NHEMAMUSASA

Madeleine Leclair, curator in charge of the Ethnomusicology and AIMP collections at MEG
In the Shona language, Nhemamusasa means «to cut branches to make a shelter». It is also the title of an emblematic piece part of the traditional musical repertoire of the Shona of Zimbabwe for singing and the mbira, an instrument made up of metal keys forming a keyboard on a wooden board. According to some oral sources, Nhemamusasa is said to have been originally a war song and to refer to the refuges made of branches (musasa) built for protection in times of war.

Cutting Branches for a Temporary Shelter, the English translation of Nhemamusasa, is the title of one of the pieces of music composed in 2019 by the Japanese artist and percussionist Midori Takada.

The piece was composed on fifteen musical instruments played in turn, thirteen of which are held in the MEG’s collections. Replaying musical instruments is one of the actions undertaken to revitalize the MEG’s collections and share them more widely in collaboration with specialists from source communities and artists.

Madeleine Leclair
Cutting Branches for a Temporary Shelter
Side A (LP) / track 1 (CD) – “Cutting Branches for a Temporary Shelter (In the Morning)”
(22 min 41 s)
Side B (LP) / track 2 (CD) – “Cutting Branches for a Temporary Shelter (In the Night)”
(21 min 24 s)
Original composition (2019): Midori Takada.
Supervision: Stephan Armleder, Olivier Ducret and Madeleine Leclair.
Recording (2019): Renaud Millet-Lacombe (HUSH Sound) at the Ernest-Ansermet Studio (Geneva) and the MEG’s auditorium.
Mastering: Renaud Millet-Lacombe.
Cover: Portia Zvavahera, Gliding on My Knees to Heaven, 2019.
Oil-based printer’s ink and oil stick on canvas. 173,5 × 186 cm. Reproduction by courtesy of Stevenson and David Zwirner. Graphics: Nicolas Eigenheer
©&℗ 2021 MEG-AIMP and We Release SNC (WRWTFWW Records) MEG-AIMP120/WRWTFWWR060CD

Nhemamusasa

A version of Nhemamusasa, interpreted by a singer and two mbira players accompanied by a rattle player, was recorded by Paul F. Berliner in Rhodesia in the early 1970s, at a time of political and social upheavals which led to the country’s independence in 1980 and the changing of its name to Zimbabwe. The recording was released in 1973 on the famous record The Soul of Mbira (Nonesuch Records, H-72 054).

Nhemamusasa has inspired several artists across the world. A few versions are available to listen to here. What gives this piece its unity is the main melodic line found in all instances of Nhemamusasa, including Midori Takada’s, as well as the wealth of sounds typical of mbira music.

The Musical Instruments' Awakening

The MEG holds a collection of some 2,500 musical instruments from the five continents, gathered between the late 19th and late 20th century. Most were collected from musicians by missionaries, doctors, explorers, researchers and ethnologists, many of whom were MEG curators. Prior to Midori Takada’s first visit to the museum’s reserve in November 2017, a set of instruments whose condition and structure made it possible to envisage them being replayed had been identified.

During a creative residence at the Ernest-Ansermet Studio (Geneva) and in the MEG’s auditorium on 25 and 26 November 2019, these instruments were made available to Midori Takada, who tried them and chose thirteen from different African regions, as well as from Thailand, China, Japan, India and Papua New Guinea.

Madeleine Leclair
Testimony of Midori Takada November
26th 2019
Directed by Madeleine Leclair/MEG & Johnathan Watts/MEG
Post-production & subtitles: Face-C
©MEG 2024
Testimony of Forward Mazuruse
August 29th 2023
Images and videos: Forward Mazuruse
Post-production & subtitles: Face-C
©MEG 2024
Gliding on My Knees to Heaven, 2019
Portia Zvavahera
Oil-based printer's ink and oil stick on canvas
173,5 × 186 cm
Reproduction by courtesy of Stevenson and David Zwirner
M. Pérez Collection, Miami
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