Saturday, April 30, 2011
VODACOM MISS TZ YAZINDULIWA RASMI JIJINI DAR
Friday, April 29, 2011
ROOTS & CULTURE WITH JAH KIMBUTE
In 1986 Roots & Culture went on a tour to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana. The played three months in the club Blue Note in Gabarone. They played "roots music", not pure reggae but based in reggae. With the money they earned they could gradually buy their own instruments. They knew that owning your own instruments was the key to independence:
To be employed or work for a club owner in Tanzania for a composer or one who wants to make his own music is a problem because the owner of the tools will want you to play a certain type of music. He won't give you a chance to do research or just find youself. He wants you to play what is on the market. That what is happening with a lot of bands here. The musicians just become like..., they have to wait what is happening in DRC and becomes popular in Tanzania and then they have to play that.
The owners just want to make money. They are not interested in the music. Most of man is just destroyed by this type of operations. Some people start very vigilant. They have their own sound. But when the sponsor goes in now, he determines the terms. He wants that musician from somewhere to come and join the group. People become copycats to survive.
But of course independence also means you have to organize a lot yourself. That's not always easy:
We are making our own music. We are using our own tools. We are trying to organize our own concerts. If we don't organize our own concerts in town, nobody puts concerts.
Dar es Salaam is not a very good spot for reggae music. But I appreciate that when we organize concerts like in the drive in cinema, it's a lot of youths coming and they really cheer to my music and to the music in general. The musical movement here is a bit fucked up because there is no promotion company, there is no distribution company. There is nothing cultural more than the Indian dubbing your cassette and selling it. That's it.
So when you organize concerts in the drive in you fix up with companies to help supporting cooking, the arena, advertisment and so forth. Then we put together some equipment so that we can get a big sound system and play outside. Normally we try to charge very cheap like a thousand shillings per head so that a lot of people can come in.
So it's promotion for all the bands. Plus the crashers who jump over the wall and make the night become more interesting. (Kimbute laughs.) But otherwise there is nothing really good going on because the music organization or whatever they are not doing a commendable job. They are still into the old style.
You know in Tanzania music was just taken as propaganda, political. I wasn't for the benefit of the artist. Music was just to help the politicians before they held their speeches when they do their campains. So music was just for rule. The ruling party could bring up a truck and say "Your band must play a certain place tomorrow". They give you transport to go. But coming back you have to take care of yourself, you know. And it's like an order.
That is finished right now. Now we're coming to a bit of commersialization. But the commercialization system here is not a system. You have just to stop it. No sales of music. And implement slowly, start afresh.
What is killing things here is lack of copyright. If you don't have a link to any small company in Europe you can just die poor. You can never get your music outside the border, which is very bad. I don't know. It's hard to understand the policy of this country. No one is interested in investing in putting a good studio and having a company because there is no copyright law. And no one really cares much for Tanzanian musicians, because if you don't have a basic right from your own country it's really hard.
When asked when he first heard reggae Jah Kimbute answers:
The first time was in the seventies. I used to love reggae music and soul music. My father used to buy a lot of records, because they used to go out of Tanzania sometimes. We had many records with James Brown, John McRay, Jimmy Cliff. The first reggae I heard was Jimmy Cliff's music, then Johnny Nash. I loved Jimmy Cliff's music. "You can get it if you really want" was a kind of inspiration to me. I started to love Jimmy long time.
Then the time came when I was big enough I went to Europe, to Holland. The reggae scene was big in 1975. Bob Marley and the Wailers they promoted their LP Babylon by bus, I was in Holland at that time. I saw Black Uhuru first time in Germany. They were not big. We went to see them just lika any reggae band. Dread locks and so. But I just loved Michael Rose. Then I come to check Bob and that was another level. The I played music too in a band in Holland in the weekends. We started a group with some guys from Surinam, Trinidad and Jamaica. This was in 1979.
