The Woman Scream segment of the Sistaz Open Mic programme in partnership with One Billion Rising for Justice on Sat 8 March commemorated the International Women’s Day. As a festivalWomen Scream is celebrated in commemoration of the importance of women’s role in society, and also serves as a platform for talented poetess all over the world who collaborates inside and outside the movement. Woman Scream holds the important mission of using art and poetry with a social purpose: Sending messages of non-violence and injustice against women and girls.

The commemoration took place with sterling performers against backdrop of artwork by women visual artists Christine Ndoro, and Mercy Moyo, alongside fashion by Sabina Mutsvati.   The segment also featured some of Zimbabwe’s most prominent young women poets, male artists who work and support the musical productions of young women singers, and a rare performance of stand-up comedy by Kessia Magosha to a a lively audience of 150 people which filled the Book Café to capacity.

Visiting musician, singer, composer and music teacher Biddy Partridge who was visiting Zimbabwe after having lived here for 20 years up to 2000, performing with many women artists of Zimbabwe, said: “I loved the variety from Xapa with no holds barred, calling a spade a spade, to Batsirai’s “Warrior Woman, She”, and “The Phoenix” – a quiet and powerful dignity; amazing humour and courage of all the women – everybody took a risk in saying what they said, I was surprised.  In the UK I don’t think you would get away from saying some of those things!  I loved the way the audience supported everybody and the artists supported each other.  The women are rising, it’s just amazing, it’s powerful inspiring, an example to others.  Living in London, you don’t see that kind of power.  Lot of women in London think feminism means you can do whatever a man can do and yet they are getting abused in the same way, but they don’t speak out with this kind of power”.

The impact of this event has been drawn from the 2014 rising experience to send out a louder call for justice for women and girls as the year goes by especially in the arts industry of  Zimbabwe where the participation of women is trivialised yet they have a stronger voice to rise.

PARTICIPANTS & PARTNERSHIPS

Participants

Women comedians, poets, visual artists, fashion designers meet to celebrate just being women encouraging women to come together to celebrate triumphs over the so many difficulties they face. The artist who took part are: Sabina Mutsvati(Fashion Designer), Christine Ndoro(Visual Artist), Mercy Moyo(Visual Artist),Tinashe Tafirenyika(Poet), Sista Zai(Storyteller/Poet) Peggie Umind Shangwa(Poet), Batsirai E Chigama(Coordinator – Poet), Kessia Magosha(Comedian), Tarie Kay(Poet), Brezhnev Guveya(Mhanda Acoustics), Blessing Chimanga(Drummer/Musician), Roxanne “Xapa” Mathazia(Poet), Mangoma(Percussionist).

Partnerships

Pamberi Trust’s F.L.A.M.E(Female Literary Arts & Music Enterprise) and the Book Café for the venue.