Zimbabwe: HIFA to have a fair French share
By Staff reporter – The Francophone community resident in Zimbabwe will this year enjoy a multi-flavoured HIFA celebration as the organizers have arranged with renowned francophone artists to perform at various HIFA venues in the capital.
This year’s French line-up will feature a mix of soul, folk, jazz and African rythms from Mali and Congo, hip hop and electro, with headliners Lokua Kanza, from Congo, Bibi Tanga & The Selenites from Paris and Boubacar Traoré from Mali courtesy of the French Embassy and The French Institute.
In a statement Alliance Francaise cultural and communications officer Jennie Loiseau said: “There is no better festival than HIFA to host one of the largest Arts gathering in Zimbabwe offering the “Crème de la crème” of local and international artists from music, theater, dance to visual arts and poetry. In the framework of its collaboration in the Festival, Alliance Francaise in Harare, The French Embassy and the French Institute are providing music lovers with a selection of outstanding musical offerings coming from French speaking countries.”
LOKUA KANZA
Lokua Kanza
Born Pascal Lokua Kanza in April 1958 in Bukavu in the province of Kivu, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, then called Zaïre. He will perform on Friday 29 April at the Telecel Main Stage. He was part of the 2006 HIFA entertainment entourage which left fans yelling for more, now he is back.
BIBITANGA AND THE SELENITES
Bibi Tanga and the Selenites
Born in Paris in 1969, Bienvenu (Bibi) Tanga didn’t see his homeland until the age of two, when his parents brought him home to Bangui, the dusty capital of the Central African Republic. Growing up, Bibi was one of ten children and spent his earliest years shuttling from Paris to Africa to Moscow to Washington, D.C. to Brooklyn, thanks to his father’s diplomatic postings. Now BIBI will be available for Zimbabwe’s music lovers on the 29th of April again at the Telecel Main Stage after performing for the Bulawayo fans on 27 of the same month in a feat organized by the Alliance Francaise, Bulawayo.
BOUBACAR TRAORE
Bouba Cartraore
Boubacar Traoré was born in Kayes, in 1942, in the Bambara region of Mali. His nickname, Kar Kar was given to him when he was the local school football (soccer) star. It means “the one who dribbles too much” in Bambara. Kar Kar is a self taught musician. He began to compose music at an early age, influenced by American blues and kassonké, a traditional music style from the Kayes region. He will
perfume on the Coca-Cola day Saturday 30 April at the 7 arts Theater.
Last year the French menu for HIFA featured Malian international jazz artist Salif Keita who left the crowd in tears of amusement.
This year’s theme of the HIFA edition is “The Engagement Party” which will feature some of the finest local artists like Winky D popularly known as the Bigman.
