CHIKUNI RADIO TONGA ANNUAL MUSIC FESTIVAL (Since 2000) 6 and 7 September, 2013 Chikuni Community Radio Station proudly announces the hosting of the 12th Tonga Music Festival slated for 6th and 7th September 2013 with preparations reaching an advanced stage. The Tonga Music Festival is held at Chikuni Radio Concert Arena 34km southeast of Monze, Southern Province. Over 90 bands will this year show case their talent in various categories of Tonga Traditional music at the main arena at Chikuni Community Radio Station The concert was initiated for the purpose of reviving, promoting and preserving Tonga traditional music and dance. Over the past 11 years, the music festival has grown, attracting many traditional bands as well as corporate institutions and business houses who contribute to the successful hosting of this important event in the country. For many years now, 12 categories of traditional music have been exhibited as set out by the organizing team of the Festival. But over the years more truly traditional and almost extinct music style have come up and are being revived owing to the value the people have placed in the festival. For Chikuni Radio, it is a sign of ownership and the people have come to appreciate the role of the Radio Station in bringing back a way of life that adds value to the people’s daily living. Musicians no longer just come to perform, but are trained on the cultural and musical values of the Tonga as well as general lifestyle. This is has led to improved performances and deliveries from the participating groups. The Sakala Brothers and Mukanzubo Kalinda Research Institute have helped in the training which has raised the standards of the Festival. Over the years, there are groups which have been categorized as "Mature" and they no longer compete but provide entertainment to the concert revelers during the two day event. We have groups like Mashombe Blue Jeans, Green Mamba and Gonde Cultural Ensemble. Chikuni Radio promises yet another showcase of authentic traditional Tonga music. The Traditional Tonga Music Festival! The greatest tragedy for Tonga culture is the fact that there is no proper custodian for it where all the young could look up to. As evidenced in the last three years, the young are now beginning to learn and appreciate the Tonga culture. A fifteen-year-old boy scooped first prize in the Kuyabila category, which is mainly performed by elderly people. The boy also went further to represent the country under the Music Crossroads Southern Africa in Malawi. Every culture in the world has a musical tradition, and nature and environment is an intrinsic part of it. While music exists in every human society, its meaning and place is culturally determined and the function of music also differs from culture to culture. Differences in techniques, instruments, languages, form, and again, environment have yielded a wealth of musical styles. If a culture is to remain the driving force of any kind of society, something has to be done to safeguard against its erosion by foreign cultures or just simple "loss of memory". Music is often an important component of religion, ritual, celebration, work, play, and politics. It can also help to create and reinforce boundaries of community and identity, and serves as a means to social expression that gives rise to emotions, to memories, and to pleasures. This concert explores the power of music to transform our lives. Music provides a link with the past. It both preserves culture and helps to establish and maintain identity based on historical accounts and records. Through the performance of music, memory of heritage and culture are celebrated in ways that relate vitally to the present. The Radio Chikuni Concert examines music as a continuum - reconstructed and modified but, connective between the past and present. The Challenges for The 12th Music Festival From the humble beginnings of a one meter stage to a properly and permanent structured stage, the Tonga Music Festival has seen an overwhelming increase in both participants and spectators. From about 20 artistes to about 100 as of 2010; people that have come to appreciate and witness the great Tonga music have increased from mere hundreds to more than 9,000 as of 2010. With these increases, it definitely calls for an improvement in infrastructure and equipment. Critical areas for this year’s festival: Water and Sanitation: there is a great need for running water with widely spaced water points, and also increasing the number of toilets. Currently, there is just one hand pump and 6 VIP toilets. Raising K175, 000, 000= to successfully host and manage the event. (Accommodation, Meals, Trainings, Prizes, Professional Fees, Publicity, Live Broadcast, Equipment, etc) Today the Chikuni Tonga Concert is not just a mere gathering of local musicians, but a show that is promoting the Tonga culture through music. The show has also improved the livelihood of the musicians themselves, lowered some vices among the community members and has advocated for social change, eliminated some unjust activities and brought harmony among the various peoples of not only Chikuni but the rest of the country and Africa in general. In BaTonga culture, music plays a significant role in the lives of both an individual and community. It provides not only a mode for personal expression but also a means of communication between members of the community that will promote unity, cultivate wisdom and inculcate knowledge. This will then keep the Tonga community alive. The concert provides a rare opportunity to pass on the Tonga heritage verbally and visually to thousands of onlookers. People are able to see the traditional instruments as well as the traditional styles of music. They are also enlightened on which occasion such music was performed and the significance of it. Why Should You Be A Part Of The Tonga Music Festival? The media, in any country, plays a critical role of disseminating information to the masses to help them make informed decisions in various spheres of their livelihoods. The media uses its threefold role of informing, educating, and entertaining the masses to reach to their various needs. We would therefore, appreciate your coverage of this year’s event because we know that you appeal to thousands of Zambians. All the concert activities are recorded for preservation and later release on tapes, CDs or DVDs for sale to the masses to support the artistes that composed and performed the music. We also have a visual recording of the best groups during the event for sale and exhibition to those that might have missed the show or would be interested in Tonga Music and culture. The proceeds from the sales are mainly for the recovery of the production costs. Sponsorship Benefits: Pre & Post- event promotions will reach over 500,000 people through extensive media, online coverage, and grassroots promotions over the course of 3 months. Sponsors will be recognized in the festival’s promotional materials, media, banner signage, visibility on location, and vendor booths to interact with attendees. Sponsors for Tonga Festival 2012 will enjoy, dependent on sponsorship value: ♦ Exclusive rights in your industry category ♦ Company logo on all festival promotional/advertisement items: ♦ Company banner (provided by sponsor) prominently displayed at main stage and festival entrance ♦ Table space at prime location for company staff at festival ♦ MC announcements about the sponsor throughout the two-day festival ♦ 5 minute Sponsor presentation opportunity at prime time slot within the festival Chikuni Community Radio Station, 0979050299/0965050299 chikuniradio.org chikuniradio@gmail
Posted on: Fri, 05 Jul 2013 08:22:00 +0000