By Cleto Zharare
Given Dakalo Nare (19), born on 6 February 2002 in Musina, South Africa and a new addition to the Zion Christian Church brass band ensemble in that country, confesses that ZCC is his newfound home. He is one of the first South Africans to join the church’s brass band team, which has other members based in Cape Town.
Dakalo is a grade 11 pupil at Musina high school.
“ZCC is home to me, the brass band is my happiness. I have been to many churches but here I found interesting systems and structures, and an incredible history as seen in the life of the late patriarch, Reverend Samuel Mutendi. His inspiring history is one of the reasons I joined the church,” said the 19-year-old lad.
Dakalo converted and was baptised in 2017 with his grandmother, mother, and sister. He revealed that he is the youngest in his family, with two other siblings older than him.
He joined the ZCC brass band in April this year, with his debut performance on 3 April.
“Now I’m starting to understand how our church operates. All I need is to serve the God of Zion before his servant Bishop Dr Nehemiah Mutendi. I want to serve God through the brass band,” he added.
He said he wanted to serve God through playing in the brass band but there was no one in Musina he could share this with.
He says he even bought and kept for some time his brass instrument before getting an opportunity to play it.
“I thank the Lord of Zion, now I have found a way to serve God,” he said.
Dakalo thanks his brass band trainers, namely the Mbungo 2 brass band leader Wilbert Mugabe, Blessing Zinhanga and Justice Zireva for teaching him and keeping him motivated throughout his young journey.
In keeping with its tradition of brass band performances, ZCC continues to establish brass brand troupes in many of its parishes across the world.
