Leaving Zim

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 05:00:00

Leaving Zim

Chiwoniso Maraire, credit: Bugs Steffen

After months of negotiations, Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai have signed an agreement to share power in Zimbabwe. That's welcome news to musician Chiwoniso Maraire. Like most Zimbabweans, she struggled all summer with food shortages and skyrocketing prices, and the constant threat of political violence.

Even with the struggles, Chiwoniso was always proud to call Zimbabwe home. Living there kept her close to the mbira, a traditional instrument with a close connection to her spiritual life. And although she faced police intimidation over the years, she still found a way to sing about the injustices in Zimbabwe.

But earlier this summer, Chiwoniso finally had enough. She talks to Dick Gordon about why she decided to leave Zimbabwe.

See Chiwoniso with her instrument, the mbira
Hear Chiwoniso's new CD

fighting dogs

John Clark

When John Clark saw a woman being attacked by two pit bulls, he did what many of us would probably be too scared to do - he took on the dogs himself. John tells Dick why he jumped in and what the incident taught him.

- Leaving Zim

Leaving Zim

Leaving Zim

fighting dogs