EENHANA – “Chimwisa” literally meaning – “Things I can see in the community” is the title of the first album which a Rundu based street musician, Valerino Sambueka (42) is set to release as soon as he gets sponsorship from good Samaritans.
Valerino who hails from Bainuni village on the border side of Angola, says he has compiled almost 20 songs, which he plays in the streets and at traditional parties when invited and booked. The talented traditional musician is desperately looking for sponsorship to record his albums, whose songs are ready. His other songs were recorded by the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation NBC’s Rukwangali radio language service and says some are being played during the traditional discussions pragrammes. Comrade (Cde) Valerino as he is affectionately known in the entertainment circles in the Zambesi East region is desperately appealing to good Samaritans who can help him record his 20-track albums Chimwisa and Okalimba literally meaning Things he can see and Remembering Life respectively. His mission is to become one of the best Zambesi traditional musicians as a tribal genre ever to emerge from the rural Zambesi rural communities but more biased towards what is happening socially. He discovered his talent of singing during his hey days in the liberation struggle in Angola when he was young. He has finished composing his 20-track albums which he wishes to split into two albums and appeals to Namibian producers and corporate organisations for its recording and release.
“Since the power of music is very effective when it comes to communication with the society especially traditional societies and at the same time this will be an opportunity to expose my talent I brought from Angola during the liberation struggle. I have performed at many family and traditional wedding parties here in the Zambesi regions. The NBC Rukwangali radio language service knows me and they play some of my music they have recorded and have been invited me to perform at functions as a well known street artist,” he says
The down to earth artist who is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) choir says he was brought up by God-fearing parents from both Namibia and Angola and who managed to raise all their children in the religious way although it was tough during the times of liberation struggle. His parents have settled here in Namibia in the Zambesi regions.
He has done most of his songs in the Rukwangali language and his unrecorded songs are full of social, traditional commentaries and religious messages and can be used at traditional wedding ceremonies or any other gatherings that would need some kind of funny traditional, religious and commentaries or teachings.
Valerino describes his music appealing compared to other Namibian artists whose songs he described as “insults” and cannot bring the family and culture together. “As a God-fearing street and shebeen artist, I would like to take my music “if recorded” on a different note. I was mainly motivated by the late Jackson Kaujeua of the Kalahari” and Freedom Songs fame, and he means a lot to me. I am appealing to our producers and the business community for their kind hand so that the whole country can listen to my traditional music. I have mixed both gospel and traditional genre,” he explains
He says he has composed the songs that would only depict religious and normal lives of decent and religious families, whether within or outside the country. “Of course that will depend on the producer but these are my best two albums and for sure I expect to hit the airwaves with these songs,” he claims. Those who may be able to help can reach him through the NBC’s Rukwangali radio language service or and in the streets of Rundu town since he has no means of communication, even a cellphone.
By Clemence Tashaya