Jah Kimbute says this about his music today:
My music is black music. It has an influence of all black sounds....There is a line of jazz in my music to put more flesh on the music. You can get the soul feeling in my music. There is a traditional touch in my music. I just try to blend. I find it hard to come out with just something like... This is Tanzania and it should be like any popular style. Whatever tropical touch I put in the music that identifies with me. I'm not playing anything from outer space. There is inspiration from what I've been hearing. If I write a song I automatically have the bass line in my head.
We said it is something basically African to start the construction of music from the lower notes.
Yes, that's how I make my music. Then my song should fit on that bass line. It's the bass line and then some drumming. What come next is just some other instruments or some other type of music into my music. Bass, drums and percussion, if they are tight, that's basically what is music to me. Guitars, horns and keyboard is just some flesh. The bones of the music is bass and percussion.
Roots & Culture is primarily a live band and has just done a few recordings. Still they don't perform more than about 25 times in a year.
Booking: Roots and Culture Band
Contact: telephone +255(0)752240938
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Rais wa shirika la Under The Same Sun akiongea na watu wenye ulemavu wa ngozi leo
Mwenyekiti wa Chama cha watu wenye Ulemavu wa Ngozi Mkoani Mwanza,Alfred Kapole akizungumza wakati akifungua mkutano huo jioni ya leo.
Maafisa wa Shirika la UNDER THE SAME SUN kutoka jijini Dar wakibandika baadi ya picha ukumbini hapo.
Watoto wenye ulemavu wa ngozi ambao walihudhulia hafla mkutano kati ya Shirika la UNDER THE SAME SUN na watu wenye ulemavu wa ngozi.
Mwanalibeneke wa Libeneke la G. SENGO,Albert Sengo akiwa bize kuandika yaliyokuwa yakijiri ndani ya mkutano huo.
Mwanachuo kutoka Chuo cha Mt. Augustine,Monalisa Juma akichangia mawazo katika mkutano huo.
Mkalimani wa Lugha ya Alama kwa ajili ya watu wasiosikia,Jonathan Livingston akiwatafsiria baadhi ya watu waliohudhulia katika mkutano huo ambao walikuwa hawasikii.
Mkutano ukiendelea.
Mama wa Mtoto afahamikaye kwa Jina la Manyashi (kushoto) akiwa pamoja na mumewe (kati) wakifuatilia mkutano huo.
Baadhi ya wanahabari waliohudhulia mkutano huo.
Mambo yakiendelea ndani ya ukumbi wa Nyumbani Hoteli jijini Mwanza leo.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
HAWA NDIO WANAMICHEZO WANAOWANIA TUZO MWAKA 2011
Buriani Magadula Shelembi
Na Zitto Kabwe
Ni saa kumi na mbili asubuhi, mlango wa chumba changu unagongwa, kaka Zitto, kaka Zitto, ndivyo mama yangu Bi. Shida huita wanaye wote wa kiume. Naamka, mama ananiambia “Shelembi ametutoka”. Ni kama ndoto hivi maana ni jana yake tu nilitoka kuongea na Katibu wa CHADEMA wa mkoa kuhusiana na hali ya mwenyekiti wake ndugu Shelembi. Baada ya kuzungumza na Dkt. Molekwa wa Hospitali ya Mkoa wa Shinyanga, nilipata ahueni kwamba mpiganaji wetu atapata matibabu stahili. Mungu hakutaka. Shelembi ametangulia mbele ya haki. Kwa heri. CHADEMA imepoteza mwanachama mahiri, Kiongozi asiyeyumba na mwenye misimamo. Wananchi wa Shinyanga, Kata ya Ndala na wananchi wote wa Manispaa ya Shinyanga wamepoteza Diwani makini mwenye uwezo mkubwa wa kutetea maslahi ya wananchi wake. Familia imepoteza baba mwema aliyependa familia yake.
