Before there were radios, we used to play chipendani. My grandmother is the one who played chipendani. My mother’s father, Sunday, had two wives. And his brother, Mapurete, had four wives. One of Mapurete’s four wives, Chihwiro, played chipendani. She used to play at night; instead of telling stories, she was playing chipendani. And we used to go and gather there, sitting and listening to her play chipendani. And my uncle, my mother’s brother, also plays chipendani. So, I said, “No, I can play this!” And then I did.
Sekuru Chigamba performs his grandmother’s chipendani song “Chihwiro naChigombe”
Chipendani and courtship
Chipendani was for people who had matured in age, who were grown. Such as boys who were a bit older, and who were now looking for girls to court. Yes, that is when they would play chipendani, as they walked on the way to wherever they were going.
Chipendani was for courtship, when someone was looking for a girl to marry. So, you walk. People in the village built their houses arranged in straight lines. So as you are walking, you take the chipendani: “Over there, I saw a girl, over there. That girl isn’t allowed to go outside by her parents. So how shall I see her?” You take the chipendani, you go playing your chipendani, playing, playing. You don’t walk too fast, you will be walking slowly, slowly, slowly.
And you get to that girl’s place, the one who has been told not to go out. She wants to see what you are playing: “So, what is that thing?” You say, “Oh, it’s called chipendani.” She says, “How is it played?” You play for her. So, after you’ve finished playing for her, you say, “I would like to see you. Now, how can I see you?” She tells you, “If you want to see me you can come like this, like this, like this.”
So there, if you speak with her, if she loves you, you had to make sure that when you see her you couldn’t be seen by her parents, or by anyone else. If she loves you, when you want to go and marry her, you go to the dare, where her parents are. You arrive there, sit down, and clap.
So, once you’ve sat down and clapped they ask you, “So, what do you want here, is there anyone you know here?” You say, “Oh, as a young man, I just said, let me arrive here.” They realize. Then they select someone. They say, “Take him to the home of the girl’s paternal aunt,” and you go there.
When you arrive at the home of the girl’s aunt, the aunt will ask, “Which is the one that you love?” They are called, all of the girls. They already know which girls are ready to be married. But they don’t tell you that the one to be married is this one. You are the one who will indicate. Maybe you do choose that one who is ready to be married, saying, “She is the one for whom I have come.” They say, “Oh, this is fine.” So, they will then want to ensure that it is only you who is seen at that home. There is no other who shall come. Because if another comes, and is seen, he will be beaten.
So, when you come, the girl is anticipating which day: “My boyfriend is coming at this time, in the afternoon.” Even if your father-in-law sees you, you just go directly to her aunt’s house. You don’t go to the girl’s house, you go to her aunt’s. The girl will emerge from her house going to her aunt’s. You say whatever you say to each other there.
So, you give each other nhumbi. Nhumbi is the equivalent of that ring, the engagement ring. You give me a dress, and I give you a shirt. Yes. So now, when you’ve given me nhumbi, and I’ve given you nhumbi, I won’t be given nhumbi by any other girl. That girl won’t be given nhumbi by any other boy. She’ll be waiting for me.
Chipendani in the bira
Chipendani can also be played in the bira, for example when someone’s ancestral spirit used to play the chipendani. That is what causes people to play chipendani in the bira. It is just the same as what you might call an interlude. If you play mbira for a long time, the spirit of the person who used to play chipendani may say, “Is there anyone who has a chipendani here?” If there is someone who has a chipendani, then when the spirit is given water to drink, and people are greeting it, the one with a chipendani will be playing during that time; that is the interlude that he will give.
So, once it is over, he will say, “Play mbira.” And you will play mbira. Because if you play the chipendani, people can’t dance. Those who are in the bira will fall asleep. Because one who stays sitting quietly, listening, will doze off. So the mbira is what causes him to wake up and dance, and the spirits themselves will now arrive. But when people site back down, they will say, “Go ahead and play your chipendani.” You’ll proceed to play, as the spirits explain whatever it is that they want to tell people. As you play your chipendani. Yes.
The chipendani doesn’t make noise; it isn’t loud. Noise would prevent the mudzimu spirit from talking, because people wouldn’t be able to hear. It’s just the same for us. When we play mbira as the mudzimu is speaking, we play softly with just a few instruments, and no hosho. You will play softly, as they are speaking. But when they tell us to play again, then we play.