Many years ago, Drifters Lodge near Mutare was built by Lyn and Ros Rogers. Nestled between four small green-clad mountains, it catered to drifters and backpackers, art and bridge clubs, friends, itinerants and more…

Challenges and tragedies, triumphs and disasters, all were met with a whimsical and fierce yet gentle camaraderie, typical of the Rogers family….

The Rogers’ children Steph, Sandy, art curator to be Helen and author-to-be Douglas, grew up there, with sweet Steph and her husband Rob Watson becoming dear friends of mine and my father Arthur Barrie’s in later years. (Douglas became world recognized as author of ‘The Last Resort’, a memoir, a social tale of his growing up, leaving and returning to, his childhood home. A must read… a witty, poignant, tragic and side-splittingly funny all-in-one meal of a book, akin to having all one’s meal courses piled on one heaped plate at a dinner party, multiple layered tastes to test your senses)!

I recall my first adventure at Drifters Lodge many years ago, when as a newly minted ‘artist’ in the early 90’s, I travelled to Drifters with my dear (now departed) Dad Arthur Barrie, in his old Mazda truck (which I still have), loaded with paintings, to hold a solo exhibition of my art, all painted on silk. ….such as this Wildebeest skull, recycled after a house fire and hanging again in my art studio…

Supported as always in my endeavours by dear friend Bronwen Evans, (whom I had met at Natal Technikon when we were both studying art), my inaugural art exhibition at Drifters, in the second storey and balcony with a view forever, was a roaring success in more ways than one (!) and many of my sold pieces still hang in various homes from Odzi to Chimoio, Burma Valley to Juliasdale and everywhere in between!

Time passed, as did Ros, Lyn and my dear old Dad, and, very sadly, we recently lost dear Steph at a young age. Georgina Maxim and Misheck Masamvu, Zimbabwean master artists and mentors of Village Unhu, had meanwhile bought the lodge and had long nurtured a dream… discussed over many a glass of wine with the Roger’s children. A dream of creating a workspace, an art space, plus an artist residency, in those rolling hills.

Georgina’s soft sculpture, stitched artworks, made of musings and memories, are traveling the world as ambassadors of her Zimbabwean creativity and passion.. and this will be a fitting space for her to continue creating them…

I had heard variously from Steph, Georgina, Douglas and Bronwen of the dreams and schemes, the plans and hopes for the property, but during the intervening years had not seen for myself, until last week. A road trip… I was driving towards Mutare from Harare on my way to our bush camp Kaya Nyala at Chief Mahenye’s Village, and I had stopped at Halfway House to try find something yummy to eat, (grrrrr ..I had forgotten my lovingly pre-made chicken sandwiches in Harare). I failed to find anything tantalizing and was settling glumly for a small packet of roasted corn kernels, when I was suddenly alerted by bush telegraph (aka by friend Bronwen’s whatsapp) that a function/art exhibition was unrolling at Drifters…

Quickly obtaining the necessary heads up to attend from Georgina, again by bush telegraph aka WhatsApp, I realized that I needed to shop for a pair of earrings (as one does at a cafe/road stop) to try and upgrade my inadequate attire, and Tjo, I found just the right colour cobalt blue earrings in the craft shop at Halfway House!! What a boost to elevate my blue kaftan and my rather travel worn image. I tied my messy hair up, popped in the earrings, plus a few other titivations, and voila, I could hold my head up, proceed to Drifters and enter the event, “Dialogues on Humanity”, where ambassadors, artists, chefs and such assorted dignitaries were mingling under the msasa trees; an event in honour of the refurbishment of Drifters into a new era of Village Unhu….(Art with a capital A) and also fittingly in honour of the Humanities – 75 years of existence of the esteemed Geneva Convention.

Anesu Chigariro, (she of Good Good, People Wine Food), and doubling as MC par excellence, hosted us all on arrival, as we gathered under the delightful msasa trees below the double story lodge….

David, Sandy’s husband and Rob Watson attended this amazing event, along with at least 50-70 people.

My dearest art school friend, Bronwen Evans (she of the excellent CAA, Contemporary African Art website) and I, always find the most amazing art happenings and often trek over Africa to do so, what an art team we are….

The guests included the International Committee of the Red Cross – Africa, and various embassy personnel in Zimbabwe, such as the Botswana ambassador Sarah Sithabile Molosiwa, the Greek ambassador Anna Farou, Ambassade de France au Zimbabwe, Paul-Bertrand Barets, the Ambassador of Portugal in Zimbabwe, Rui Goncalves Monteiro, the Malawi deputy ambassador, Alliance Francaise de Harare, Embassy of Sweden in Harare, EU Delegation to Zimbabwe, German Ambassador Udo Volz, Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, the Manica Post, Zimpapers, Diamond FM Zim and so many others including well known artists Wallen Mapondera and Admire Kamudzengerere, making this event a resounding success.

Misheck could not be at the function as he was attending his Goodman Gallery art exhibition opening overseas, but he was ably represented by one of his monumental artworks, standing nonchalantly against a wall upstairs on the second story where we gathered for speeches…. I was totally sucked into that painting… layers of barely perceived yet powerfully present under-drawings, overlaid with vibrant story and emotion..

Upstairs for the speeches, in the very space I had exhibited silk paintings so many years ago, Georgina opened with the story of Drifters and her and Misheck’s warm relationship with the Rogers family, then Rob Watson read a passage from The Last Resort.

As an aside, listening to Rob reading from The Last Resort brought to my mind an interview I had read between Douglas Rogers and a journalist and to quote:

“Journo: Q: The book is very funny, despite the harrowing subject matter. How did you come to write it this way.

