Hope Masike’s book tour will be launched at Pikicha Galley at Helensvale Shopping Centre this Sunday the 10th of September from 4pm to 5pm and all her book tour events shall be free for all.
Masike, songstress and mbira musician marked the beginning of the month of September with the announcement of a nationwide book tour.
In the first of it’s kind book tour, the Harare-based musician cum author will bring her poetry readings, book signings and her signature mbira music to several provinces of the country including Bulawayo, Manicaland and Harare.
‘Ask Me Again’, ‘Dzevabvazera’ and her latest offering ‘Die with me’ poetry books published so far shall be celebrated during her tour.
The tour, launched this Sunday the 10th of September consides with Masike celebrating her birthday.
The launch event will be in collaboration with a platform called Dedication, the art and culture venue called Emagumeni that houses Pikicha Gallery, and Hope Masike’s official Harare and Vic Falls distributor called House of Books Zim.
As the launch event shall include her music and her poetry, it shall also include a pleasant birthday surprise for her fans in the form of her first ever art exhibition comprising paintings from her body works themed ‘Mbira Yangu’.
“I am celebrating my birthday this year uniquely by thanking God for the wonderful gift of Art He entrusted with me.
This year I am going the whole nine yards: the usual mbira music, my poetry and for the first time, my visual art work too.
I have been working on these paintings for years now.
They are themed ‘Mbira Yangu’, my visual interpretation of my heritage”, Masike said.
Pikicha Gallery curator, Tamuka Devane said, “We are inviting art lovers to come experience Hope in her element as she mashes up poetry, music and painting in her unique inimitable style.
Hope’s Book Tour launch will start at 4pm this Sunday at Pikicha Gallery.
As the tour proceeds to other cities, her art exhibition will be running at Pikicha Gallery up to October 10″.
In Manicaland Hope Masike is billed to visit some of Mutare’s renowned tertiary academic institutions on Friday the 15th of September.
The next leg of the tour will be at Heaven Lodge in Chimanimani, where Masike will perform her poems and music in collaboration with Mbiravolution and Chimanimani based mbira virtuoso Hector Mungani on the 16th.
She finishes off that weekend performing for revellers in Vumba at popular joint Tony’s Cakes on Sunday the 17th.
The tour will then proceed to Midlands where Hope Masike is expected to visit Midlands State University on Wednesday the 27th of September to give a talk to students in the humanities department.
The following day, Thursday the 28th, she will then give a public performance at Gweru Memorial Library in collaboration with Own your words, Gweru’s top book club.
The last leg of the tour shall be Bulawayo Province, where Masike will perform for book lovers and music lovers alike at Alliance Francaise de Bulawayo in the afternoon of Saturday the 30th.
This book tour closing event shall be in partnership with the vibrant Bulawayo Book Club and Masike’s official book distributor in Bulawayo, The Orange Elephant.
“I am very excited to be able to celebrate the reading and writing culture with different audiences from different parts of Zimbabwe.
Because of this, I am looking forward to travel to new places, meeting new faces, seeing more of Zimbabwe’s and as well as celebrating my books and African literature at large with both book lovers, poetry lovers and mbira music lovers”, said Masike.
The tour begins this Sunday the 10th September with a book tour launch event at Pikicha Gallery, Helensvale Shopping Centre.
