Seasoned mbira music singer-cum book author, Hope Masike, is set to tour Bulawayo this weekend with her new book which she launched last month in Harare.
The famous mbira music singer, who is deemed “The Princess of Mbira” launched her second book titled “Die With Me” last month in Harare and since then she has been on a book tour all over the country.
Recently, she was in Mutare where she met with bookworms and also music fans.
The book tours are meant to reach out to her fans and have time with them so that they can have time to buy the book.
In an interview with The Herald Arts, Masike said she was doing book tours so she can meet with her fans face-toface so that they can buy her new book.
“I have fans countrywide, so if I only concentrate with those who are in Harare it will become a problem,” she said.
“The book title ‘Die With Me’ is about fighting in culture’s corner, I’m vowing to defend it till I die.
“Our culture is on the brink of collapsing because of the Western culture which is now dominant, so I will stand with it and preserve it so that it cannot vanish away.”
Since the book was launched, Masike said she sold more than 100 copies and it was on demand, with even some of her fans in the diaspora placing some orders.
She said many people were interested in reading something which is rich in traditional culture.
“Since I launched my book last month, I have sold over 100 copies here in Zimbabwe, but also overseas there are many fans who have placed their orders,.
“I have noted that so many people are interested in reading something which has something to do with our traditional culture, I have hope that in the future I can sell over 10 000 copies of that book.”
The culture activist is also yearning to see her book used as a set book in schools to guide students who want to study culture.
“ I want to see my book being used in the education sector as a text book,” she said. “In the coming months, I will take it to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education so that I can make a propsal to the minister.
“Once it is approved, I will then sell it to the education institutions so that pupils can use it as a guide book.”
Masike has sold the book to some schools,to stock it in their libraries as an ordinary novel because it is not yet approved by the ministry as a set book.
Herald
