Zim Artists: The Unprotected “Cattle” of the Economy

Written by : Fred Farai Nyakudanga FFF

In the agricultural sector, farmers take great care to raise their cattle, providing fences, nutritious feed, and veterinary care to ensure healthy and valuable animals. The government supports these efforts through regulations, disease management, and infrastructure development. The goal is to produce high-quality beef and dairy products for local consumption and export.

In contrast, Zimbabwe’s artists are like stray cattle, lacking protection, regulation, and support. Despite their significant contribution to the economy, they operate in a Wild West-like environment, with no boundaries or guidelines. The industry’s lack of regulation leads to unfiltered content, often vulgar and harmful to society.

From infrastructure to copyright protection, artists are left to fend for themselves. There are a few notable exceptions, such as the Oliver Mtukudzi’s Pakare Paye project, which has achieved remarkable success. A handful of musicians have emerged from this initiative, and if the government had replicated this model, countless more artists would be vying for airplay.

The government has a plethora of initiatives under its purview, including the recently proposed national dress. This project has the potential to generate significant revenue through manufacturing, marketing, and awareness campaigns. At every stage, artists can play a vital role, leveraging their creative talents to reap financial benefits.

By promoting the national dress project, we can reduce our reliance on imported clothing labels that benefit foreign countries, rather than our own. This shift could significantly reduce the outflow of foreign currency and redirect it towards our local artists, potentially transforming their livelihoods. By supporting our own creative industry, we can retain wealth within our borders and empower our artists to contribute meaningfully to our economy.

Leaving artists to create and sell their personal messages without support or guidance is akin to abandoning them, despite the fact that society is the ultimate beneficiary of their work. When artists are left to push their own narratives without regulation or oversight, it can lead to misinformation and misguided messages that impact society as a whole.

Comments

Resilience: The Key to Navigating Life's Challenges

Written by Fred Farai Nyakudanga (FFF) Life's no paradise – resources are scarce, competition's tough, and adversity's constant. But it's how we respond that defines us. Resilience is the ability to bounce back, to sweep away trouble and hold firm to gains. I once had a business in my 20s that did well in the short run, but when I sought support from a wealthy relative to expand, I was labelled lazy. I fought back, true to their word I became unpopular. Later, I realised people look at what you've achieved, not what you promise. I refocused, sought trusted support, and bounced back – refuting allegations of laziness. Each challenge's a battle; each win builds confidence. You don't start winning big battles, but small wins accumulate. Employers seek elasticity; vision falls on resilient people. As I was ridiculed and falsely accused, I gained favour with people in good time. Adversity may conquer, but bouncing back is resilience. Life's short. Elastic...

The Power of Family Influence

Written by Fred Farai Nyakudanga The African proverb "charity begins at home" takes on a deeper meaning when we consider the profound impact of family on our lives. As I reflect on my own experiences, I realize that the values, beliefs, and behaviors we learn from our families shape us in ways that are both visible and invisible. As a former restaurant manager, I noticed that people's behavior in public spaces was often a reflection of their home environment. Some patrons would leave the toilet spotless, while others would leave it in disarray. The effort we put into maintaining hygiene in our kitchens is often mirrored in our public behavior. This observation led me to realize that our family's influence extends far beyond our childhood years. Our parents' behavior, expectations, and values are imprinted on us from a young age. We mimic their actions, adopt their beliefs, and internalize their criticisms. As we grow older, we begin to make choic...

Unavailability Of An Official Music Distribution System Depriving Upcoming Musicians.

Written by Fred Farai Nyakudanga FFF Music is important to our lives, I personally would not function well if all the music in the world is quietened. Actually it’s naturally impossible to stop all music playing. Have you ever walked into a thick forest alone. An unknown bird will volunteer to entertain you. Maybe the ability to choose the music you prefer is what can be affected but otherwise music will always play, no one can ever stop music. Singers and musicians get inspired by a lot of societal happenings, with the intention to inform, tell a story and entertain musicians reveal complicated issues that are not easily communicable in public. They make songs out of unpalatable subjects and mitigate their effects to the society in the process. Oliver Mtukudzi sang Tozeza Baba. The song is a narration of children’s perception of their abusive father who beats up their mother. The children express how this vacuums out their happiness. Weather the song has been played ...

Finto Marketing

Search This Blog