The ManicaPost
Friday Lessons with Sir Shelton Mwanyisa
Greetings learners, parents and guardians!
Welcome to your Visual and Performing Arts weekly lessons column brought to you by your favourite newspaper, The Manica Post.
Learners are expected to have an exercise book and a pen to write the work given as exercises.
Parents or guardians are encouraged to assist learners with special needs.
This week our topic is on pre-colonial theatre of Southern Africa.
You are expected to be able explain the importance of storytelling during pre-colonial era.
In our previous lesson we focused on pre-colonial man-made visual arts.
We focused on architecture, rock paintings, iron smithing, wooden, stone and iron sculptures, crafts and pottery.
You can add on to the list by researching further on pre-colonial man-made visual arts.
Let us now look at pre-colonial theatre.
The word theatre is used to refer to the activity of writing, performing or organising plays and performances.
You should take note of the fact that the same word is also used to refer to a place or building used for performing plays.
During the pre-colonial era, traditional communities engaged in various forms of theatre.
Theatre formed part and parcel of their culture.
Southern African communities practiced storytelling, song and dance.
Storytellers were skilled people, usually the elderly.
Stories were told during the evening after harvest.
The stories would be as real as possible.
The stage for storytelling was a natural home setting.
Several stories were told, including folk tales, tragedy, comedy and tragicomedy.
The messages behind stories were very important.
Before you go through, try to list three functions of storytelling and then compare with what we have.
Let us go through some of the functions of storytelling in pre-colonial Zimbabwe.
Outlining taboos
A taboo is an act that is socially unacceptable in a given culture.
Taboos were important because they were set to help people to be morally upright.
Children were taught to respect the environment and conserve resources.
Some taboos are still in practice today, for example marrying a relative, paying lobola in November and so on.
Entertainment
A common function of storytelling was to entertain the audience.
The verbal and non-verbal means of communication made stories more interesting and entertaining.
Character building
Stories were also told to change the way people think and behave.
In this way, stories helped in teaching, moulding and encouraging realistic thinking about different situations.
Language development
Part of storytelling was done to equip the young with specific language skills.
The young would acquire language competence through listening to stories.
Here, voice projection, diction, pace and volume was explored.
Passing on history
One way of keeping history and heritage alive was through story telling.
The people would know about their past through family stories handed down from generation to generation.
Here is a task for learners to complete.
Allow learners to discuss, use textbooks and online platforms to research.
(i) What is a taboo?
(ii) State two examples of taboos not mentioned in this lesson.
(iii) List three functions of storytelling?
(iv) Name two traditional ceremonies that formed traditional theatre.
(v) Who is a narrator in storytelling?
(vi) What is the main message in a story called?
Last week’s questions and answers are below:
(i) State two pre-colonial man-made heritage sites found in Zimbabwe. (Great Zimbabwe/ Khami monuments)
(ii) Which ethnic group is associated with wearing of masks? (Chewa of Malawi)
(iii) State four natural materials used to make artworks? (wood, clay, stones, reeds)
(iv) Name two artefacts found at the Great Zimbabwe monuments? (The Zimbabwe Bird, iron tools, candle stands, beads, glass)
(v) Which traditional artwork symbolises chieftainship? (knobkerrie)
(vi) What was an adze used for? (cutting trees)
(vii) Name any two animals depicted on rock paintings. (Kudu, impala)
(viii) Research and draw three types of traditional clay pots.(Hodzeko, hadyana, tsambakodzi).
