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The Rozvi in Search of Their Past

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 May 2014

D.N. Beach
D.N. Beach*
Affiliation:
University of Zimbabwe
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Extract

In this paper I have three main objectives. One is to highlight and examine the work of Zimbabwean African historians under colonial rule up to the 1960s. Another is to examine the effect of the work of these historians on the traditions of the Changamire Rozvi, the rulers of the greatest state in Zimbabwe from the late seventeenth to the early nineteenth centuries. The third is to show how Rozvi revival movements arose in the 1950s as a minor feature of the period of African nationalism's mobilization.

Although the first history of this country was published as early as 1900, it goes without saying that, in the colonial context, African history was played down and denigrated by most of the white writers on the subject for most of the colonial period. Although there was a strong local white tradition of writing on the minority Ndebele people, the majority Shona-speakers were largely ignored. Apart from a small group of local white antiquarians, whose work is only now undergoing re-evaluation, very little was published before 1960 on the history of the Shona. Yet, despite this general neglect, a small but devoted number of Africans were conscious of their lack of a written history and sought to remedy that lack. They found it a lonely and a difficult task. In a period when African education beyond certain limits was discouraged, they had neither access to proper training nor to primary sources other than traditions. If they were sometimes prone to trust unduly the missionary texts with which they grew up (so that one can read of “King Monomotapa” and “Queen Sheba” borrowing Solomon's Phoenician laborers to build Great Zimbabwe),” one can also read the work of two Duma historians who carefully cited Arabic, Portuguese, and archeological sources in secondary works.

Type
Research Article
Information
History in Africa , Volume 10 , 1983 , pp. 13 - 34
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 1983

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References

Notes

1. Hensman, Howard, A History of Rhodesia Compiled From Official Sources (Edinburgh, 1900).Google Scholar

2. From very early in white-Ndebele contacts up to the 1970s. See Storry, J.G., The Shattered Nation (Cape Town, 1974).Google Scholar

3. Most notably F.W.T. Posselt, Charles Bullock, Harald von Sicard and Efimie V. Bogomas.

4. Malifa, J.C.W., “Zimbabwe Resulted From Friendships Between Monomotapa, Sheba, Solomon,” The Daily News, 1 October 1962.Google Scholar

5. J.W. Gothosa and G. Jaravaza, “The History of Munhumutapa,” ca. 1957, Howman Rozvi File, 3/2. I am indebted to Mr. R. Howman for making this file available to me.

6. E.g. Chidziwa, J., “History of the Vashawasha,” NADA, 9/1 (1964), 16–33.Google Scholar

7. Currently being edited for publication by H.H.K. Bhila.

8. A man born in 1830 would have been old enough to remember some features of life in the Changamire state before the coming of the Ndebele in 1838/40 and still be in his early seventies, while it would have been possible for octogenarians who recalled the 1820s to be still alive. On pre-colonial life expectancies for Shona adults see Beach, D.N., “The Shona Generation,” Central African Journal of Medicine, 25/3 (1979), 45–53.Google ScholarPubMed

9. Beach, David N., The Shona and Zimbabwe 900–1850 (Gwelo, 1980), 220–77.Google Scholar

10. Ministry of Local Government and Housing, Department of District Administration, Delineation Report, Chegutu, 1964; UZHD Texts, 69 Bha.

11. Peaden, W.R., “Nenguwo Training Institution and the First Shona Teachers,” in Dachs, A.J., ed., Christianity South of The Zambezi, I (Gwelo, 1973), 71–82Google Scholar; Ranger, Terence O., The African Voice in Southern Rhodesia, 1898–1930 (Nairobi, 20–25).Google Scholar

12. “Native Teacher Marodzi,” (Marwodzi, A.), translated by F. P., , “The Barozwi,” NADA, 2 (1924), 88–90.Google Scholar

13. NC Ndanga to CNC Salisbury, 2 March 1897, N 1/1/8; NC Charter to CNC Salisbury, 25 March 1897, N 1/1/2; Range Diary, 18 March 1897, S.716; Annual report from NC Charter 1 April 1899, N 9/1/5; NC Charter to Superintendent of Natives, Salisbury, 25 September 1914, N 3/4/1; Register of Chiefs and Headmen, Buhera, ca. 1920s, N 8/1/1; NC Charter to CNC Salisbury, 20 November 1931, S138/22; MLGH, DDA, Delineation Report, Buhera, 1965, UZHD Texts 70 Bha.

14. Bullock, Charles, The Mashona, the Indigenous Natives of Southern Rhodesia (Cape Town, 1928), 126–28, 282Google Scholar; NC Rusape to CNC Salisbury, 29 December 1930, S.138/22.

