Clowning Across Chimanimani: Clown Shows and Countless Smiles in Zimbabwe

After a long six-hour drive from Harare, we finally arrived in Chimanimani, a breathtaking mountain region in Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands, with green hills, valleys, and an open sky. 

Our first performance in Chimanimani took place on a football field. We watched students come down the hill toward us, walking in neat lines, their excitement buzzing. When we started, that energy took off. They clapped, laughed, and cheered. And when the show ended, the real party began. Music played, and the entire field turned into a spontaneous dance floor. Josie led a joyful parade of dancing students across the field and back up the hill. Watching her guide the children in rhythm while the sun dipped lower over the horizon was beautiful. 

At our next location, we spent some time with the school's headmaster before the show. He shared how he believed in the importance of arts in education and how vital it is for students to experience creativity and play. It turns out he didn't just talk the talk—Tsungi pulled him up on stage mid-show for an impromptu dance number. The crowd went wild. You could feel the students' pride watching their headmaster dance with joy and abandon. 

On both days, Mr. Murime, a provincial administrator from Chimanimani, joined us.  His energy and passion for arts education were strong. He stayed with us throughout our shows and told us he was excited to explore teaching, clowning, and juggling to students in the area. Watching him light up with new ideas was as heartening as any performance.

On our second day in Chimanimani, we drove about 45 minutes to Bumba Primary School. The headmaster welcomed us warmly and assured us we were good to go.

The show turned into a spirited competition. As we performed, the students began chanting our clown names in Shona, the language spoken here. It became a game—who could cheer the loudest for their favorite clown? The schoolyard was filled with echoes of "Baba Harare," which means Father Harare when they cheered for me, "Manhanga Kutapira," which means sweet pumpkin when they cheered for Josie, "Chimodho," which means Bread from Home when they cheered for Lloyd, and "Pirori," the name of a popular song when they cheered for Tsungi! The four of us and the audience of students were together to make it a fun game.

Later, one of the older teachers got caught up in the fun and jumped up to dance with Tsungi. He made the most of his opportunity to dance with the clowns. When the show ended, one child said, "Clowning is to make people happy." Honestly, I couldn't have put it better myself.

Our next stop that day was Matendeudze Primary School—a large school with over 1,000 students. We set up for a show in the round, with the students surrounding us. The energy was electric. After a 30-minute break, we did a second show at the same school. The first had been for older, middle-school-aged students; the second was for the younger elementary school kids. If the first show had a buzz, the second had fireworks. The younger kids were bursting with enthusiasm. I think word of the first show had gotten out, and they were ready. They yelled, they danced, and their laughter felt like music.

We could've stopped there. We'd already done three shows. But we felt the momentum and asked ourselves—what if we could squeeze in one more?

So we did.

Our fourth and final show of the day was at a nearby school just as the students were wrapping up their lessons. We performed in the courtyard while the kids gathered around us in a tight circle. Despite being at the end of their day, they still had energy to spare, cheering just as loudly and laughing as hard. Once again, we heard them chanting our names, choosing favorites, and playing along with every gag. At the end of the show, one of the teachers said, "That show had our whole curriculum —music, drama, a little bit of math, and even PE."

In Chimanimani, we danced on football fields, brought headmasters into the spotlight, and witnessed the power of play transcend age, role, and language. We laughed, we danced, we connected. Clowning, at its core, is about joy—and in Chimanimani, joy was everywhere.

If you've ever wondered how to support this work—how to bring joy, laughter, and healing to communities worldwide through the universal language of clowning, mark your calendars: Thursday, July 24, is our Second Annual Fundraiser for Clowns Without Borders USA. It will be held in Atlanta at the home of our dear friend Tim Cunningham.  Laugh, eat, connect, and help us make sure this work continues to reach the places that need it most.  A link to the fundraiser is here. 

Touring with Clowns Without Borders is about so much more than performance. It's about building beautiful relationships. It's about bringing joy to places that carry weight and hardship. It's about showing up fully, with a red nose and an open heart. Proceeds will bring laughter to children and families in Lebanon and Gaza.