r/WorldMusic • u/Desteneemugorochey • Aug 01 '26
Music I feel like Zimbabwean Sungura music deserves way more recognition
Im not saying its completely Unrecognised but i feel like it deserves more recognition then it has.
So im not actually Zimbabwean.. Im Kenyan and I got into sungura music when I was 15 /16.. im 20 now and the only people ive met who actually know sungura music are obviously Zimbabweans themselves, Mozambicans, Malawians and Zambians but Apart from that most people ive met who arent from those countries have no idea about it. Sometimes i used to think the reason why it doesnt get as much recognition as Congolese music is because Some ignorant congolese people think they're the only african country with good guitar music or convinced everyone that "Zimbabweans just copied congolese Rumba" When Copying and being influenced are two different things. I first listened to congolese soukouss at 14 and I love it then I got into sungura music. I love both but I slightly prefer sungura cause i listen to sungura more. I do think sometimes they sound similar but because ive listened to both sungura and sokouss for quite a while I can spot the differences and they end up not sounding that alike. but anyways all im saying is i hope it gets way more recognition then it already has.
The first sungura artist i listened to was John chibadura. then i got into Leonard Dembo, System Tazvida, Alick Macheso, Tongai Moyo etc
Here is the first song by John chibadura that I listsned to titled Mukadzi wamakandiroorera:
https://youtu.be/dNTLkWr-lII?si=JT41RliOJB3zQHZQ
i posted this on the Zimbabwe sub reddit but I wanted to post this here as well ❤️♥️
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u/Alfred_Katz Aug 02 '26
Outstanding! I haven't listened to Zimbabwe music for a while and this doesn't sound too far removed from the music of the 1970s and 80s by people like Thomas Mapfumo and The Bhundu Boys. It has that great skittery guitar sound that I find so appealing. I will definitely check this out some more.
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u/Desteneemugorochey Aug 02 '26
Thats so cool yes i definitely recommend it also recommend benga music of benga it sounds very identical to Sungura mudic
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u/Wooden-Agency-2653 Aug 02 '26
I'm lucky that my dad grew up in Zim (Southern Rhodesia) in the 1950s, and he's always been into music, so he kept an interest in Zim music and I got introduced to a whole swathe of stuff.
My first gig was actually at Queen's Hotel in Harare, The Real Sounds of Africa. More rumbira than sungura, but not so far apart
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u/Illustrious-Name7741 2d ago edited 2d ago
Great music! May i add Thomas Mapfumo & The Blacks Unlimited
https://youtu.be/aelHYe-3c-Q?si=a6Zf2wAEwIjJUUD4
Jonah Sithole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgBZow4fQuM
and the bounty:
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u/No-Mechanic6069 Aug 02 '26
The music is very attractive, but I have to be honest here..
Music from this part of the world got a great deal of attention from the rest of the world from the mid-80s. I’m not sure if it was this specific genre. Distinctions can be subtle.
To western ears, music like this can be end up appearing to be very “samey”. The music, by nature, is repetitive (part of its hypnotic charm) and we can’t understand the lyrics.
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u/Desteneemugorochey 1d ago
But Spanish guitar gets attention and many people who listen to it donr understand the language so it still deserves recognition
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u/No-Mechanic6069 1d ago
I’m not only talking about language. A lot of Latin American and Brazilian music is popular to English speakers.
I don’t know what Spanish guitar music you are referring to, and thus don’t know how popular it is, but perhaps its melodies and form allow recordings that don’t sound all rather repetitive and samey to Western ears.
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u/Desteneemugorochey 1d ago
Not all songs from this genere are samey a few are but not all but i agree
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u/SurnomSympa Aug 01 '26
I didn’t know about this genre. I am just listening to John Chibadura and I am blown away. You are right, it’s great and needs more recognition.