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What is the Mbirathon? Mbira players at locations around the world joining to keep traditional Shona mbira music played continuously for 24 hours. The 2008 event is the 4th annual Mbirathon. During Mbirathon, people play mbira on every continent! When is it? From 6 pm on 26 January, to 6 pm on 27 January, 2008 (local time zone for each location) - please participate for as much of this time as you can, even if only one hour. What is the purpose of the Mbirathon? 1. Honoring the common ancestors and ancestry of all humankind, and fostering individual, community, and global healing. Background: Mbira is used in Shona culture (Zimbabwe) for healing, and for communication with ancestors, including those who are the common ancestors of all human beings alive on earth today. The vibration of mbira music is itself healing, whether or not you believe in communication with ancestors. 2. Fundraising for MBIRA's non-profit projects - the 2008 Mbirathon funds will be used for the MBIRA Musicians Fund, which subsidizes the royalty payments to our 135 traditional Zimbabwean recording artists, so that every musician receives a minimum payment each year (often about US$35), even if there were few or no sales of their recording. This helps to support both mbira music and respect for traditional culture in Zimbabwe. Some of the funds may also be used to pay Zimbabwean musicians being recorded for the first time, at the time of recording. How do I participate? 1. Playing mbira! Contact your local Mbirathon host (see Mbirathon Locations below) to get time and place information for your local gathering, which may be anything from 2 hours to 24 hours, depending on your location. Those who don't play mbira are also encouraged to join us in our healing intention with your listening, prayers, singing and dancing. No host for your area yet? Email Mbirathon if you would like to be a local Mbirathon host in your area, anywhere in the world. Even if you are the only mbira player in your area, being listed might result in a travelling mbira player joining you for Mbirathon, but you can also play alone and know that people around the world are joining you in both playing mbira and healing intention. 2. Help raise funds for over 135 Zimbabwean musicians MBIRA works with, in any of these ways: ~ Send a tax-deductible donation made out to MBIRA to PO Box 7863, Berkeley, CA 94707-0863, USA, with a note "Mbirathon donation" ~ Collect donations in advance of Mbirathon from co-workers, friends, etc. in support of your participation ~ Make a donation at your local Mbirathon event (cash or check) ~ Give a performance that is a benefit for Mbirathon, before or during Mbirathon ~ Do some "busking" during the Mbirathon ~ Sign up at escrip.com so that when you use your crdit, debit and grocery discount cards, merchants donate a percentage to MBIRA ~ Make a tax-deducible donation on the www.mbira.org website - all donations during January will be considered Mbirathon donations. Right now the program is only allowing donations in addition to a CD purchase, sorry! You can also make a donation directly through Paypal, to MBIRA, at Paypal.com - Mbirathon weekend only! Make an Mbirathon donation over the phone: call 510-548-6053. I may be playing mbira when you call, so leave a message and I'll call back. Please print out flyers about the Mbirathon and MBIRA's work to give donors. Donors may give you checks made out to MBIRA (in the US only) or cash, or donate directly to MBIRA as described above. If you collect donations in advance of the Mbirathon, please give checks and cash to your Mbirathon host to send to us. MBIRATHON GATHERING LOCATIONS AND HOSTS TO CONTACT (will be updated weekly as new locations are added - please contact us if you wish to host in your area) ARGENTINA: Contact Pablo (pazparaelmundo@yahoo.com) SINGAPORE: Contact Barbara at medesimo@gmail.com USA Alaska Homer: Host is Michele Stenger, contact her at mnm@alaska.net California Mbira House, Berkeley: Contact Erica (erica@mbira.org) Illinois Carbondale: Contact Ron at coulter@siu.edu Missouri/Kansas: Contact Lorraine (relax@acheybodybiz.com) Oregon Portland: Host is Inge Hindel, Contact organizer Marian (gandanga@dsl-only.net) Eugene: Host is Marilyn Mohr, contact her at mmohr@uoregon.edu Virginia Williamsburg: Contact Doug and Laurel at (757) 220-5702 - Room 3-203A Washington State Seattle: Host is Deb Goldman, Contact organizer Petra (petra.siemion@gmail.com) |
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