Where singer and guitarist Thomas Mapfumo is concerned, Washington is a wonderful place to perform; but more importantly, a place where he is free to do so. Mapfumo has been a witness to bloody years in his native Zimbabwe’s history, growing up in the thick of the country’s fight for liberation and further witnessing the economic and political mayhem under dictatorship. His weapon against the injustices hurled at his people is his music.

“Ours is music with a very great message [and] we sing in our native language!” he said.