THE ZIMBABWEAN’S CULTURE.

” The white man is not indigenous to Africa, Africa is for Africans; Zimbabwe is for Zimbabweans”. The remains of early humans, dating back 500,000 years, have been discovered in the present-day Zimbabwe”. Zimbabwe is named after great Zimbabwe,the twelfth to fifteenth -century stone built capital of the Rozwi Shona dynasty.the name is thought to be derived from “dzamba dza mabwe” (great stone houses or “dzamba walfe (esteemed houses).

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in south-central africa.because of the impact of it’s Colonial history on the nation’s political,economic and socio cultural life it generally is identified more with southern Africa than with central Africa.

It is a landlocked country of 242,700 square miles, 390,580square kilometers between the Zambezi river to the north, and the Limpopo river to the South,it is bordered by Mozambique,South-africa,BonnnnJ

The African population of Zimbabwe is made up of at least ten ethnic groups, each speaking a different language. The two largest are the Shona and Ndebele. The Shona people make up about 60 percent of the population. They are well known for their skill in working with iron, gold, and copper. the country is known for its rich tradition of stone sculpture and for its natural tourist attractions such as the Great Zimbabwe Falls and Victoria Falls. It was a British colony known as Rhodesia from 1896 until 1980.

The capital,Harare is located in mashonaland,which covers the Eastern two thirds of the country and is the area where most Shona speaking people live.the second city Bulawayo,is in Mat abeland in the west,where most ndebele speaking people live.

Education:

Zimbabwe is one of the very fortunate countries in southern Africa to have basic education, especially for young people, Education is seen as valuable since it can be the way to a good job. Parents are usually willing to spend money on the education of their children as an investment in the future.

Marriage;

Marriage is an important rite of passage and a sacred practice through which the living are connected to their ancestors. So, while ancestor worship is the most common religious practice, Christianity and Islam are also observed. In fact, about 75 percent of the population observes either Christianity or islam.

Foods:

Their staple, or basic, food is called sadza. It is made of cornmeal and eaten with vegetables or meat (particularly beef and chicken). there are taboos (restrictions) associated with certain types of foods. In some parts, certain foods are eaten only when they are in season. For instance, the amaN-debele discourage the eating of corn on the cob outside its season. Most ethnic groups also discourage people from eating animal, plant, or other form of food that has their family name. For instance, if one’s family name is Nkomo (meaning “cattle,” “cows,” or “oxen”), one is not supposed to eat beef. When a woman is menstruating, she is not supposed to drink milk because it is believed that doing so might harm cows and calves.

In Conclusion

It is important for us to respect and appreciate others people’s culture,no culture should be ostracized in any way or form. By so doing we uplift ours too.According to Robert Mugabe former Zimbabwe president he said “The white man is not indigenous to Africa, Africa is for Africans; Zimbabwe is for Zimbabweans”. meaning that Zimbabwe may not be a beach of paradise destination, but the warm weather,clear skies and sheer natural beauty resorts makes it a unique and notable place to visit “why not give it a try?