You can make a difference, and enjoy great music, too!

Things may not be great here, but in Zimbabwe the economic collapse is so
dire that over 20% of the population has left the country, and the AIDS
epidemic is so devastating that 9% of the population who remain are AIDS
orphans. Every Zimbabwean family needs to help support AIDS orphans.
MBIRA's non-profit sales of traditional music CDs played by 105 musicians
from all over Zimbabwe, and mbiras by 9 Zimbabwean instrument makers, are
estimated to help support more than 1100 men, women and children in
Zimbabwe...AND are preserving respect for traditional culture and music!

You can give great gifts, and be part of this. Order with a credit card
online, and we will ship your order by first class mail the next business
day (you may also order with a check or money order by mail, and we will
ship when we receive it). Please send us an additional email if you wish
the gift shipped to an address other than your own, as Paypal will not tell
us this when you order online! Here are our gift suggestions:

1. Give MBIRA CDs - when we sell even one, it feeds a rural musician's
family for a month, or a city musician's family for a week! Proceeds go to
the musician(s) on the CD. Consult our gift guide at
http://www.mbira.org/catalog.asp?cat=favorites
Or browse all the CDs and make your own selections at
http://www.mbira.org/catalog.asp?cat=cds
To just look at new releases in the last 6 months, go to
http://www.mbira.org/catalog.asp?cat=new

2. Make a tax-deductible donation in someone's name...even a small donation
can make a big difference in Zimbabwe. Go to
http://www.mbira.org/catalog.asp?v=Buy (or add a donation to your CD order)

3. Give an mbira workshop (or part payment of one) to a new or continuing
mbira student. For example, 8 day Mbira Camp in Puerto Rico Jan 27 - Feb 3,
or in Berkeley during the summer; or weekend workshops in Seattle, Berkeley,
Boston, Chicago (workshops may also be scheduled in other areas, dates are
not set yet for NY/NJ, and possibly Whidbey Island, WA, and Austin, TX).
For dates and cost of workshops, see http://www.mbira.org/events.html In
the San Francisco Bay Area, give the gift of mbira lessons, too. Email for
details if you wish to give a workshop or lessons gift certificate, or just
send a check to MBIRA with details.

4. Give an MBIRA T-shirt. Sizes and colors currently available: S (white,
light khaki), M (dark khaki), L (mint green, light blue), XL (white), XXL
(light khaki). Order at http://www.mbira.org/catalog.asp?cat=shirts and
ALSO email me what color(s) and size(s) you want.

5. Mbira player sculptures in ebony by a very talented village mbira player
and artist, Fradreck Manjengwa. We have both female and male solo mbira
players in stock. To order, go to
http://www.mbira.org/catalog.asp?cat=sculpture

6. Mbira instruments - please email for prices, and to arrange mbira
purchases. We have mbiras by 7 Zimbabwean makers in stock (sizes refer to
width of instrument/size of hands needed to play it):

Fradreck Mujuru: nyamaropa tuning (MBIRA workshop pitch - one large and 2
medium-large)

Josephat Mandaza: nyamaropa tuning (MBIRA workshop pitch - medium-large) and
gandanga (aka mavembe) tuning (MBIRA workshop gandanga pitch - large)

Murawo Tembedza: nyamaropa tuning (MBIRA workshop pitch - large)

Charles Ruhukwa: nyamaropa tuning (MBIRA workshop pitch - small/medium) and
katsanzaira tuning (Dorian mode, very high pitch - small/medium)

Gift Rushambwa: nyamaropa tuning (MBIRA workshop pitch - small) and gandanga
(aka mavembe) tuning (MBIRA workshop gandanga pitch - large)

Newton Gwara: njari makonde tuning (aka nyamaropa dongonda tuning) (MBIRA
workshop nyamaropa pitch - medium)

Newtan Musa Chihota: nyamaropa tuning (Magaya "standard" pitch - medium)