Ways of knowing, ways of understanding and ways of coping: HIV/AIDS, poverty and governance in Zimbabwean popular music

From time immemorial, in Zimbabwe, as in other African cultures, music has occupied centre stage in articulating the artist’s perceptions of socio-political developments, usually from an unofficial platform and, therefore, speaking on behalf of the silent masses. The lyrics of such music are usually marked by irreverent epithets directed at the rulers. But its role has never been as prominent as during the period of the Second Chimurenga from the 1960s to the late 1970s, as well as in the post-independence era. While both political partysponsored singers in the war zones and home-based artists were then united by their common yearning for liberation from colonial rule, its actual achievement has ironically led to discoursal dissonance. There is disillusionment in the voices of unofficial artists arising from their perception of betrayal by the rulers, while state-aligned ones continue to see ‘method’ in government’s running of the country. The lyrics of both formations comment on the economy, HIV/AIDS, and governance, but from contrary standpoints. The critical question is, ‘Who has the right to speak on behalf of the marginalised vulgus?’ This question is answered through a textual analysis of songs transcribed and translated from CD’s recorded by various artists working in Zimbabwe. Keywords: HIV/AIDS, metaphor, poverty, economy, governance, land