Our Director

Artistic Director for Kunaka

Kurai Blessing Mubaiwa

Mbira, marimba, percussion, bass, keyboard

Kurai Blessing Mubaiwa was born in 1976 in the village of Mutimbanyoka, in Murewa district, Zimbabwe. With an exceptional interest as a young child he began playing mbira at the age of six. This keen learner watched while his father, uncles and other village elders played mbira in traditional ceremonies and soon he began his journey as a young child singing, dancing, playing mbira and drums in traditional ceremonies and other village gatherings.
In 1994 Kurai moved to the city of Harare where he joined the cultural group Savannah Arts where he learned to play marimba and trained as an actor. Here he facilitated and coordinated the Streets Ahead programme which focused on teaching street youth to play marimba. In 1995 he participated in The Youth Forum and taught cultural arts in Copenhagen, and Arhus, Denmark.
In 1998 Kurai toured West Africa and Europe with Chiwoniso Maraire and opened for Cesaria Evora. In 2000 he joined Theatre Talipot in Reunion Island performing in the production, Passage, which also toured South Africa and Scotland.
Kurai immigrated to Vancouver in 2002 where he began his Canadian musical journey. Here he began teaching at the Britannia World Music Program facilitating and instructing children and youth marimba classes until present. He also continues to instruct mbira and drumming workshops.
Kurai also continues to perform as the lead musician with the group ZimbaMoto, that includes a solo act playing mbira and other percussion instruments. During his solo performance he wears a traditional loin skirt, ostrich feather headdress and leg shakers.