POVOAfrika Trust, presents its latest project Mbuya Nehanda Re-imagined, a collection of curated essays, academic articles, drawings, photographs, short stories, poetry, music, paintings, prints and other depictions of Mbuya Nehanda.

Mbuya Nehanda reimagined is an attempt to write back into Zimbabwean modern memory one of the most influential female protagonists.

Charwe Nyakasikana, the spirit medium of Mbuya Nehanda is a prominent female voice in history, often lionized for her unwavering political fervour, and cast as a central figure in a national narrative that privileges her as one of the de-facto protagonists of anti-colonial Zimbabwean history.

This anthology weaves through a delicate tapestry of historical accounts of Charwe Nyakasikana’s story through generations, who from hindsight reflect on hagiographies mounted in the medium’s name to re-imagine the part she played in fostering a now contested national identity.

Contemporary mediums of expression are not only necessary to capture the hearts and minds of the younger generation but also give them the agency to reimagine the legend of Mbuya Nehanda, to carve a new niche for themselves using the spiritual realm as a frame of reference.

From this milieu, the ever-present link between past and present is re-evaluated, interrogated and repurposed to fit the aspirations of a new generation, without overestimating the role she played nor diminishing it for a narrow agenda.

POVOAfrika Trust is Zimbabwe’s leading platform for amplifying voices denied access to mainstream media. We empower marginalized people to articulate themselves through the most relevant tools and creative techniques to tell the most compelling stories. Our organization is at the forefront of promoting new insights and collaboration amongst creatives in the arts, culture and sustainable development space.