HIV and AIDS by willingly accepting the imposition as a societal ‘norm’ or value to use Taylor’s (2003) theory of scenarios. The unquestioned acceptance of the masculine’s demands becomes the norm or scenario that should be viewed as ‘natural’ by both the hegemonic masculine and the subaltern feminine in a relationship. To carry out the study, a case study design was adopted as the operational framework for data gathering. Data was col...
The paper examines the role of community participation in fighting gender based violence (GBV) th... more The paper examines the role of community participation in fighting gender based violence (GBV) through radio drama interventions. The Purpose of the study was to unpack community participation in efforts to eradicate gender based violence. Gender based violence especially against women has become epidemic in Zimbabwe and has destroyed homes and communities. The research is drawing its attention to radio, as radio allows listeners the freedom to listen, imagine, feel, critically think and consciously or unconsciously dialogue. A case study design was adopted as the operational framework for data gathering. Data was collected through Savannah Trust gender based violence radio drama intervention titled Remembering Maiguru Mai Reward. Savannah Trust with support from the Culture Fund and the Swedish Embassy came up with a seven-episode radio drama programme that sought to raise awareness and dialogue on issues of GBV on Star FM radio station. It then hosted panel discussions and live ph...
This chapter interrogates Amakhosi Theatre Productions’ (ATP) training and development programmes... more This chapter interrogates Amakhosi Theatre Productions’ (ATP) training and development programmes in post-independence Zimbabwe. It traces and highlights the development and epistemological thrust of Amakhosi Performing Arts Workshop (APAW) vis-a-vis alternative theatre practice in Bulawayo and Zimbabwe. We argue that ATPs’ training programmes in Makokoba Township played an influential role in shaping the performance styles and content emerging from the townships. We view Amakhosi Theatre Productions’ training programme as an alternative strategy to the residual colonial institutionalised training models emerging in the country’s universities. We argue that ATP’s APAW has introduced a syncretic performance style that has positive pedagogical and epistemological implications if adopted as a model at higher educational institutions as part of their ongoing curriculum review processes.
Participation has now become an established orthodoxy in theatre and development thinking and pra... more Participation has now become an established orthodoxy in theatre and development thinking and practice. But what exactly is it and how best it should be pursued in community development remains the question. This study examined the role of participation in community theatre for development interventions in Zimbabwe drawing from the Wadzanayi community as a case study. A number of paradigms of participation were explored in the search for a better and more effective model that prioritises the community. Among these paradigms, transformative participation proved to be more people centred as compared to other paradigms where participation was goal centred and donor driven. The study acknowledged that even though practitioners are striving to achieve transformative development they constantly fall in the trap of holding back power and control from the local people who are the primary stakeholders. The research also examined the monitoring and evaluation process and how participation was framed in and through live performance. The research concludes that community participation in theatre for development interventions takes on different forms at different stages of the project cycle, resulting in participation being handled differently at various stages.
Uploads
Papers by Julia Yule