Board a long-distance bus in Zimbabwe and you will likely hear it: rapid guitar lines, a bouncing bass and a singer telling stories of love, hardship and village life. Sungura, Zimbabwe’s most popular dance music, has been the soundtrack of the country’s working people for decades.
The name
“Sungura” means rabbit or hare in Swahili, and the name is often linked to the quick, hopping rhythm of the music.
Origins
Sungura developed in the 1970s and 1980s, influenced by Congolese rumba, East African guitar music and local Zimbabwean styles. Bands such as the Sungura Boys helped shape the sound.
The sound
The music features several guitars playing tightly woven, interlocking lines, a prominent bass and steady drums. Songs often build into long instrumental sections for dancing.
John Chibadura
John Chibadura was one of the genre’s early stars in the 1980s. His songs about hardship and relationships were hugely popular.
Leonard Dembo
Leonard Dembo’s hit “Chitekete” became one of the most famous Zimbabwean songs. He died in 1996.
System Tazvida
System Tazvida, of the band Chazezesa Challengers, was another star whose death in 1999 shocked fans.
Alick Macheso
Alick Macheso, known for his bass playing and dance moves, became the leading sungura musician from the late 1990s onward. His band, Orchestra Mberikwazvo, has released many successful albums.
Lyrics
Sungura songs are mostly in Shona and deal with everyday life: love, poverty, family, death and morality. They often carry proverbs and advice.
Versus chimurenga
While Thomas Mapfumo’s chimurenga music is linked to political struggle, sungura has been seen more as music of daily life and entertainment.
Today
Sungura competes with Zimdancehall and gospel in Zimbabwe, but it remains widely loved, especially among older and rural audiences.
The bass player as star
In most bands the bass player stands at the back. In sungura, the bass carries much of the melody, and Alick Macheso made bass playing the centre of his act. Fans go to his shows to watch his fingers as much as to hear him sing.
Live shows
Sungura bands play long sets in beer halls, nightclubs and community halls, often through the night. Dance routines are part of the show, and bands invent new dances to go with their albums.
Sungura has outlived several of its biggest stars. The buses still play it, and the dancers in the beer halls still know every guitar break.
