By Titos Makondo
Josefa Chauke willingly worked for the nation with a gun in his hand. His passion surpasses the battleground as evidenced by his musical ventures.
Josefa is a 50-year-old ex-soldier and a charismatic sungura maestro. His roots can be traced to the deep rural of Mhlanguleni (New Boli), Chiredzi South in Zimbabwe.
He is a taciturn and considerate man, a man of few words who at one stage was said to be the reason why Zimbabwe is currently taking the first nibbles to an array of echoes of Xitsonga music.
If gratitude can be rendered, Chauke deserves unprecedented honor for his dedication. While his helluva pretty work calls for a space in museums, he also deserves some flowers while he can smell them.
His chronograph cannot be fully covered in snoozes. It’s quite lengthy, and so the read, hence one has to take a seat and enjoy his voyage.
The Rise Of Chauke
As an autodidact, Chauke started playing the banjo when he was doing grade 3 at Mhlanguleni Primary School, Chiredzi South in Zimbabwe.
There was a local teacher called Gladys Gumbo who asked pupils to bring banjos to streamline English lessons on a topic called Dumi and his guitar.
As an autodidact, Chauke started playing the banjo when he was in grade 3 at Mhlanguleni Primary School, Chiredzi South in Zimbabwe.
There was a local teacher by the name of Gladys Gumbo who asked pupils to bring banjos to streamline an English lesson on a topic titled ‘Dumi and his guitar.’
Chauke is the only pupil who managed to bring a homemade banjo which was designed by his fallen brother Obert Machevele.
Ms Gumbo’s efforts helped to nurture Chauke’s musical talent. Under Ms Gumbo’s tutelage, Chauke was ordered to mimic songs like Wakandicheka nerakagomara by Devera Ngwena Jazz Band and Kiseru by Shirati Jazz Band and he nailed it.
Since then, he became active in music despite being young and when asked about his dream job, he would say, “When l grow up l want to be a soldier and a music artiste.”
As years passed by, Chauke met with Mozambican nationals – Simiao and Damiao who were in Mhlanguleni as refugees, and they began singing together. The pair were good at playing the guitar and they freely dosed Chauke with vast guitar-playing skills.
He continued to follow the path of music till the end of his primary education and even when they ran away from the RENAMO bandits to Hippo Valley Farm 19.
Chauke dropped school doing form 1 in 1989 and went to Copper Queen near Sanyati where he worked as a herdboy and partially joined Mark Kamadengera’s Bright Stars from Chinhoyi.
He returned to Chiredzi in 1991 to go back to school and registered for ZJC exams which he passed meritoriously.
His late brother Hanyani Billiat Chauke encouraged and assisted him in pursuing education. After realising that without education in this world he would be as useless, he then chose to befriend books but he didn’t abort his musical dream.
While he was doing O-Level, he teamed up with a chain of buddies, the likes of, Vulani Hlevani, Fumani Chinhavi, Phenias Hatlani, and Felex Macheke to form the Melodious Sounds which was marred by exams. However, the team had the privilege of honing more skills from Jairos Jiri Band, Ujamaha Jazz Band, Mario Chauke, and BB500 who used to perform in Chiredzi South.
Chauke In Military World
After excelling in O – Level, Chauke chose to join the Zimbabwe National Army where he did military courses including adding more guitar-playing skills with the 4 Lions Band which was dominated by the Exodus Sound Blast members.
He joined other allied forces in the DRC war from 1998 to 2001. In DRC, he divided his time between military service and a music career. He mixed and mingled with the Congolese in the name of music.
Chauke came back to Zimbabwe in 2001 and then the Commander for Brigades authorised him to lead the 4 Lions Band to fundraise for the United Lions Soccer team which was based in D2.
As the pilot of the 4 Lions Band, Chauke worked with numerous music enthusiasts: Kamachi Matshikosi, Grasham Kandilema, Obert Muza, Mark Chipere, Tinashe Urayai Poterai, Innocent Bhareni, Zakaria Chiteke, Getwell Madyira, Felix Chauke, Josphat Chauke, Nelson Munero Makondo, Christopher Mundoringisa, Even Shoko, Noel Chiyamuro, Sifiso Shumba, and Peter Mathonsi.
The group started performing in Masvingo province, sharing the stage with the big names, Devera Ngwena Jazz Band as well as Zhimozhi Jazz Band.
Chauke received a financial jab from the Zimbabwe Culture Fund Trust with the help of Mrs H. Mudefi, the then manager of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe in Masvingo province.
He was then appointed to the Zimbabwe Signal Band in 2006 where he served as a lead guitarist before he was given a green light by the Commander to leave the force and pursue his musical dream following the footsteps of Zozo, Jonah Moyo and Thomas Chauke who were plying their trade in South Africa.
Chauke’s Musical Work
Chauke neither fell nor disappeared from the spotlight when his military career hit the ceiling. In fact, like a mopane worm that changes into a butterfly, he eventually evolved into a fully-fledged musician and started to superheat music under the banner of his co-own band Josefa Chauke and Marhula Crew.
Chauke neither fell nor disappeared from the spotlight when his military career skyrocketed.
In fact, like a mopane worm that changes into a butterfly, he eventually evolved into a fully-fledged musician and started to superheat music under the banner of his co-owned band Josefa Chauke and Marhula Crew.
He has dropped three tantrums of albums and numerous platinum singles in different African languages but majoring mostly in his mother language Xitsonga/ Shangani.
His three albums comprise six songs each, which are: Ntwanano Volume 1 Zaka Jerera (2005), Ntwanano Volume 2 Direction/ Mangedyani (2016) and Ntwanano Volume 3 U dlele Nyarhi (2023).
Forgiveness, Kopano and Togwigwana, are some of his single tracks which he released as collaborations.
Chauke would go for years without dropping any music due to a lack of financial support. He would meander for other jobs to put bread on the table and still come back to feed his starving culture with music.
Although the music world is volatile and currently equated to a jungle, Chauke continues to make vibes and seems not to be slowing down despite his age.
He pedals his way to the plateau of stardom while helping new artists break the shell of fear and penetrate the entertainment world.
“A hi Ku dangi Loko munhu a ha famba hi milenge – hi nga yimeli le ra nkosi” [Let’s give thanks to an individual while they are still alive – do not wait until death] – Dr. Thomas Chauke.
