 The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language gives the following as one of it's definitions of the word renaissance:- a revival of intellectual or artistic achievement and vigor. The African Renaissance would then be a renewed attention to the essence of our being. A resurgence of pride in the definition of who we are as a people. A showcase of the beauty that lays deep in our souls.
This revival has brought about favorable times for our fashion industry at a time when so many seek to compliment their appearance with that touch that can only come from one's mother land and to our favour a ready solution to our longing exists in the form of Vovala.com, a clothing web site.
Mutinta Mazoka-Cliatt, the site's founder and CEO, is fine example of an entrepreneur with the pride and foresight needed to push our heritage in this period of renewed pride. Ladies and gentlemen ...
Mutinta Mazoka-Cliatt
Where were you born?
I was born at Chikankata Hospital in Mazabuka, Southern Province. I am a real Tonga babe!
When did you leave Zambia?
I left Zambia in 1990 to attend an ALL GIRLS CATHOLIC boarding school in Tunbridge Wells, England …still haven’t forgiven my parents for that move :(
I left because my parents wanted to offer me the best opportunity possible in education.
How did you initially find life in another country?
At first I liked being independent and far from home, but after the first term I was crying for my Mother and Father and missing home terribly, after a year I got used to it. I valued the exposure to people from different parts of the world as well as the opportunity to tell people about my beautiful homeland. Granted there were the occasional questions on what kind of hut I lived in and whether I had an elephant or a lion for a pet, so I said our dog was actually a Warthog! no but seriously we had a Jack Russell named Kimba
Fondest memories of Zambia?
What a question! They are so many, I am certain your site cannot accommodate all of them. So I’ll just name a couple. I remember the times I would visit my Auntie Edna in Luanshya for the holidays with my younger brother and sister. There we would play ”Ichi duunu”, “Rounders” (Zambian style) with my Cousin and the neighboring children.
As I grew older, I remember my first Mosi…boy was that a good one!
Family
Are your parents in Zambia and what do they do?
My mother holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering though she does a little of everything. My father, Anderson Kambela Mazoka, retired from Anglo American Corporation in 1998. He is currently the President of the United Party for National Development (UPND) in Zambia.
Do you get to visit them often?
Yes. Approximately once a year.
Love/Relationships
Are you married?
I am married to a wonderful supporting man called Hilliard Toi Cliatt III. We got married in Zambia on April 6th 2002.
Cool. Where did you meet your husband?
My husband and I funnily enough met on the Internet! No! it was not a dating service or anything of the sort! We were involved in a discussion group and we eventually met in person after communicating on line for about 8 months. At the time I wasn’t in the least bit interested in dating, as I was focusing on graduate school. So one evening, I was having a dinner party for a group of friends from College and I decided to invite him. The first time I set eyes on him I knew he was “THE ONE”.
 Vovala Clothing
Where and what did you study?
I did my secondary school education in the UK at Sacred Heart Girls School, got my bachelors in Political Science at Syracuse University in Up-State New York. I then proceeded to American Intercontinental University in Atlanta, Georgia to get my MBA in Global Technology Management.
Impressive! Your current occupation?
I am currently the CEO and CO-Owner of Vovala Clothing Inc. My husband is the other half of the company.
When did you develop an interest in African design?
I have always been interested in fashion for as long as I can remember! I recall copying the fashions Veronica and Betty from Archie comics were wearing and making similar ones for my Barbie’s. My fascination for African fashion came from my mother’s closet and those of my aunts.
What elements of African wear attract you to it?
Everything about African outfits fascinates me! Starting from the color of the fabric to the way it compliments the African woman’s physic. In a world where beauty is measured by Western standards, I feel that African clothing compliments and appreciates the assets that women of color have.
Our clothing also has a magnificent way to bring out dignity and pride in the women who wear it. It reminds me of the women of long ago. When one wears a Chitenge outfit, they can’t help but carry themselves in a majestic fashion.
Do you think fashion inspired or based on Africa traditional wear may be come the in thing some day?
Definitely! It is inevitable though I feel that there are 2 major things that can make that come to realization sooner. The first is having people such as myself come up with the designs and production of the clothing and the second involves people such as you who would wear the clothing. The bottom line is exposure; we must embrace our culture be it through music, food or clothing to make it more visible to those who are not from where we are. Only then can they accept and embrace it too.
What is your target market?
My target market is women and men between the ages of 25-60. I realize that this is a large scale, however our clothing is tailored to the various age groups. I have noticed that African Americas are my number one clientele though I wish that I had more clients from The African Continent. I definitely appreciate the fact that I can provide for our brothers and sisters here in the USA, so many of them are proud of African tradition, sometimes more so than our own people.
Which designers inspire you?
I can’t really say any one designer inspires me, they all do. To be honest with you I get a lot of my ideas from what I see people wearing and I simply think of how to modify it and incorporate the African culture to it.
Are there any Zambian designers you would like to work with?
I am willing to work with anybody! The only designers I know about in Zambia are Nkulu Banda and Elizabeth Mwanza. I think it is very important that we band together to support one another and one day form an organization that promotes, supports and exposes the work of Zambian designers.
I believe you plan to open up a factory in Kabwe. Tell us about it and why you chose Kabwe?
My family owned a clothing company factory in Kabwe called Liberty Manufacturing and they manufactured men’s suits and work attire. Due to the waning textile industry in Zambia in the early to mid-nineties, the factory closed down.
With Vovala’s birth my father and mother have been kind enough to allow me to take the factory over and revive it to produce the line. The most exciting thing about that is that I can finally see a label that says, “MADE IN ZAMBIA”. The most important thing is that we will be able to provide jobs for Zambians in Kabwe. We will start off slowly and hope that God will continue to bless the company and lead to more jobs in the town.
Do you have any encouraging words for fellow Zambian entrepreneurs world-wide
We have a great nation. Let us maximize it’s potential.
Do you believe Zambia really has a future?
Without a doubt, Zambia can be, and will be a very important place in Africa, we shall set precedents for a lot of things on the continent and the World, we just have to keep moving forward day-by-day!
In my quest to know more about Mutinta I decided to do what "The Post" does pretty well - Dig Deeper.
Mutinta the Person
Her favourite TV program
I have several, Forensic Files, Sopranos, Law and Order and City Confidential. I love anything that involves crime solving.
Her favourite music?
I listen to everything, depends on the mood at the time.
Zambian Music
I like JK’s music as well as Shatel
Her most favourite meal(s)
Depends on how I feel that day. At the moment I am feeling Crabs legs, though my all time favorite is Nshima, cabbage and village chicken!…can’t forget the bowa! I love mushrooms, those little brown ones and the red ones! You see Simu; you are getting me hungry now!
The best piece of advice she's ever received
I take every piece of advice seriously no matter whom it’s coming from. One that I have always heard from my mother was, “Matee amu pati ta wiidi ansi” (sp) A Tonga saying that basically says that the advice of an elders is never a waste. The other is listen to your spirit, it will never mislead you.
Her greatest fear
I refuse to validate fear, so I’ll just follow the words of JFK and say, “we have nothing to fear but fear itself!”
I couldn't leave her alone without asking if she remembered any Zambian folk tales?
I remember so many though I can’t remember how they ended, for some reason they all involved lions! I remember my grandmother and my Auntie Makani telling us stories, they were really good!
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