SPOTLIGHT: I have always found Hope Masike very bold. What she puts out as her craft, and how she does it. Her poetry, from the entire collection of Dzevabvazera and the latest performance of one of her popular poems from the book, Ndimutsewo Zvakanaka , tackles issues that the Zimbabwean society is not very comfortable talking about in the open. And in making Shona her medium of communication, she pushes the boundaries. 

I find Shona a language with no middle ground, no softness, what you hear is what it is. Even the euphemisms, like when she talks about the “tsvimbo” hit you between the eyes. You want to listen to it more, but you don’t want to be caught listening to it. It’s like a guilty pleasure. 

The language choice allows a deeper appreciation of the Shona culture and beliefs, embedded in the language and her settings and visuals match that. 

The opening vocals of the offering, the gorgeous visuals, strums of the mbira and Hope’s voices rolling into your eyes like warm honey hypnotize you till the very end of the piece and leave you wanting more.

The words at the end ‘Mutsanai Zvakanaka Mumba Umo’ speaks on intimacy, or rather the lack of it in some homes, some relationships. 

In her telling her lover how she wants to be loved, she also promotes being vocal about how one wants to be loved and sexually handled, because oftentimes, if there is no communication about this, resentment and frustration fester, eventually breaking down relationships .