15. NC Lomagundi to CNC Salisbury, 16 December 1930; NC Rusape to CNC Salisbury, 29 December 1930; NC Rusape to CNC Salisbury, 4 August 1931; NC Bikita to SN Victoria, 21 August 1931; NC Marandellas to CNC Salisbury, 7 September 1931; NC Rusape to CNC Salisbury, 17 November 1931; NC Charter to CNC Salisbury, 20 November 1931; CNC Salisbury to Secretary to Premier, 2 December 1931; NC Lomagundi to CNC Salisbury, 25 January 1932, S.138/22.

16. ANC Buhera to Acting NC Bikita, 24 November 1934; NC Bikita to CNC, 10 December 1935, S.1542/C6.

17. Rukara M.V.J., “Autobiography” and “History of Varozvi of Mambo,” Hist. Mss. MISC/RU 4/1/1.

18. Fortune, G., “A Rozvi Text with Translation and Notes,” NADA, 33 (1956), 67–91Google Scholar; Robinson, K.R., “A History of the Bikita District,” NADA, 34 (1957), 75–87Google Scholar; M.V.J. Rukara, “History of Varozvi of Mambo,” Hist. Mss. MISC/RU 4/1/1; Latham, C.J.K., “Dzimbadzemabgwe,” NADA, 10/2 (1970), 24–30Google Scholar; MLGH, DDA, Delineation Reports, Bikita and Buhera, 1963–65.

19. Veloso, Gaspar, “Notes,” 1512, in Documents on the Portuguese in Mozambique and Central Africa, 1497–1840, eds. Rego, António da Silva and Baxter, T.W. (Lisbon, 1964), 3: 182Google Scholar; J.W. Posselt (NC Charter to CNC Salisbury, ca. 1 January 1904, N 3/33/8) gave the only other pre-Rukara references to “Samanyayi” as the Rozvi capital or land.

20. The theological aspects of this need further research.

21. Hannan, M., Standard Shona Dictionary (Salisbury, 1974)Google Scholar; Mudenge, S.I.G., review of Origins of Rhodesia in Pfumo, (April 1971), 10.Google Scholar

22. A few other Shona groups had acquired ‘southern’–origin variants to their traditions by the 1940s. Beach, , Shona and Zimbabwe, 190–91.Google Scholar

23. This, however, was quite a common tradition among the Shona and was also found in Malawi. MLGH, DDA Delineation Report, Belingwe, 1965; Ntara, S.J., The History of the Chewa (Mbiti ya Achewe) (Wiesbaden, 1973), 97.Google Scholar

24. This, though Mujuru does not say so, sounds as though he may actually have thought that he was possessed by the spirit of Mambo.

25. Mujuru Chiminya, “Manyingira amaroto…,” n.d., HRF, 2/7.

26. NC Rusape to R. Howman, Office of the SNA, 7 December 1956, HRF, 1/9. In 1951 the Government reduced many subsidized Chieftainships to Headmanships or even abolished them altogether. Apart from the reduction in status and salary involved, this often placed rulers under their hereditary rivals and traditional evidence was still further altered by attempts to gain reinstatement. This was why Isaac Samuriwo joined Mujuru in 1957 (see below): he was trying to get the demoted Samuriwo Chieftainship revived.

27. Ibid.

28. NC. Buhera to R. Howman, Office of the SNA, 24 January 1957, HRF, 1/13.

29. NC Bikita to R. Howman, Office of the SNA, 3 January 1957, HRF, 1/16. In view of this, a letter purporting to be from Jiri to Chiduku in March 1956, asking him to come to Chiminya's to appoint a Munhumutapa may be false. “Chief Jiri” to Chief Chiduku, 16 March 1956, HRF 1/10 (attached to 26 above); NC Buhera to ? (first page of document missing, but after 13 June 1956), MLGH, DDA, Per/5 Jiri.

30. Chief Munhumutapa to Chief Chiduku, 7 September 1956, HRF 1/11 (attached to 26 above); R. Howman to J.H. Holleman, African Administration Department, City of Bulawayo, 16 November 1956, HRF, 1/3; NC Wedza to R. Howman, Office of the SNA, 22 November 1956, HRF, 1/5; NC Rusape to R. Howman, Office of the SNA, 7 December 1956, HRF, 1/9; NC Buhera to R. Howman, Office of the SNA, 24 January 1957, HRF, 1/13.

31. NC Wedza to R. Howman, Office of the SNA, 22 November 1956, HRF, 1/5; NC Rusape to R. Howman, Office of the SNA, 7 December 1956, HRF 1/9; NC Buhera to N (n.d.; see 30 above) MLGH, DDA, Per/5 Jiri; NC Buhera to Provincial Native Commissioner, Midlands, 15 April 1958, MLGH, DDA, Per/5 Chingombe (Buhera).

