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Ephat Mujuru, Dead at 58
We at Afropop Worldwide were stunned and saddened by the news of Ephat Mujuru's death. On October 5, Ephat was on his way from Zimbabwe to Grinnell College in Indianna. Flying with his cousins Fradreck and Sam, Ephat disembarked in Gatwick Airport in London, and soon complained that he felt weak and hot. He was taken to a hospital, but died en route of pulmonary embolus, an air-travel related heart condition. Ephat leaves behind a large family in Zimbabwe.
The mbira master, storyteller, and bandleader was a brilliant, beautiful soul, and for us at Aropop, a friend. In 1988, when Sean Barlow and Banning Eyre made the first Afropop Worldwide foray to Zimbabwe, Ephat proved himself the best companion a music journalist could have. He arranged for us to attend a bira, a religious ceremony that made Shona culture and music comprehensible in a way that nothing else could. He organized a trip to the village of Bandambira, near Seke, a seat of mbira culture. On a later trip to Zimbabwe, Ephat arranged a spectacular overland adventure to Nyanjina village to hear and record jit drumming and
singing.
Over the years, Ephat's interviews gave us stories, cultural explanations, history,
and fabulous music from his mbira. When we last met Ephat in March, 2001, he was on the verge of a comeback. He had just recorded 2 new CDs--one acoustic and one with a new band--and he said he was feeling more excited about music than he had in years. Though clearly poor, and very anxious about his family in these tough times, Ehpat exhibited that same infectious optimism we have always known and loved in him.
Ephat made so many great friendships around the U.S. and Canada. He was a marvelous ambassador of Shona culture, and he brough light and laughter to whole communities. We will never forget him!
Read more about Ephat in our Explore section
http://www.afropop.org/explore/show_artist/ID/409/Ephat+Mujuru/
And see our feature on the Ephat Mujuru Family fund if you'd like to make a donation to his surviving family.
Contributed by: Banning Eyre
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