Zim’s bubbling cultural pots September 26, 2012 Opinion & Analysis The name Hwange and Victoria falls are synonymous with coal mining and tourism.Hwange national park is when one experiences the jungle life . Victoria Falls, known for its magnetic attraction ensconced in the mighty waterfalls that plunge into a seeming abyss and spew a vortex of mist, that can be seen by the experienced eye from about 100km away. Tourists from as far away as Europe, Americas and other parts of the world descend on the World Heritage Site for a uniquely unforgettable experience. It is fact not fiction that the Victoria Falls can compete favourably with any tourist destination in the world. And, so does Hwange National Park’s teeming wildlife. There is no doubt, therefore, that Matabeleland North is premier tourism province. Like a valley with so many shades of a multifarious array of flowers that attract insects and keep them sucking the nectar. Cultural tourism is prominent through various exchange programmes. When one sets foot in Hwange, the difference with other places in Zimbabwe is so striking. Here, one finds people from almost every ethnic grouping in Zimbabwe, from those who speak, isiNdebele, Shona, chiNambya, Tonga, isiDombe, Nyanja, Lozi, Leya, Chewa and Kalanga. Cultural values and norms are exchanged to make life easy for everyone, it is in this province where dialects are mixed to form one understandable language for the sole purpose of unity. According to Mr Christopher Tshuma, a member of the Nambya Cultural Association, the is dialect of Tonga, which is a more or less a mixture of Tonga and Nambya form IsiDombe. “We have inter-marriages among us and it is common as we share and exchange cultural norms or values in order to move forward and not focus on tribal differences,’’ he said. The community has also introduced tribal chiefs or elders. These are elderly people who represent every tribe found in the area, the tribal chiefs are well versed with the cultural norms and values of the tribe they represent. “The tribal chiefs or elders were put in place in order to settle any disputes among the families living in the area. Each tribal chief was allocated a house in the residential areas of the small mining town,’’ said Mr Tshuma. Getting into Victoria Falls, the local people speak, khuluma, taura, kwambula, lebeleka in all the local languages converged in the resort town. As the locals respond to tourism, most men and women are seen spotting dreadlocks, bangles and necklaces and clothes in the colours of green, red, yellow and black, all symbols of their true Africanism or Rastafarianism. Spotting dreadlocks and Rastafarianism is viewed by many in Europe as being originally African. While, this view might not be conceivable in any part of the Zimbabwe, here citizens have a different understanding. For men, dreadlocks are known to be a way of catching the eye of white ladies while for women it is a way of attracting the attention of male tourists. There is a strong belief that white people prefer those who have dreadlocks to the extent that some of the tourist have even set up homes in the town, where they spend almost six months every year. Culturally, Rastafarians are said to be the most peaceful people, the long locked hair proves that they have never been in prison where the hair is cut. It is also believed the Rastafarians are the most patient people as evidenced by the time they take in growing their natural hair into locks. Curio shops are seen in every corner of the town while some curio-daring vendors can be seen running after tourists as they try to entice them in to buying their wares Curio vendors and carvers always anticipate brisk business, not only cash is used in buying the curio, some curios are exchanged with clothes and sometimes electrical gadgets. Many residents in Victoria Falls are of the view that the town is hub of of cultural exchange in Zimbabwe and has a lot of influence among individuals and their way of life. “The dressing now leaves a lot to be desired as the long respected skirts have been discarded in favour of very short skirts that leave very little to the imagination,’’ says Mrs Mary Ndoro, a resident of Victoria Falls. Culture being of a dynamic disposition, naturally it begins to rub onto the other people thus creating a hybrid. Hwange and Victoria Falls are arguably two of the most culturally hybrid areas in the Matabeleland North Province as the Tonga hailing from Binga and along Zambezi River, Nambya people — are tribe who came from the Rozvi State, Nyanja from Malawi, isiDombe, a product of the Nambya and the Tonga, the Shona and the Ndebele people — all live in these two towns. The names of the places in the area truly reflect the tribes, Chinotimba, a Nambya word which means the spirit that thunders, Pandamatenga, a Leya word which means the passage of Matenga, just to mention a few. mapfumo.rutendorwashe@gmail or [email protected] Tweet
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 09:41:38 +0000
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