A cosmopolitan nation
Two African ethnic groups predominate in Zimbabwe: the Shona, whose ancestors were Bantu-speaking settlers who arrived in southern and eastern Africa at the beginning of the millennium, and the Ndebele, who settled in the southern part of the country (Matabeleland) in the second half of the nineteenth century under pressure from King Shaka's Zulu warriors. Apart from these majority ethnic groups, 5% of the Zimbabwean population belong to various communities. Some are very localized, such as the Tonga, living on the Zambezi River, the Hlengwe or Shangaan of the Lowveld and the Venda of the far south. Others are not geographically unified: there are Europeans, Asians, and people of mixed race. One of the sixteen official languages is English, which is understood and spoken by all segments of the population (except those in remote rural areas). It is the language that is taught in schools, used by the majority of the media as well as by police officers, cab drivers, gas station attendants and hoteliers. The other two official languages most used by locals are Shona (67%) and Ndebele (16%). Ndebele is spoken mainly in Matabeleland and in the west of the country (especially in Bulawayo) and is a recent language, derived from Zulu, created less than two centuries ago. Shona is a much older language, spoken mainly in the central and eastern parts of the country, and is divided into six major dialects (Kalanga, Karanga, Zezuru, Manyika, Ndau, and Korekore), which are in turn subdivided into about 30 smaller dialects. Zezuru is considered a prestigious language since it is the one used by the radio and by the black inhabitants of Harare. Tonga (a separate language) is also widely spoken in the north (where the Tonga, the river people, live). Chilapalapa is still sporadically used in some companies or on some rural farms: a composite mixture of Ndebele, English, Shona and Afrikaans words, it is a very loose dialect, with no real grammar (it contains many verbs but they are only conjugated in the imperative!). Mostly used between employers and employees before independence, it is a language less and less spoken, because it is directly linked to the era of colonial exploitation. In the early 1960s, the white community represented at least 5% of the country's population, but with the violence associated with independence, this proportion dropped to around 2% twenty years later. Two decades later, it had fallen to between 0.2 and 0.3 per cent of the population, due to the impact of land reform and the country's economic and financial situation, as many emigrated to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom.
The Shona
The Bantu, who were farmers and masters of smelting techniques, settled in the Highveld, Middleveld and Eastern Highlands regions at the beginning of the first millennium and gave rise to the Shona, the largest ethnic group in Zimbabwe. The term "Shona" is said to come from a contraction of a Zulu phrase, eshona langa, meaning "west" or, more accurately, "where the sun sets. The majority of the community lives in Mashonaland, the region of Zimbabwe that stretches from the Zambezi to Gweru. The Shona live in traditional huts that vary in structure from region to region. The Shona consider that they hold their land directly from their god, Mwari. The bond with the land is a result of the people's total dependence on the land for generations. They are mystical and deeply respect the spirit of their ancestors, or Mudzimu. The Shona consider that the latter are responsible, in the same way as Mwari, for the misfortune, illness or death of any member of the community who behaves badly. Magic also plays an important role in Shona culture. The members of the community recognize the supernatural powers of sorcerers, or N'anga. The latter predict the future, protect against evil spirits or cure diseases with the help of dice (hakata) made of bones, shells or beans. Maize, millet, yams, rice and tobacco are the main crops of the Shona community and they supplement their diet with hunting and fishing. The planting of the seeds and the harvesting of the crops are celebrated in traditional ceremonies dedicated to the spirits. The chief of the Shona community is autonomous. He is consulted in all matters relating to witchcraft and murder, and has the power to impose the death penalty on one of his subjects. In some communities it was customary to strangle the king when he became infirm or too old to rule.
The Ndebele
Ndebele means "those with long shields"; this name was given to them by the Sotho people. The Ndebele are the second largest ethnic group in Zimbabwe (25% of the population). They originated in northern Zululand and invaded southern Zimbabwe (Matabeleland) around 1820, following a conflict between Mzilikazi (Ndebele leader) and Shaka (Zulu king). They were both farmers and cattle breeders, devoting part of their land to growing maize, sorghum, sweet potatoes and beans, and the rest to grazing. In the days of kingship, the king (inkosi) had full power and certain offenses such as incest, treason and witchcraft were punished by death. The upper castes devoted their time to hunting and military affairs. Whatever their social background, the Ndebele believe in Unkulu ukulu, the supreme being who created the world. They believe in an afterlife and respect the spirits of their ancestors, Amandlozi. They are also great mystics; they regularly consult the village witchdoctor and generally follow his advice. The traditional dress of the Ndebele warrior consists of a monkey skin kilt, a cloak and a shield with characteristic patterns indicating the rank and regiment of its owner.
Tonga
The Tonga are the inhabitants of the Zambezi Valley. We do not know their exact origin, nor when and how they arrived in this part of present-day Zimbabwe. No legend or story alludes to possible population movements, as if the Tonga had been linked to the river since the dawn of time... Little research has been undertaken on this tribe, and only a few traditions have reached the ears of the most interested. It is known, for example, that the Tonga regularly smoke òdagga (marijuana), the men in large clay pipes, the women in calabashes (incelwa). It is also known that women, for aesthetic reasons, used to like to pierce their nose, ears and lips with thorns of varying sizes. Another custom, much more disturbing, consisted in pulling out the six front teeth before puberty; theories abound as to this tradition, but the majority tendency would be that it was a way of making oneself ugly so as not to be taken away as a slave by the more powerful tribes. Most of these customs, such as killing the second child when giving birth to twins, disappeared completely in the 1960s. This is not only the case in the context of the Creative City concept, but also in the context of the Creative City concept, which is based on the concept of the Creative City model. This is how 50,000 people were uprooted from the soil of their childhood and moved to what is now Zambia or the western part of the lake. The Tonga, originally primarily fishermen, were forced to become farmers, and on land that was far less fertile than their ancestral flood plains of the Zambezi. The anger of anthropologists did not help, and this tragic relocation aroused even less interest from the public and journalists (colonial times oblige!) than the animal rescue campaign undertaken by Fothergill... The Tonga were nevertheless forced to leave their homes, their fishing (and survival) bases, their relatives living on the other side of the river, their dead, etc. Life, then, became terrible for the members of this tribe, whose customs, ceremonies and knowledge had always been based on the proximity of the river. Today, the Tonga are one of the poorest rural populations in Zimbabwe. As with the Khoisan of the Kalahari, who are in much the same situation, projects have been set up to help this tribe. In Binga, for example, cultural tourism is being developed and local crafts are being promoted. Hundreds of Tonga people are employed by craft cooperatives, which order beautiful woven baskets from them.
