Fifty personalities who included journalists, musicians, government officials, music administrators, radio and television presenters spent a historic day locked in a discussion on music censorship.
The personalities converged at The Mannenberg Jazz Club, Harare, Zimbabwe in April 2005 for the one-day seminar sponsored by Freemuse. At the time, music censorship was rife in Zimbabwe as the ruling party tried to silence all alternative sources of information. Government had itself recorded more than six propaganda music albums. Two cabinet ministers composed most of the songs on these albums. A number of musicians had their music blacklisted and some including Thomas Mapfumo had fled the country. Radio and television continued to play pro-government musicals while blacking out independent songs. Disc jockeys who could not toe government directives left the state broadcaster in droves, some were fired.
The timing of the seminar was crucial and testing to the participants who had come from as far as Sweden, Denmark and South Africa. For the seminar to take place, a clearance letter was sought from the police. According to Zimbabwe’s Public Order And Security Act any grouping of more than three people requires police clearance. This was the first time that the Zimbabwean music industry had met face to face with government officials to discuss music censorship. The government censorship board which had been elusive sent its official while the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe sent its Deputy Director, Elvas Mari.
There were eight keynote presentations on varying aspects of music censorship in Zimbabwe presented by former radio disc jockeys, record company executives, music journalists and testimonies by musicians who had been affected. The censor was in defence of his board saying they have never banned a song “but left the decisions to individual broadcasters.”
The seminar screened a music censorship documentary featuring Roger Lucey who had been a victim of music censorship during apartheid South Africa. After screening Lucey talked about his experience in apartheid South Africa and how music censors destroyed his once illustrious career. The documentary opened up the eyes of the gathering, some of whom had never dealt with any issues of music censorship. It was interesting to note that an ensuing discussion by the group showed that music censorship was rife in Zimbabwe and more so on the political and religious fronts. Music censorship was traced back to rural and community villages. There were abundant examples of particular songs only sung at funerals.
The grouping deliberated on the definition of music censorship with others pointing out that what could be censored in Africa may pass in the West. Others were of the opinion that censorship was good as it protected society from dirty or obscene music compositions. The personalities were grateful to Freemuse for holding the seminar. They bemoaned the absence of data on music censorship in Africa and hoped the gathering would usher a new era.
Ole Reitov, a Freemuse representative gave an insight into the work of Freemuse. The personalities were appreciative of Freemuse’s work although some had initially thought the organisation was only against governments that censored musicians. It became apparent that music censorship was a broad subject, not only covering political or religious issues. Censorship could be found in homes, at school or work.
At the end of the seminar it was enlightening to note that most could now identify music censorship which they had always passed on. For the personalities it was a triumph to hold the heated discussion in a country under deep repression. It was recommended that there should be more research on music censorship in Africa, Freemuse should open an office in Africa, a follow-up seminar should be held, and that journalists and musicians should link and update each other on music censorship issues.
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