Women Musicians of Zimbabwe

Music, has been part of African women’s lives since time immemorial. Zimbabwean women sang songs to communicate, express their feelings or celebrate life changes. During pasichigare (pre-colonial times) women used the song to cope with the day to day challenges of life, to manage their daily chores, to deal with their emotions, to air their grievances,to challenge oppression, and to celebrate womanhood. Through music, women were able to put themselves at the centre-stage of their communities. They were an integral part of the structures of the society and they found it easier to use music as a communication tool. Women Musicians of Zimbabwe explores the role played by women in the development of music genres in Zimbabwe and to explore why there are very few women musicians in Zimbabwe compared to men.