Hama Maoko literally means your hands are your relatives in Shona, the language of Zimbabwean-American activist artist U-Meleni Mhlaba of the television show Ya Ma Afrika.  Jamati sat down with U-Meleni to find out more about her as an artist dedicated to the progression of Africa, and Zimbabwe in particular.

Jamati: I would just like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today.

U-Meleni: You are most welcome.

Jamati: First off what does U-Meleni mean?

U-Meleni: Well U-Meleni means ‘What are we for’ and my last name Mhlaba means world or earth.

Jamati: That is powerful.

U-Meleni: Thanks.

Jamati: I want to know about how you came to be a Zimbabwean-American. How was the transition from the States to Zimbabwe for you.

U-Meleni: I was born here but my parents divorced when I was rather young. My mom decided to go to Zimbabwe, while my dad stayed in America. Subsequently, my mom remarried and we moved to Botswana and South Africa. I spent most of my life in Africa but then I came to America for college.

Jamati: Oh ok so you basically came of age in Africa.

U-Meleni: Yes that is correct. I was basically bred in Africa.

Jamati: That brings me to my next question. I have often heard that South Africans tend to assimilate into Western culture more easily than say West Africans. Do you find this to be true?

U-Meleni: I can only say that it all depends on the age in which you come to the US. For example if you arrive in your 20’s then you are less likely to be swept away by American culture than someone who came here as a teenager. Teens tend to have romantic notions about the US and they assimilate quicker. I don’t think it matters whether you are South or West African. You must look at individual circumstances and situations.

Jamati:  You presently call Boston, Massachusetts home right?

U-Meleni: Right I am based in Boston.

Jamati: Are there many Africans in Boston?

U-Meleni: No Boston is 90 percent white.

Jamati: I see. Well there is a large artistic community there that supports your art right.

U-Meleni: Yes I have a lot of support from the whole artistic community here in Boston. I have performed at various colleges and Universities through the African student unions, I have also performed at opera houses and symphony halls. So there are venues and communities in Boston that desire me to see me perform.

Jamati: Please tell our audience a bit about what you do.

U-Meleni: Well I am a writer, poet, singer, dancer, actress and public health educator.

Jamati: Wow. You do many things. How do you utilize these gifts for African progression? In other words what inspires you to create? What do you draw from to share with your fans?

U-Meleni: Well I draw from my passion for African people. I draw from the recognition of African people. I think that when we leave home we [experience] culture shock and we forget our inherent greatness.

Jamati: Amen.

U-Meleni: I have also been blessed by parents who are Pan-Africanists, who believe in creativity. I use my personal life experiences such as pain and injustice to tell stories in my art.

Jamati: Please talk to us about your first album.

U-Meleni: My first album, Birth, Death and the Ressurection, was a labor of love. My family, friends and the Boston artistic community supported me in making the album. I dare say that it was a response to them wanting to have my songs, poems, essays with them. It was not enough for them to hear me perform they wanted something to keep.

Jamati: In performing and sharing your work do you ever have an audience member come up to you and tell you that your words have inspired them? Do they tell you that what you do affects them?

U-Meleni: Yes. In fact, I am personally humbled that God has chosen me to be this way. This work that I do helps me to understand myself.

Jamati: Would you say that your art is about self examination and self discovery?

U-Meleni: Yes, yes I would say that. Let me share with you about a time when I was in South Africa performing in Soweto at a school.  I went there with other artist friends of mine like spoken word artist Omokong Dibanga and we wanted to share with the students about how we are artists use art as a vehicle for social change. I focused on girls because women are victims and it was important for me to me reach out to girls to let them know that violence is unacceptable and not an option for their lives. After I performed my poem ‘Love is not supposed to hurt’ a teenaged girl about 13 or 14 walked up to me and said thank you for sharing. She was crying and telling me how she had been abused by a relative and how her teacher was the one who helped to save her from her victimization. While we were talking and crying and having this moment other girls came up to me to share their life stories and it was life changing for me. At another performance in Zimbabwe a 40 year old woman came up to me to say that I said all she needed to hear and that it strengthened her resolve to better her life.

Jamati: It seems to be that you are called to do this. What do you say about that.

U-Meleni: I know that this is my purpose to share this pain that we sometimes go through. As an artist you must realize that change is possible and people take what they need from what you share. If you have not dealt with the issues you face then you cannot speak it into the universe.

Jamati: That is so true my sister so true. You must be able to share the pain and the joys of life and speak on it to others.

U-Meleni: That is right.  You know last summer in August I went home to Zimbabwe and I spent most of my time in Mutari. I did not spend too much time in Harare.  When I arrived in Harare I arrived at a new airport that was nice and empty.

Jamati: Please educate us on the situation on the ground in Zimbabwe. What is going on with the infrastructure? Is gas as high as the media reports it to be?  What about maize? Is it really astronomically high as they say it is.

U-Meleni: Well let me answer you question like this. I went to Zimbabwe with the intention of learning all I could since my absence. I wanted to know if what the media was reporting was true. Is petrol high yes it is. In fact, most people I saw were walking around and not using cars. Cars are scarce now. In terms of infrastructure, the main roads in Mutari are ok but there are some that are in disrepair. Now there are hotels that are quite lovely and are operating in spite of all the chaos going on.

Jamati: You mentioned that you are also a public health educator.  Did you utilize that aspect of your qualifications in Zimbabwe during your visit?

U-Meleni: Yes I did. I wanted to see the state of affairs at an AIDS/HIV clinic. I decided to visit a Red Cross one that I was impressed with because they were making a honest effort to educate and treat their patients. In fact, while I was there, there were presentations given in English, Shona and another Zimbabwean language so that if you could not understand English on you had the opportunity of understanding another language. Which is really important.  I am deeply concerned for my country Zimbabwe and I get frustrated because I am only one person who wants to do so much. I am concerned about women’s empowerment, the whole political process, children’s rights, orphans from parents who have died of AIDS.

Jamati:  How is your second album affecting change?

U-Meleni: You know I did my first album in 2003 and now its 2007 and its been a while. I have always believe that you can’t rush greatness and that things happen in their own time.

Jamati: So true, so true.

U-Meleni: Right so I have grown on this second album. I now play the guitar which I have been learning for over a year. This has led to growth and an expansion on my music.

Jamati: So how would you categorize your music? Is it neo-soul?

U-Meleni: I don’t think you could call it that. Its rather hard to categorize but I like to say its Roots inspired, afrosoul folk reggaeisc. I presently have written seven songs. The songs have come in dreams and various ways.

Jamati: Dreams, now that is powerful.

U-Meleni: Yes dreams are really something inspiring.

Jamati: How would you sum up your sophomore album?

U-Meleni: This second album is about self determination. Hence the terms Hama Maoko. It’s a saying in Shona my mother’s tongue that my grandmother used to use often. She passed in away but I remember what she said daily. Hama Maoko means your hands are your relatives. In other words we are born with all we need to sustain our selves. We are self equipped. That is what I talk about on this album.

Jamati: Self determination is a concept that takes some of us a life time to understand much more apply. I think that realizing it now through your art is outstanding. Let us hope that it echoes and reverberates in our hearts and minds for years to come. Let us be determined to utilize the God given talents that we all have for positive progression.

 To learn more about U-Meleni, visit her website.