Douglas: A: I was in a restaurant in Manhattan one night in early 2005 with the writer Melanie Thernstrom and I told her the tragic story of my parents’ lives, how their once beloved backpacker lodge was now a brothel, how my Mom was reduced to cooking meals on a portable gas cooker, that my Dad was cultivating a marijuana crop to earn a little money. Tears were rolling down her face. But she wasn’t crying, she was laughing. She said something like, “I’m really sorry but what you just told me is actually quite funny.” I realized then that I had to look at it in a completely different way. “

(That just about sums the book up wonderfully, as I say, a Must-Read!)

After Rob, David then talked on the history of the two families with Georgina and Misheck, and Drifter’s evolution into Villageunhu as it transforms into a dynamic arts centre. 

On celebrating the anniversary of 75 years of the Geneva Convention, Swiss Ambassador Stéphane Rey emphasized the deep connection between art and peace, the role of art to document and moderate our perceptions of war – the importance of art to encourage and contribute to peace…highlighting how artistic expression fosters dialogue, builds trust, and keeps the principles of the Geneva Conventions alive, celebrating the strong links that art has with Human Rights, a legacy born in Switzerland that continues to shape our world. ….

We explored International Humanitarian Law, (IHL), reflected through the powerful “Dialogues on Humanity” photography exhibition which was on display, thought provoking images,

Human rights and digital data…

considering the future of a digital explosion of information and dis-information, AI for better, or for worse?!…

Nyasha Chishakwe, Lawyer, spoke brilliantly on the history behind the Geneva Convention… mentioning the book “In Memory of Sofrina” written by Henry DuTon, 1859, written after Henry experienced Sofarino, a horrific battle leaving many wounded and dead with no hope of humanitarian assistance in those far off days. This book inspired “the group of 5” in Switzerland – who in 1863, volunteered to assist victims of armed conflicts … this group of five eventually becoming the Red Cross, and inspiring the formation of the Geneva convention in 1949.

IHL (International Humanitarian Law) was ratified by all states, initially reacting to needs on battlefields on land on at sea and further developed during the First World war to embrace treatment of prisoners of war. After World War Two, protection of civilians was ratified, as battlefields no longer were only in remote areas of conflict but often in civilian towns and backyards…

(Today conflict is not far away or remote- as we know; it is, horrifically, taken into civilian populations and across borders – and in some cases 90% civilians mortality is recorded compared to 10% active soldiers mortality!)

Shot by Tatenda… as speeches continued, we all were on the receiving end of talented friend Tatenda’s searching photographic lens, as he ably captured the key moments and nuances of the event…

Dear friend, ever-vibrant Petina Gappah shone in her glorious red outfit… and commented that the Geneva Convention was trying to retain  ‘“humanity in brutality” but that currently such flouting, such brutality and violations are occurring worldwide- where does the road lead to from here?’ 

An interesting response from the ICRC panel, (Dr Emmanuel Mhaphosa and colleague Megan van Schalkwkyk) was that when asked this question, “due to violations across the globe, have we failed to meet the standards of IHL?”, they said that they felt that not – that the successes are often not noticed as often as the violations … Violence and displacement  in Africa  is gigantic  – women and children often bear the brunt – the rules of IHL need to be understood and adhered to by states…

Zimbabwe implements the Geneva convention , IHL into its social structure, and they felt that the laws we have are adequate but implementation and compliance is key -(international and non international conflicts need to be treated by the law) I learned that the ICRC works with all to raise awareness of IHL but does not enforce, as it is outside their mandate to enforce the law, and they maintain neutrality so as to more effectively network with all parties in and our of conflict.

As ambassador Rey mentioned, we need to develop bridges between cultures and traditions – such as art and IHL – to increase value and recognition  globally and specifically in Africa – creating linkages to educate and enhance a greater understanding of the need to respect Human Rights.

Looking to the future – the next 75 years – the relevance of the Geneva convention is not in question, but art and culture can reinforce the bridge of understanding ….. Compliance can be increased and fostered by focussing on the positive the good and using culture, customs, traditional beliefs,  using art and education, interacting with all armed groups,  university programmes etc 

After the speeches we enjoyed a wonderful lunch under the Msasa trees, Georgina’s tables all adorned with “Delicious Monster” leaves and delicious food on the platters……!!

I got to meet and have a wonderful chat with artist Kudzanai Chiurai, read the link for my blog on him and the FNB Art Fair. Kudzanai, whose art I much admire, has had a long association with the Rogers family, and is currently working at Drifters/Village Unhu while he builds his own studio nearby.

Georgina then proceeded to walk us past the newly built artist residences, some catering for women with their children – (such a wonderful initiative, as she herself has found over time the value of art residencies which welcome the artists’ children, empowering artists who otherwise could not participate due to having young children).

and through the lush rain-green hills…sharing her world with us…

…..onwards always with the hopeful dreams and innovative art residencies at Village Unhu, as friend Sogol captures an indigenous Crossandra flower on our walk…

The ethos of Village Unhu revolves around the philosophy of unhu/Ubuntu/vunhu -the village was started by people with similar backgrounds, almost like orphans. Misheck says he gathered experience at Gallery Delta, (the beloved Helen Lieros and Derek Huggins), where he says he did not arrive as an artist but was adopted as a child, and that Village Unhu was born not as a collective but as a family. Unhu became the fibre that unites people. With changing times, Masamvu said the village was focusing on new experiences on art production markets, how to present oneself, how to experience art, the meaning of art, how to validate art, how to be independent, how to consume art, and how to make art part of the heritage, and indeed, the times now are changing further in this brave new space near Mutare, embracing rural, self sufficiency, family, but fully leaping into the future at the same time…

all photographs are mine unless otherwise stated.

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