BOTH Fungisai Foto and Sam Manzanza become hyper-animated when you talk about music, especially if you ask how Africans feel about it.
“Music is our life. We breathe it. We eat it,” says Foto.
“People look at Africa and think, ‘how can they survive like this?’ We know the pain is there, but you’ve gotta forget it. Music puts your mind somewhere else,” says Manzanza, quoting Friedrich Nietzsche; “Without music, life would be a mistake.”
Manzanza and Foto are both performing for Africa Music Day, which Manzanza initiated last year when a growing African community requested a cultural day like the Indian community’s Diwali or the Live Brazil Festival.
Foto: “We wanted to show people the good part of Africa. All people know is famine and illness but we are very happy people, and we like to express our happiness through music and dance.”
Manzanza: “We don’t need to be sad, we came to New Zealand for peace, love and happiness.”
“And it’s summer. We love the sun!” exclaims Foto.
Africa music day will feature performance from Nigeria, Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Sudan, Somali, Ethiopia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, where Foto is originally from (although she’s lived in Wellington for eight years). The number of acts is still growing.
“In Africa you can’t leave somebody out. Even if there’s barely any food on the table, if someone comes at the last minute you share,” says Manzanza.
While instruments, languages and musical styles vary country-to-country, and often tribe-to-tribe, all African music shares a love of rhythm.
“The drum is definitely the instrument of Africa,” says Foto.
“If you pay attention, everything’s a rhythm. The rhythm is inside you and all around you,” says Manzanza.
Even those with ‘two left feet’?
Manzanza: “Yes. Your heart beats on the beat. Your breath moves on the beat. You go to the beach, and the sea moves to a beat.
“In the beginning, there was rhythm.”
Africa Music Day, 8pm, Hope Bros, February 3.