5 Things You Probably Did Not Know About Hugh Masekela

1. He is Zimbabwean by origin. In an interview with Comfort Mbofana, Masekela said his original surname is Munyepawu and he was a Karanga by origin. Here is an excerpt of Masekela’s story:

I was born in Witbank, but my grandfather came from Great Zimbabwe. Our real surname is Munyepawu, we are Karangas. We were adopted by the Batogwas . . . My great grandfather was a Lutheran evangelist so he came with some German missionaries . . . The Munyepawu were chief agriculturalists at the time and we had to look for fertile land (which) is masikela and that is how we became Masekela.

2. He was good friends with Chiwoniso Maraire’s father Dumisani Maraire. He worked on a mbira compilation album, Shai Shai, done with several female jazz acts in honour of his long-time friend. The 12-track album features local female jazz acts Prudence Katomeni Mbofana, Rumbidzai Tavaziva, Joyce Warikandwa and Berita Tarupiwa, who contributed a song apiece.