Taifa limepoteza mmoja wa waasisi wa Mfumo wa Vyama vingi ambapo miaka ya karibuni tumeshuhudia watu wengi waliokuwa wameanzisha vyama hivi vipya wakijiunga na CCM. Pia wengine kutoka CCM ama kwa kupenda sera za vyama vipya au kwa kutafuta fursa za kiuchaguzi wamejiunga na vyama vipya na hata chama chetu cha CHADEMA. Shelembi hakuyumba licha ya changamoto mbalimbali ndani ya chama ambapo wakati mwingine ilidhaniwa angeweza kukata tamaa na kuondoka kwenye chama. Alibaki muumini mkubwa wa chama chetu na hata kupoteza maisha yake akiwa Kiongozi wa chama kitaifa kama Mjumbe wa Kamati Kuu, Kimkoa kama Mwenyekiti wa chama Mkoa na Kiwilaya kama Diwani wa Manispaa ya Iringa. Huu ni usia mkubwa kwetu na hasa vijana kwamba tuwe na uvumilivu wa kisiasa.
Ndani ya chama chetu tulimwita mashine ya kusaga na kukoboa. Kiukweli yeye ndiye alianzisha jina hili wakati anagombea ujumbe wa Kamati Kuu mwaka 2009.
Uchaguzi ulikuwa mgumu sana, wanatakiwa wajumbe 3 tu wanaume Bara kati ya wagombea zaidi ya 20. Wasomi kama kina Dokta Kitila Mkumbo kutoka Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam na mwanazuoni mwenzake Prof. Mwesiga Baregu walikuwa katika kundi hili. Kulikuwa na wagombea kama Ndugu Msigwa ambaye sasa ni Mbunge wa Iringa Mjini na wengine wengi. Shelembi, mashine ya kusaga na kukoboa aliongoza katika kundi hili akifuatiwa na Baregu na Kitila Mkumbo. Hii ilionyesha mapenzi makubwa aliyokuwa nayo ndani ya chama chetu. Walioompenda na wasiompenda walimpa kura. Kila mjumbe alipenda misimamo yake kwa mambo aliyoyasimamia. Hakufinyanga maneno wala kumung’unya. Alisema alichoamini, jina hili lilimfaa kabisa.
Shelembi alikuwa tayari kubakia peke yake na msimamo wake hata kama kikao kizima kinampinga. Nakumbuka wakati tumekaa katika kikao cha Kamati Kuu Dodoma tukiwa na changamoto kubwa ya kumsimamisha aliyekuwa Makamu Mwenyekiti wa Chama Bara marehemu Chacha Wangwe, Ndugu Shelembi alisimama peke yake mpaka mwisho kupinga kusimamishwa kwa Wangwe. Nakumbuka alisimama na kusema kwa lugha yake ya kiswahili cha kisukuma “eeh, kumbe siasa ndio hivi, nimeogopa kabisa, yaani na wewe {akimtaja mmoja wa wajumbe} unakubali makamu asimamishwe wakati tulikuwa wote kupinga hili? Kwa kweli licha ya “tension” iliyokuwepo kikao kiliangua kicheko. Alikuwa na namna yake ya kuwasilisha hoja yake. Alikuwa mzungumzaji mzuri. Hakuogopa kusema mawazo yake. Alisimamia demokrasia ya kweli ndani ya vikao vya chama. Hili ni fundisho kwa wanaCHADEMA tuliobakia. Kuwa na misimamo bila kuathiri uhai wa chama. Kwamba tofauti ya mawazo ndiyo kushamiri kwa demokrasia.
Kuna watu walitaka kujaribu kutumia tofauti kadhaa za mawazo ndani ya chama kumfanya akiasi chama. Alikataa. Alikuwa mwanaCHADEMA kindakindaki. Alikipenda chama sio kinafiki, alichukia unafiki kwa maana ya kuuchukia. Alihakikisha chama kinajengwa katika mkoa wake na hata kutoa Wabunge wengi zaidi wa kuchaguliwa wa CHADEMA kuliko mkoa mwingine wowote Tanzania Bara, na kuufanya Mkoa wa Shinyanga kuwa Mkoa wa Pili kwa kutoa Wabunge wengi zaidi wa Upinzani. Shelembi alikuwa Kamanda Makini na Mahiri. Umetuachia changamoto ya kuendeleza ushindi wetu na kuhakikisha tunabeba majimbo yaliyobakia katika mkoa wa sasa wa Shinyanga ambao umegawanywa kutoa mikoa ya Simiyu na Geita. Ni Changamoto ambayo tupo tayari kuichukua. Tunaweza kama ulivyoweza Shelembi! Umeshatuwekea Msingi imara.
