Zimbabwe

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 […]

Months and Seasons of the Year in ChiShona The names of months of the year in ChiShona are derived from various beliefs and terms of significance to the Shona people.  Ndira January Kukadzi February Kurume March Kubvumbi April Chivabvu May Chikumi June Chikunguru July Nyamavhuvhu August Gunyana September Gumiguru October Mbudzi November Zvita December January […]

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 […]

The Shona culture is verbally expressive through the use of language and song however physical actions are used for communication. These actions are demonstrated in a subtle manner; one which does not require extensive amounts of energy or the process of taking up a significant amount of space. Traditional Hand Claps When greeting, shona people […]

The Shona language has been subject to various developments owing to influences from colonisation and globalisation. The language consists of formal and informal components. Understanding and making correct use of these language rules is important particularly when addressing elders or strangers. Formal Language Formal Shona is used when speaking to elders and mostly in the […]

Ndebele language has been subject to various developments owing to influences from colonisation and globalisation. A large number of people have gone to South Africa so the language has been affected greatly by the Zulu language and thus there is formal and informal language. Formal Language Formal Ndebele language is used when speaking to elders […]

Matabeleland North and South Matabaleland literally means the land of the Matabele. Matabele is a word derived from a Sotho verb “hotobela”which means to destroy, kill or ruin. The Ndebele were warriors who raided and destroyed various clans as they were building their state under King Mzilikazi, son of Matshobane and moving away from Nguniland […]

Bulawayo was founded by King Lobengula, the son of Mzilikazi kaMatshobane. The word Bulawayo comes from the Ndebele word bulala which means to kill. At the time Lobengula was a Prince fighting to ascend the throne of his father and it was common for people to refer to the place as koBulawayo Umntwanenkosi (the place […]