When Zimbabwe gained its independence in 1980, following years of brutal guerrilla war, Thomas Mapfumo was a national hero. His music had inspired the fighters in the bush, and his brilliant embrace and update of traditional Shona forms was a point of national pride. 20 years later, he moved his family into exile, and is now unable to return to his beloved homeland because of political repression there. How did this happen? It's a story that involves Zimbabwe's evolving political landscape, and one filled with the complexities surrounding the transition from fighter to ruler that have echoed across the independent continent. The story is told in the Hip Deep program Thomas Mapfumo 2: The War Years. The accompanying video feature "The Path to Exile" seeks to bring the viewer closer to its subject through interviews and archival footage shot by Producer Banning Eyre during his time in with Mapfumo in Zimbabwe. We hope you like it!
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