Broken crayons still color: The inspiring story of Zimbabwean Australian- based Jossy Kandawasvika

Welcome to our first edition of the Broken Wings inspirational column: we meet with Zimbabwean women rising against all odds; women living to prove that broken crayons still color. I interviewed a Zim born female artist based in Australia; who has released 4 singles with more to come; a mix of jiti and gospel and has also been making beautiful African artwork and craft. I first knew the Vibrant Josephine Kandawasvika at our Alma mater Daramombe, located in Chivhu, Mashonaland East.However now she flies the Zim flag down under as Jossy Jovial Goal Digger. Here is what she had to say:

How best would you describe yourself?

I am a goal digger. I am Jovial. I am a high achiever, and I am multi-talented. I am educated and focussed. I am a realist and a domestic/gender-based violence advocate. I love life and I am the happiest person in a room.
Who are you? I am the person you want to be around when nothing else can make you happy. I am the most non-judgemental person that I know. I have been through it all. I have been through a divorce and have been ridiculed by society as a single mother. I have been laughed at and have been labelled names. I have fallen but have not remained down, I have risen up against all odds. I went to a boarding school called Daramombe High School In Chivhu and from my high school years, I learnt to be resilient at an early age.

Why did you wait for so long to go after your dreams?

I was married at an early age due to societal pressure and I had not even started to follow all the dreams I had for myself. I am not saying I did not want to get married back then. According to society at twenty-one year old girl back then should have acquired a husband otherwise society will put an “expiry date” sticker on you. Marriage therefore was an achievement and after I got married my dream of being a musician was gone out the window due to now being a full-time housewife. I have always wanted to be a musician and an artist. My first Degree at the University of Zimbabwe is a Bachelor of Arts Degree. So the pause was mainly because I thought I could never do this and yet what I just needed to do was to take the first step.

Has it been difficult to break through in the Art world? What challenges are you facing/have you faced?

I have not even broken through the Art world yet. I feel like a drop of water in an ocean especially in the Zimbabwean Entertainment Industry. I have a feeling as a versatile Zimbabwean singer who can sing any genre, I am going to face many hurdles for my music to get out there because the entertainment industry seems to concentrate on the already popular artists. I do not have any connections in the Zim entertainment industry, and it has been tough to break through so I don’t know what the future holds but I am positive I will eventually get there. So my main challenge at the moment is getting publicity on my music career. Financial challenges will always be there as I am following my dreams on the family budget in a foreign country. Raising four children and doing art projects has been challenging. Another challenge is finding the time to fit all the projects in. Here in Australia we do not have house helpers and I am not a rich auntie so running a home is a fulltime job on its own but I have a very supportive husband who is hands on so we work together.

I believe you had a career before was it in the same direction as what you do now?

My second degree is a Bachelor of Nursing which I did at the University of Newcastle Australia so I am still working as a Registered Nurse. With the music and art career at the moment I am still injecting money into the projects and getting nothing back as I am not yet established.

How has the move been so far?

I am still a Registered Nurse with Oncology/Haematology “cancer” experience, so I am not going to give up my job yet. I am praying that my handmade art business will be well established in the next five years. I hope my music will be popular and gain more followers, listeners or viewers. I hope to have multiple albums and music videos. It’s like if where I am now is the ground floor, then in five years I should have climbed up to the fifth plus floor but that is made possible not by me but by my fans, listeners and followers who are my most priced treasure.

You have cornered a very unique angle in the market while most people’s dream is to shake off the dust on the Zimbabwean culture and embrace the new you are embracing it . Did you learn to appreciate it or you have held a deeper appreciation of our heritage?

Ok I have always embraced my Zimbabwean Culture but when I came to Australia, I tried to fit in and shake off the dust but what I didn’t realise was that the so called “Zimbabwean dust” was not dust but it was blood, the blood that runs through my veins. How do you shake off the blood that runs in your veins?…….You can not because that blood is what makes Jossy be Jossy and I love my country Zimbabwe. I originally come from Chihota kwaKandawasvika but then my grandfather eventually moved to Seke, Kandava under chief Zhakata. I grew up with my dear mother as she was a single mother so I am more inclined to her rural home in Wedza kuZvamatohwe. The songs that I am doing now I am revisiting my pfonda / jiti days in the village and my teenage years. When I was trying to ‘Westernise myself” here in Australia and trying to forget my upbringing, I was impossible to do. I am slowly transforming my house into a little Zimbabwe and I feel good surrounded by things exhibiting my culture. Yes it is true that most Zimbabweans hve already and are still trying to shake off the Zimbabwean dust but you know what……….they still buy expensive air tickets and fly many hours to land in Zimbabwe because THEY ARE GOING HOME.

What would you say to women out there in regards with making their own path?

I will be straight forward here and say it is very hard for a married woman to make her own path if they have a controlling husband. I am known for not mincing my words. The most limiting factor for most women is that they can not beyond the ten commandments that they are given by their husbands and most of the rules of engagement do not take into consideration the goals/dreams/aspirations of my fellow sisters. To my sisters who have no “human” or relationship limiting factors, I say please go for your dreams and aspirations. Do not think about what people are going to say just know that they will eventually get used to it. People will always talk but let that not stop you reaching for the stars. To my married sisters please if you have a dream, find a way to convince your partners and convince them that this is what you aspire to do so that you have their support.Thank you for the opportunity

Thank you Jossy for coming through with such an amazingly candid and inspiring story. This just shows that it’s never to late to follow your dreams. I was indeed inspired and motivated.
To have more on Jossy here is a link to her art business https://jossyjovialartanddecor.com.au/ You can also follow Jossy on her personal Facebook page Jossy Jovial Goal Digger
Also search for her music channels Jossy Jovial.