Shumba

Thomas Mapfumo | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Earthworks [Virgin]
• ASIN: B00000DDEC
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #477,500 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #88 in Music > World Music > Africa > Zimbabwe

Track Listings

1. Shumba [Lion Dub]

2. Taireva [We Used to Say]

3. Nzwananai [Have Mutual Understanding]

4. Mhondoro [Spirit Lion]

5. Dangurangu [First Born Son]

6. Joyce

7. Zimbabwe Yevatema [Black Man's Zimbabwe]

8. Mabasa [Work da Video Edit]

9. Hwahwa (Beer Barrel Polka)

10. Pachinyakare [Long Ago]

11. Butsu Mutandarika [Long Oversized Shoe]

12. Nyarai [Be Ashamed]

Editorial Reviews

From the originator and undisputed master of the chimurenga style comes this album, essentially a greatest hits album of sorts. The songs highlight primarily the period from immediately prior to Zimbabwe's independence in 1980 through the middle of the decade. They are all dealing with topics of the revolution and reconstruction. The album starts off with an exhortation to the farmer and a nostalgic piece reminiscing about the days of old when people chanted and played mbira for spirituality. These are followed by an exhortation for Pan-Africanism of sorts, to end the infighting of a power vacuum after a revolution. Songs celebrating the strength of Zimbabwe and her people fill the rest of the album, along with a couple more exhortations to build a better future, and a pair of slightly more humorous songs dealing with the perils of beer and oversized shoes. Nestled into the middle of the album is a prize, Dangurangu, which displays the transition from mbira to guitar in all its complexity and glory, as well as the masterful yodeling of Mapfumo. The various albums of Mapfumo with the Blacks Unlimited are all worthwhile listens in their own rights, and as such this album is no different. However, for a newcomer to chimurenga, this wouldn't make a bad starting point, as it shows off some of the most important and/or best performed works by the master along its course. A solid album throughout.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fambe zvanaka, April 30, 2000

By 

"[e-mail]" (Maslacq, France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shumba (Audio CD)

It is about 20 years now since Mapfumo released Shumba as an apology to his people for ostensibly collaborating with the Smith-Muzorewa attempt to hood-wink Zimbabweans into ending their struggle for freedom. As an introduction to Zimbabwean rhythms it is a must for any westerner wishing to understand the adaptation of the mbira sound to a wider audience. Incorporating infinite melodic variations around a central theme (if you listen, you will hear the Irish in it) and those tantalising African rhythms you will have to go a long way to find a better initiation into the spirit.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Old Mapfumo, May 22, 2002

By 

Tafadzwa Antony Chidembo (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shumba (Audio CD)

These are as i always like to say, Mapfumo's best years. Although before this album he was singing praise for the Smith-Muzorewa government' his music was still good. I loved this album when it came out and i still have the "LP", original vinyl from this age( I can't play it though coz i don't have a record player) but definately a gem. Five star material!!!!

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars gudo haridye husiku, November 30, 2003

By 

samaita1st (uk) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shumba (Audio CD)

Gudo haridye husiku means the baboon does not feed at night, simply meaning that it has all the time to do anything in broad day light when everyone can see.Thomas Mapfumo " Mukanya" owes his totem to a baboon and has done everything with his music to show the light. He is an icon and has never collaborated with any politician but has arranged his music according to the different eras of our life in Zimbabwe. You need to be able to genuinely understand what was happening during each and every period that he did each song.He has with-stood the tide of times and only a few will understand this,some of those times meant life and death. He was the last standing warrior in Zimbabwe when everyone had vanished to the assignments of the Chimurenga War. He was the true war rebel, the crier.His songs are a doctrine of life in Zimbabwe He has sang for and against every leader and only the deeply cultural will understand why he has done all he has done. It is this characteristic that makes him the light-house of the life in Zimbabwe before, now and forever. Sometimes we hear but don't understand. Thomas owes no man noapology. Don't forget that Muzorewa was an icon for all the black people in Zimbabwe even Mugabe and all the other nationalists can acknowledgee that. Don't blame Muzorewa as he pioneered the idea of the Zimbabwean people solving their problems at the table. don't forgeet thatt all the men, women and children who sang for Muzorewa then are the same people who sing for Mugabe now.Mugabe did not wwant to acknowledge what Muzorewa did that time beccause he was greedy for power and that still shows now. Mukanya forever, others may sing but they are fighting for second place.