Ndugu Shelembi hakuwa Mwenyekiti wa Mkoa aliyepeleka mbele wapiganaji na yeye kubakia nyuma, hapana. Yeye mwenyewe aligombea jimbo la Shinyanga mjini na pia udiwani kata ya Ndala. Alishinda vyote. Akatangazwa mshindi kwenye udiwani, akapokonywa Ubunge. Kuna mkanganyiko wa kura alizopata, yeye alisema alitangazwa ameshindwa kwa tofauti ya kura moja, Mbunge wa Shinyanga Mjini ndugu Masele Stephen anasema hapana, ilikuwa ni tofauti ya asilimia moja. Hakukubali uchakachuaji huu wa haki yake. Alikwenda Mahakamani. Amefariki akiwa anapigania haki yake mahakamani. Nakumbuka mara ya mwisho nilikutana naye akiwa Dar es Salaam kumwona Wakili Mabere Marando kuhusiana na kesi. Alikuwa ana ari ya kuhakikisha anashinda kesi ili atangazwe kuwa Mbunge halali wa Shinyanga Mjini. Hii ni changamoto nyingine iliyo mbele yetu, kuhakikisha haki hii ya watu wa Shinyanga inalindwa. Kamanda Shelembi, umetangulia. Tutaifanya kazi hii. CHADEMA itaendeleza kazi hii. Chama chako ulichokipigania toka kianzishwe hakitakutupa.
Watu wa Shinyanga walimpenda Shelembi. Hakuwa na ukwasi. Ni mwananchi wa kawaida kabisa kabisa. Ninapoandika makala hii ya kumuaga, ninapata fahari ya mambo mawili. Moja kwamba ndani ya nchi yetu, bila kujali uwezo wa kifedha w mtu bado unaweza kuwa kiongozi. Mbili, kwamba ndani ya chama changu, mtu masikini kabisa na hohe hahe ana fursa ya kutekeleza haki yake ya kidemokrasia. Shelembi alikuwa ni mtu wa daraja la chini, hakuwa middle class, lakini aliweza kutumia haki yake ndani ya chama chetu. Inatia moyo kuwa bado misingi ya waasisi wa Taifa ipo.
Aliendesha kampeni zake za mwaka 2010 kwa michango ya wananchi. Nakumbuka nilipopita Shinyanga katika ziara yangu ya kunadi wagombea Ubunge, tulipata watu wengi katika mkutano. Kofia na mifuko ya Rambo ilipita mara baada kuzungumza. Michango ilikuwa ni ya shilingi 50, 100, 500 na 1000. Wananchi wa kawaida kabisa waliitikia wito wa kumchangia mafuta aweze kwenda mkutano wa Pili. Tulikusanya zaidi shilingi laki Sita na ushee ndani ya nusu saa tu. Jimbo pekee lililozidi Shinyanga Mjini ya Shelembi ni Jimbo la Sumbawanga Mjini ambapo tulikusanya shilingi Laki Nane na nusu. Shelembi, tangulia. Ulipendwa sio kwa mali zako bali kwa uwezo wako wa kutetea haki za watu wako.
Tuna majonzi tu kuwa hutaona wakati tunachukua Dola mwaka 2015. Naamini utatutumia salam huko ulipo. Nenda. Msalimu Chacha Rasta! Mwambie chama kipo imara. Harakati zinaendele
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
sherehe za miaka 47 ya Muungano wa Tanganyika na Zanzibar leo
Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano Dkt. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete
akiwasili na Mkuu wa Majeshi Jenerali Davies Mwamunyange