32. NC Rusape to R. Howman, Office of the SNA, 7 December 1956, HRF, 1/9.

33. Rhodesia Herald, 27 May and 11 June 1957; African Daily News, 13 June 1957. “Ubiquitous” is not intended in a critical sense. From 1947 to the present Samuwiro has been involved in an amazing number of interests and causes. See note 26 above, and Newitt, L., ed. Prominent Rhodesian Personalities (Salisbury, 1977), 197.Google Scholar

34. The minor Gobo house was bought off with a promise of participation in the Mambo successions in future.

35. NC Buhera to PNC Midland, 15 April 1958, MLGH, DDA, Per/5 Chingombe (Buhera). Mujuru continued to fight a lonely battle for his cause into the 1960s, but he was reduced to being yet another correspondent to the Native Department/Internal Affairs. A long series of letters culminated in a sad protest at the waste of £500 and 36 cattle (actually £34 and 4 cattle) that he had spent in getting elected in 1956. Mujuru Chiminya, Gatooma Textiles, to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 24 July 1967, MLGH, DDA, Per/5/General, Mambo Chieftainship 2. (Unless otherwise stated, all references below are from this file.)

36. ANC Que Que to PNC Midlands, 1 November 1956, Mujuru Chiminya to CNC, 10 May 1960.

37. Noah Washaya to SNA, 13 April 1961.

38. Dunlop, A., “Report, the Marozwi Tribe Meeting, 28 February 1959Google Scholar,” 14 March 1959, Detective Inspector Dunbar, J.L., “The Marozwi Tribe Meeting,” 28 February 1959.Google Scholar A questionnaire set by Dunlop on Rozvi history was answered largely by Washaya.

39. Dunlop, A., “Report on the Marozwi Tribe Meetings, Que Que 30 August and 31 October 1959,” 1 December 1959.Google Scholar

40. Noah Washaya to NC Buhera, 25 September 1958.

41. See 38 above.

42. See 39 above.

43. R. Howman for SNA to PNC Midlands, 24 April 1959; PNC Midlands to A. Dunlop, 11 December 1959.

44. N. Washaya and F. Mtema to SNA, 30 June 1960; NC Sinoia to PNC Mashonaland West, 18 August 1960.

45. Noah Washaya to SNA, 21 November 1960; CNC Memorandum dd. 16 January 1961.

46. Rabison Dzvenga and Keraia Nyika to UnderSNA, 11 April 1961.

47. Titus Chada Mcheri to SNA, 21 September 1958, 25 July 1960, 25 November 1960.

48. Acting Director of National Parks to SNA, 20 July 1961; N. Washaya to SNA, 29 June 1961.

49. NC Gokwe to PNC Midlands, 6 October 1961.

50. Rhodesia Herald, 2 July 1962; Daily News, 27 June 1962, 2 and 7 July 1962; Detective Sergeant G.W. Gibson to CID, Gwelo, 4 July 1962.

51. N. Washaya to PNC Midlands, 20 December 1962; Minutes of Meeting, n.d. but just after the ceremony; Rhodesia Herald, 3 July 1962.

52. J.M. Duve to SNA 3 and 31 March 1959, 9 April 1959; R. Howman for SNA to J.M. Duve, 3 April 1959; Rhodesia Herald, 2 May 1957.

53. Daily News, 17 July 1962; T. Jonhera to NC Hartley, 20 August 1963; M. Foto Munyepere to CNC, 9 and 22 February 1963.

54. PNC Midlands to DC Gokwe, 29 December 1962; PNC Midlands to Divisional Inspector, Native Education Department, 31 December 1962; PC Midlands to Secretary of Internal Affairs, 22 November 1963; SIA to Minister of Internal Affairs, 9 November 1963; A. Dunlop to MIA, 23 November 1963.

55. N. Washaya to MIA, 21 November 1966.

56. But see Abraham, D.P., “The Roles of ‘Chaminuka’ and the mhondoro–Cults in Shona Political History,” in The Zambesian Rast, eds. Stokes, Eric and Brown, Richard (Manchester, 1966), 32, 35.Google Scholar

57. See extensive correspondence in MLGH, DDA, Per/5 Jiri.

58. NC Bikita to PNC Midlands, 13 February 1960.

59. Sons of Gumunyu to NC Bikita, 4 September 1959.

60. Latham, C.J.K., “Dzimbadwemabgwe,” NADA 10/2 (1970), 24–30Google Scholar; idem., “Oral Traditions: Some Speculations,” Rhodesiana, 39 (1978), 9–16; The Herald, 24 March 1982, 1 and 28 April 1982.

61. See, for example, The Herald, 30 December 1981; Sunday Mail, 17 January 1982 and 31 January 1982; The Herald, 18 January 1982.