Paul Matavire
Dr Love – Paul Matavire is one Zimbabwean musician who had the rare talent of skillfully blending humour with social commentary, even on matters that affected him personally. In 1990 while on trial for an alleged rape charge Dr Love released a song “Joke of the year” in which he cynically castigated the courts. Was this not a grave mistake tantamount to contempt of court-publicly making fun of a case that was before the courts? It is strongly believed that the song could have influenced the “skewed” judgement that he got which resulted in Dr Love being incarcerated for a whole year.
While in prison Matavire packaged another hilarious song “Back from college” this time narrating his experiences in prison, a place he equated to a college, where offenders are rehabilitated under stringent conditions that do not even allow them to mix with their female fellow offenders. He released the song soon after his release from jail.
Born on August 3, 1961, Paul Matavire was a visually impaired musician who hailed from Maranda area of Mwenezi district in Masvingo province. He lost his sight aged six after suffering from glaucoma. He was educated at the Copota School of the Blind in Masvingo. Despite being visually impaired, Matavire’s lyrics describe situations so vividly that most of his fans who had not met him could not believe that he was blind
He rose to prominence in the 1980s when he joined the Jairos Jiri Band (JJB) based in Bulawayo at the Jairos Jiri Rehabilitation Centre where he was employed as a social worker. He rose to become the leader of the JJB
Pauls’s debut song was in honour of the founder of the organisation, Jairos Jiri titled “Pamberi navaJiri”an emotional piece in which he praises Jiri for his vision of establishing an organisation to cater for the welfare of people with disabilities.
Matavire’s music which combines Sungura, Jit and Rhumba gained popularity due to his humor, the use of rich and deep Shona lyrics, and his willingness to tread on what many regarded sensitive societal issues. His songs touched on anything from religion to marital issues, but still retaining the humor that made it ever so popular. His hit song “Dhiyabhorosi Nyoka” stirred controversy at its release by its reference to the biblical Eve in The Garden of Eden, and women in general, as the root cause of every man’s troubles, while at the same time acknowledging the pivotal role women play in society. Matavire formed The Hit Machine band upon his release from prison in 1992 where he served a one year sentence for a rape offence.
While his deep lyrics earned him the nickname of Dr. Love, his songs were also known for their social commentary.
Matavire also understood the love that God has for his creation of mankind as demonstrated by some of his songs that include Ndichakupa Chipo, a hit that captures his personal life as a visually impaired person who initially cried to God, exhibiting lack of self-love, summarized in the line in which he says Handisiri chinhu ini ndiri honye-I am not human, I am degraded Chinhu chinosemwa nemunhu wese– I am despised by all Ndichararama sei pasi pano? – How will I survive? Kugomera ndihwo hupenyu hwangu – Groaning and misery characterises my life Kubva ndiri pazamu ramai vangu – From the time my mother suckled me
Through his music Paul captured his struggle accepting his blindness, initially complaining to God that he didn’t give him the ability to see that he gave to others. (Nhai Mwari wangu, zvamakandinyimavo zvina vamwe”.
He shares the moments he took God to task over how he envisaged him to survive in a competitive world where he had to contend with his counterparts who were not visually impaired. He laments, “Ndichararama sei pasi pano-how will I survive on earth?”
Acceptance only comes when he realises that every creature created by God is blessed with the instinctive ability to survive. He imagines God answering him with his word, showing him that even birds of the air, without storehouses on earth, are God-fed every day, a manifestation of God’s never failing love that is even more abundantly availed to humanity. Nemufananidzo wangu– The one I made in my own image.
Matavire was very proud of his ethnic identity. He belonged to the royal Rozwi clan of the Ancient Munhumutapa Kingdom and he often reminded his audiences of this fact when he would include some recitation of his totem Bvumavaranda in some of his songs.
Matavire with his entourage of 27 musicians traveled to Europe in 1989 where they were reported to have had successful performances. Even on his death bed, Matavire still had bright moments. Asked how he was feeling by the lady reporter who must have been the last journalist to speak to him, Matavire responded “this time zvauya hot” meaning he was in bad shape.
Matavire died on October 18 2005 at his farm in Rutenga Masvingo province where he owned a sizeable herd of cattle. Matavire’s music has remained popular even among the young in Zimbabwe years after his death. He is also remembered for his willingness to experiment with the Shona language in his songs, coining phrases that have remained part of everyday conversation among many
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