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Stick Fighting in Nguni Cultures Umgangela or Dlala ‘nduku (Playing sticks) is a martial art traditionally practiced in Nguni ethnic groups. This practice is believed to have originated from cattle herdboys and is traditionally practiced by males – young and old. Each opponent is armed with two long sticks, one used for defense and the […]
Months of the year in Setswana Astrology and an understanding of the solar system are evident in multiple African cultures including that of the Batswana people. The Southern African calendar consisted of 354 days which was made up of 12 months of 29.5 days each in accordance with the lunar month. The calendar indigenous to […]
Nhopi (Pumpkin Porridge) Nhopi is a porridge-like meal which is prepared using few ingredients and is best served hot. The dish is commonly made using pumpkin, butternut or squash as the vegetable base which is then combined with mealie meal (hupfu), peanut butter (dovi) and water (mvura). Nhopi is enjoyed by children and adults. It […]
Pronounced as: SHI- BE- LA-NI Source: https://clipkulture.com/lady-in-beautiful-tsonga-xibelani-skirt-hiya-and-headwrap-for-heritage-day-2019/ The Xibelani dance (also known as Shibelani, Shibelana or Shibelane) is an indigenous dance performed by Tsonga women whose community originates in Limpopo, a province in northern region of South Africa. The name Xibelani originates from the Xitsonga language and it translates to “hitting the rhythm”. The skirt […]
GQEBERHA GQEBERHA, previous known as Port Elizabeth, is a city in the Eastern Cape that lies on the Alloa bay of the Indian Ocean. The city was established in 1820 as a British settlement around Fort Frederick (The oldest British building in Southern Africa built in 1799) and was incorporated as a town in 1861. […]
Heroes Day The second Monday of August is marked as the day to celebrate Heroes Day in Zimbabwe. Those who fought and died during the struggle for Independence are commemorated on this day 10 Zimbabwean and 7 North Korean professionals were recruited to map the site. The black granite was sourced from Mutoko. One of […]
IsiNdebele has been subject to various developments owing to influences from colonisation and globalisation. As with any language, IsiNdebele has formal, informal and casual language uses. Formal Language Formal IsiNdebele is used when speaking to elders and mostly in the rural areas. This form is highly respectful and makes use of the ‘li’ prefix and […]
Following the country’s Independence in 1980, Zimbabwean spaces and places were renamed to reflect the nation’s new post-colonial identity. New names were chosen using the various conventions. Some places had their names changed to reflect local pronunciation whilst others were completely renamed. Street names adopted the name of local and continental nationalist leaders. Salisbury to […]
Zimbabwe has adopted over 3 national anthems since its colonisation by the British Empire in the late 1800s. The first anthem was the royal anthem “God Save The Queen” as evident in Commonwealth territories. In the early 1970s, the Rhodesian Government held a national competition to source the lyrics of a new anthem. The national search […]