MUSIC REVIEW
The Green
ARROWS
and the Legacy of Jairos Jiri
Review by Donette Read Kruger
hroughout Zimbabwe joining forces with this talented, institutional
T
the name of “Jairos disabled guitarist, the trio expansion and the
Jiri” is a fl ame that formed Jairos Jiri Sunrise Kwela idea in the 1960s
burns brightly, the Kings, making enough money to that political
legacy of the late Mr Jairos support not only themselves, but control would
Jiri, one of Africa’s greatest to assist in funding The Jairos uplift Africans,
philanthropists. Unbeknown Jiri Association as well! As overshadowed
to many, the famous Manatsa music inevitably does, theirs Mr Jiri’s self-help
musicians of The Green Arrows transgressed the tribal confl ict philosophy.
were initially synonymous with between Shona and Ndebele!
The Jairos Jiri Association, In the 1980s and 1990s,
Mune Hangaiwa (In the forest
bringing hope to children and Mr Jiri’s activities started as disability advocates portrayed
there are guinea fowl – referring
adults with disabilities. a personal initiative to help the Association in terms of
to the military camoufl age of
Africans with disabilities, as charity rather than self-help, thus
the white Rhodesian soldiers) –
In what was then colonial early as 1945. In the 1950s underestimating the liberating
topped the charts for 17 weeks,
Rhodesia, during the 1950s, the he established a leather shop. role Jairos Jiri himself played
possibly the most successful
mining town of Mhangura gave This followed institutional prior to Independence. This
Chimurenga song in the history
birth to The Spring Mambo, expansion all over the country, article challenges the assumption
of Zimbabwe.
a duo comprising two gifted becoming part of a larger self- that the Jairos Jiri Association
Shona musicians, Stanley and help movement, characterized by is merely an institutional
Mwana Waenda, (Child where
Zexie Manatsa, but the bright independent African-controlled effort, devoid of the liberating
have you gone?) is another
lights beckoned and the brothers schools and black-run business philosophy of the disability
Chimurenga song, referring to
moved on. ventures. movement.
the young boys and girls who
slipped over the borders to
In Bulawayo, they found The period 1950-60 is The Green Arrows recently
Mozambique and Zambia to
accommodation alongside Mr characterized by Mr Jairos launched a 4-track recording
be trained as freedom fi ghters.
Jairos Jiri and his charitable Jiri’s effort to build African session of their previous works,
Without blatantly entering the
organisation, which still exists consciousness and the solicitation and I was privileged to review
political arena of white Rhodesia,
today, and there Stanley met a of fi nancial support for Africans this Gallo inlay which has taken
the Green Arrows subliminally
young Ndebele lad, Fanyana with disabilities. In this process, 3 years in the making, with the
supported those who were!
Dube, and taught him to play the fi nancial contributions from assistance of Mike Kafengwe,
the guitar. Shortly afterwards, non-Africans and from overseas, Rob Allingham, Banning Eyre,
In retrospect, had the various
Afhok Anand and Mrs Anand,
white governments of Rhodesia
Lufthansa and countless others.
enforced vernacular languages
(Reading their fascinating
as part of the schools curriculum,
history and seeing the historical
there might have been a greater
photographs in the 24-page cover
understanding between the black
sleeve is a must!)
and white nationals. But on the
other hand, many Chimurenga
My research kick-started at
songs may never have been
“Sanganai”, in the heart of
penned by some of Zimbabwe’s
London, UK. The joy and disbelief
greatest musicians including
of the listeners as the forgotten
Zexie blowing his pennywhistle
Afro-Rock of The Green Arrows
and the now late Stanley Manatsa
emulated last Friday evening
deftly fi nger-picking his precious
was a privilege to be part of! The
homemade box guitar.
majority of patrons were not yet
(Enquiries: ilka@ilkamedia.
teenagers when the Chimurenga
com)
P
(Liberation) song Musango
www.thepromota.co.uk THEPROMOTA | 49
ppromotamagazine_issue12.indd isabelle corrected.indd 49romotamagazine_issue12.indd isabelle corrected.indd 49 330/11/2007 21:50:510/11/2007 21:50:51
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