KLOOF resident and musician, Michael Chiwese is on a musical mission to encourage and showcase indigenous African musical instruments.
Chiwese is a proud mbira artist, a traditional Shona instrument that is indigenous to Zimbabwe.
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He started playing the mbira in 1992 and, without a teacher or guidance, he managed to teach himself how to play from his friends’ instruments before he was able to make his own.
Chiwese said his passion for music pushed him to learn and improve his musical abilities.
“As an African, I want to embrace my culture and showcase traditional music,” he said.
The 39-year-old musician started singing in the school choir and he later became a choir director.
“Singing has always been in me. I later discovered that my father was musical too and had great knowledge of traditional music and instruments,” he said.
According Chiwese, music has a special way of changing every situation for the better.
The proud father and husband is forever creating and makes music a family affair as his children are members of their school choirs and share his passion for musical instruments. Every Sunday he releases gospel compilations on his Youtube channel, Pfumela Music.
He also enjoys teaching people, mainly children, how to play musical instruments. Chiwese admitted his disappointment at how African children show little interest in traditional instruments and are more eager to learn western instruments.
Chiwese, who goes by the stage name Pfumela, released his first song in June this year. The song’s title, Kandiro, is a phrase that is taken from a Shona proverb.
This debut song is available on streaming platforms and on his Youtube page.
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