Celebrating An Awesome Queen

TENDAI GARWE INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

Question: Hi Tendai, long time, How are you and what have you been up to?

Tendai: I have been through a crazy journey but I’m good. I do look good- I think. I never used to reflect on how, I feel but these days I do that. So I’m good. I’ve been back at work and going through healing after the accident. I’ve been doing the most, because I realized life is too short and there’s no reason whatsoever for me to do anything in half measures. I’ve been doing quite a lot of things, focusing on me leaving a legacy that people will remember me for. I’ve written a book, I am doing all sorts of things.

Question: Some have been afforded the opportunity to get to know you and to interact with you at different levels. Who is Tendai Garwe?

Tendai: I don’t want to define myself or to limit you to tap into who I am, the opportunity I am, the friend I am , the sister I am, the lover I am, the mom that I am. Tendai is what you want me to project to you, so I can’t define who I am to you. You decide what you want to tap into and what it is that you want to learn or gain from me. Who I am to myself is the best version of myself. That’s who Tendai is. Tendai is actually one of my 4 personalities. There’s Wenyasha, Sokostina, Tambudzai and these are all different individuals. If you interact with Sokostina, that’s the diva, she’s extra. Then Wenyasha, she’s so spiritual. Tendai is sophisticated, she’s shy and she ‘doesn’t like’ people. Tambu is ghetto-fabulous.

Question: Generally women have stuff/items that they consider to be basic necessities. What are the 5 things you can’t live without?

Tendai: Right now my crutches, but I’m hoping they’re going soon. My glasses cause I need to see. I can’t live without my candles, I need to burn candles at night for me to remain sane. Candles absorb all the bad energy that is there in the room. Everywhere I go I need to have those. I also can’t live without my two sided copper bangles. Copper is good for your bones, it helps your bones grow stronger etc, and also because I’ve decided to go spiritual in African spirituality and it scares a lot of people. The fifth thing I can’t go without is myself. Where would I go without myself you know what I mean.

Question: Everyone has a mantra that motivates them to go through life and have a positive outlook. What’s your life philosophy?

Tendai: It’s not that deep. Well after the accident I realised, I don’t need a life jacket to remain afloat or to remain sane, it is what it is. When I say it’s not that deep is, remember offense is not given, it’s taken, because you assume someone is offending you and maybe they’re not even doing that. It’s not that deep means that no matter what is going on around you, nomatter how people address you or encounter you, it’s not that serious. We then make it as if it’s the end of the world, or as if we’re going to die, it’s not that deep anyway. The thing is going to go away with the flow of the currents very soon, it’s not ocean deep and we’re not going to find the deep blue sea in the situation. It’s just surface situations.

Question: What did you lose or gain after the accident?

Tendai: I lost the fear of missing out - F.O.M.O. A lot of people miss out on life because we wish we were elsewhere. I’m not saying don’t have the vision to go to the Maldives or to Kariba. Don’t get consumed by ‘why am I not there’, celebrate where you are and look for opportunities because you are the opportunity for someone else and vice versa. You need to be present. I thought I lost time, but I gained myself. I learnt how to be better company with myself, how to love myself, how to enjoy my thoughts and how to process things. I don’t think I really lost anything, I just learnt to be better as a person.

Question: We are celebrating women this month, what is your advice to women?

Tendai: You can achieve whatever you set your mind on. I believe things are going to work out for you. This women’s month we celebrate women in their totality. Look at me, I’m built for comfort, that’s what I say. I’m thick and I celebrate myself regardless of what other people having set parameters for me. Every woman should embrace who they are and have attitude while you’re doing it. Celebrate being the awesome woman you are – Happy Women’s Month