General
Source: Times of Zambia
WHILE the fight for the enactment of the Freedom of Information Bill seems to be a baby of the media and other interested stakeholders such as the World Bank, the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) and other NGOs, there are others that are not just watching from the terraces.
Women in art, which is another form of communication, have added their voice to calls for the speedy enactment of the Freedom of Information Bill which has stalled the last 10 years. While politicians and the media have from time to time put the blame on each other, a seasoned female artist (like it is done on stage) wants action and not rhetoric.
Matilda Tutu Malamamfumu, a veteran actress whose stage life spans way back in 1968, feels the enactment of the bill will actually help address the plight of artists who are mostly poorly remunerated.
How possible is this?
"With the Freedom of Information Act place it will expose resource allocation for the arts; currently it is privy to the people who call for peanuts for the payment of artists. The perpetrators of discrimination and unequal pay will be exposed. The arts can only be respected if it can actualise equal pay for equal work," she says.
Malamamfumu adds, "It is with this in mind, that I look forward to the enactment of the Freedom of Information Bill. Which I believe will help researchers, to get information on who decides on the arts and its performance."
According to her the Freedom of Information Act will not only expose the decision makers on what they think about the arts, it will also help unlock the pretence, and perpetrators of discrimination on budgetary allocations from "our inland and outsourced revenue will be exposed."
Malamamfumu says like is the case in America, art in Zambia has the potential of enriching people, especially women, and bring about development.
"I fail to understand why the Californian city is the richest city in America due to the arts and yet the art in America and the art in Zambia are done by human beings and Zambian artists are not less human. I believe the success story of California lies in the decision making process much more than in anything else.
"The Freedom of Information bill will reveal pretenders of being in love with the arts and yet when they are given the chance to discuss the arts they turn a blind eye to the arts but quickly discuss Daily Subsistence Allowances for their travels at home and abroad because they will need extra money whilst coming back to base to purchase latest videos for the consumption of their families, which will be shown on their big flat screens that are similar to a cinema screen."
Malamamfumu feels the Irony of it all, is that the national and independent broadcasters are totally dependent on art of all forms as an industry and yet it is the same art that is "relegated to the dogs".
"The Freedom of Information Bill will also expose how many artists sit on boards of governance in this country. It is important that all commissions of Inquiry, Governing bodies include artists. We are not begging for this position we are simply demanding for it. It is time to move..."
The veteran artiste is also appealing for the formation of a ministry that shall look into issues pertaining to artistes.
"It is therefore a clarion call for this country to consider, the formation of the Ministry of the Arts and Culture, we are tired of being appendages to government Ministries that least consider us as part of national development," she sums up.
Just who is Matilda Tutu Malamamfumu, in some circles also popularly known as bana-Kabanana because of her role in the local soap, Kabanana?
Matilda Tutu Malamamfumu is considered as the veteran actress of her time. Her acting career dates back to 1968, when at a secondary schools festival in Luanshya in the Copperbelt she won the best Actress award as Trufingo in the play, 'The Servant Of Two Masters' an Italian play whose author she cannot remember.
Inspired by the 10 pounds gratification that came along with the prize, she has never looked back on theatre, which at that moment changed her life completely in the eyes of her fellow pupils and teachers who revered her for having brought glory to the girls' school in an area of scholarly works such as schools debate. At time the major competitions were in sports.
The 10 Pounds Stirling brought about change in her eating habits. The usual Chikoloki (SUGAR WATER) and buns were for some time replaced with biscuits and condensed milk bought from a school tuck-shop.
In the years that followed, after joining Tikwiza Theatre in 1975 as the only female founder member, in the company of well renowned artistes, the likes of The Late Edwin Manda, The Late Professor Mapopa Mtonga, Dr Parnwell Munatamba, Masautso Phiri, Kapembe Nsingo and Mumba Kapumpa ,events that followed placed her to what she is now referred to as Mother of theatre, Godmother of theatre,
The Impeccable actress who when on stage draws her audiences to believing her. Crying on stage in Lagos, Nigeria (1977),in Lusaka through 1975 to 1988, in Botswana (1978), Cuba (1978),Zimbabwe (1980),Libya (1983), Canada (1987),Swaziland(1990), South Africa(1996),Namibia (2000),Lesotho (2000), Mauritius(2001), India(2010) and throughout Zambia, audiences cried with her as she simulated as being a victim of the apartheid regime in South Africa.
Matilda, an advocate for Anti Gender Based Violence in Southern Africa, acting as an abused housewife makes many audiences mob her after every performance to find out how she narrates the stories of their own bedrooms.
As an activist for People living with HIV/AIDS her acting leaves you with nothing but to follow her line of thought and relive the battle. Her acting in most circumstances is personified and she lives the character.
To all these performances, be it government, quasi government, civil society or personal a decision must have been made somewhere about a performance. The question is, are we able to trace those decisions that made her travel, so extensively as an artist. If they are traced, are we able to bring out who and at what time were they decided is the first question that must be answered.
The arts and the executive wing of government were definitely better placed under the UNIP Government who saw it prudent to use art as a form of expression during International gatherings at home and abroad.
"By these I mean, International delegates visiting Zambia were treated to Zambian culture in the arts not as in tourism, artistes were exposed to International travels such as expos, International Festivals and even exporting artefacts at national level during international trade fairs. The National Dance Troupe, musicians, theatre artists were able to single themselves as one family because they all gathered for a common purpose, I wonder if one were to trace the decision makers of this great movement of action of our times, whether one would be able to identify who made these decisions on behalf of the artistes," she muses.
Maltida feels artistes in Zambia might not be in the know of their rights. She also is of the view that there is need to invest in art training.
"The arts and Parliament, it cannot be over emphasised that in its role the National Arts Council Act was passed in the 1970s. This is in perfect standing with the artistes, but one wonders after the enactment of the Act, what has gone wrong. Do artists know that they have a right to change the existing law and give it more teeth?
"Perhaps this is where the artist is lagging behind. But you cannot blame the artist completely, other than the Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and Commerce, there are no other institutions to teach art and equip our artists with the responsibility to fight for better conditions of the arts industry in this country. The artist thrives on mercy and hand outs."
According to Matilda the arts community has performed very well through the use of music and drama. "In singling out music and community drama, these two art forms have to a great extent helped the mindset of the people, including influencing political change. It has further enhanced understanding of topical issues in governance, health, environment, agriculture. But to what extent has society recognised remuneration for artists," she sums up.