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Mbuya Nehanda Zimbabwe is located in central Africa with it's borders touching South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. Prior to independence it was part of a federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and was called Southern Rhodesia with Zambia being Northern Rhodesia and Malawi being called Nyasaland. Zambia gained their independence in 1964 leaving Zimbabwe and Malawi in the federation until Malawi gained independence in 1966 and finally Zimbabwe was taken over by the UDI (Unilateral Declaration of Independence) in 1965 which was headed by Ian Smith and they broke off the relationship with Britain. He renamed the country Rhodesia, but in 1980 Zimbabwe gained it's independence from the UDI and chose a new name. The name that was chosen for the country was derived from the term Dzimba reMabwe which literally means House of Stones. Within Zimbabwe are two major societies that speak different languages, Shona and Ndebele. Shona society in Zimbabwe believe that the spirits of their great ancestors remain amongst present society and are their supernatural protectors. Among the spirits that protect society today are great spirits called mhondoro or lions. These spirits oversee the well-being of entire regions and are responsible for giving advice to several tribes and ensuring peace amongst these tribes as well as presiding over certain ceremonies such as rain-making. One such lion or mhondoro is a woman by the name of Mbuya (Grandmother) Nehanda. Her spiritual leadership presided over the entire country of Zimbabwe and her spirit only possessed those who were respected in society, had leadership skills and were women. The women who became Mbuya Nehanda's spirit medium were so respected that people who had social concerns were not able to come to her directly, but had to make requests through her assistant who was always given the name Nechombo. To be Mbuya Nehanda's assistant was a great honour as your role was to listen to people's concerns and relay them to Mbuya Nehanda. Mbuya Nehanda was the woman who inspired African forces to fight against the white settlers during the 1896 and 1897 uprisings. She is integral to the first struggles against colonisation in Africa. Prior to her execution she is famed for saying "my bones shall rise again" and this prophecy is one which has followed through generations spawning mediums for Mbuya Nehanda's spirit to live on. When the Europeans arrived in Zimbabwe the spirit of Mbuya Nehanda was in a woman by the name of Nyakasikana who lived in the Northern part of Zimbabwe. During the time of Nyakasikana playing medium to Mbuya Nehanda's spirit another great regional Shona spirit medium by the name of Kaguvi possessed a man by the name of Gumboreshumba. Kaguvi and Mbuya Nehanda used their leadership to spearhead the first war of resistance called Chimurenga CheKutanga meaning The First War against European domination of the region. Mbuya Nehanda and Kaguvi were captured and after a trial were sentenced to death by hanging. They were hung on a hill near the now capital city of Zimbabwe, Harare. Just the fact that Shona tradition and culture still sees Mbuya Nehanda as alive and well and living in the body of a medium to this day shows the extent to which this woman made an impact in Zimbabwe's history. She was a leader and courageous in her fight against white oppression and a prime example of the embodiment of female strength in African society. Sources: http://www.tiac.net/users/smurungu/mbuya_nehanda.html http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/maps/atlas/africa/zimbab.html http://www.cbm.org.uk/malawi.htm http://ukdb.web.aol.com/hutchinson/encyclopedia/89/A0000089.htm http://landow.stg.brown.edu/post/zimbabwe/music/kwaramba1.html http://landow.stg.brown.edu/post/zimbabwe/hove/nehanda.html |
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