Chirikure Chirikure

BIO

Chirikure Chirikure is a talented and multi-award winning Zimbabwean poet, writer and musician. He is one of the pioneers of professional performance poetry in the country. He rose to prominence in the 1980s with his educative poems done in Shona and English languages. His first volume of poetry, Rukuvhute received honourable mention in the 1990 Noma Awards. He was a fellow in Germany under the DAAD Berliner Kunstlerprogramm (Artists in Berlin Programme) in 2011.

He started his poetry in the 1980 while he was still a student at the University of Zimbabwe. Chirikure is credited for popularising local poetry internationally. He had done eight audio recording and one such collaboration was with the late mbira queen Chiwoniso Maraire in Poetry with mbira music. His talent won him the curatorship of the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA). He has written more than three poetry books including Rukuvhute, Chamupupuri, Hakurarwi – We Shall not Sleep and Aussicht Auf Eigene Schatten (Shona and English poems with German translations).

Some of his music includes ‘Chisina Basa’ (Album of poetry with contemporary music) (2011), ‘Chimanimani’ (a duet he did with the late Chiwoniso Maraire – poetry with mbira music) (2011), ‘Napukeni’, (Album of mbira music and poetry) (2002), ‘Ray of Hope’ (a compilation album of AIDS awareness music: Contributed song/poem ‘Kuchaedza Chete’, with DeteMbira), ‘Mhakure and ‘Lizards for Fish’, a poetry on album ‘Ishago’ (2001). ‘Famba Zvakanaka’, (Compilation album: Contributed song/poetry ‘In the dark?’) (2005).

In 2014, he collaborated with ling time friend Albert Nyathi to produce a music album entitled ‘Connected’. The album explores various issues ranging from time management to water and electricity woes. It features original and innovative poetry delivered in Shona, Ndebele and English against a backdrop of guitars, penny whistles, percussion and harmonies. The eight-track album is based on cultural solidarity was put together in an effort to unite people from all corners of the country.