Zimbabwe (Trip #2): Culture

LANGUAGE

Most commonly spoken languages: English, Shona
Important phrases to learn:
Majeeta (with hand clapping, or cupping for women) = thank you
Uri bo? = how are you?) Didi bo? = I'm good)
Roonina = delicious
a-Eh = yes

I realized shortly into the drive to Zim, that I was repeating myself frequently in mistaking Helen's a-eh (yes) for an eh? (i don't understand.) When it became evident she said eh to everything, I quickly stopped echoing myself. :P Ah, the joys of foreign languages.

POLITICS

"illegal" photo at the post office

It is absolutely fascinating to hear Zimbabweans takes on Mugabe. To summarize, it appears that most of the country has taken the view of, "Mugabe can't live forever. We will outlive him and then choose our leaders." They're peaceable and patient. It's apparent though too, they know if you say something against the government, 'well, just be prepared to disappear the next day.' To note, I got in trouble at the post office for snapping a picture (no it's not like anyone's face/identity was captured). I immediately was asked if I was a reporter. When I said no, one of the disgruntled bystanders said "It's illegal to take pictures here without permission." I of course apologized but walked away scratching my head at the immediate suspicion and fear that surfaced with a photograph.


FOOD

The food was delicious. I particularly liked sadzah (like a molded grits) and matikiti (steamed green veggies with spices) and peri-peri (chili peppers). We had more than one evening with lost power and candlelight suppers. Helen, because she had travelled in the US, knew we liked eggs for breakfast so a couple morning I made scrambled eggs for all of us.

Helen's family is similar to many in Mutare in having an adjacent machamba (garden/farm).  We went and picked fresh mangoes and had corn.  Sadly the avocado tree was still two months out from being ripe.

Vendors downtown.  Awesome produce!

EDUCATION

Boys at primary school

From the sounds of it, education is more valued than in Mozambique.  Particularly in Mutare where Methodist Missionaries came in the late 1890's brought a church and school.  The school has since grown from just a former primary and secondary school to a university called Africa University.  Just a quick history lesson, but Zimbabwe formerly was part of Rhodesia, called so because of the influence of Cecil B Rhodes.  You might know his name best for the Rhodes Scholarship

Girls at primary school

OTHER

Witchcraft and spirits still play a large part in cultural understanding and interpretation.  This was the front page for the local paper and was a story about a boy being possessed the spirit of a monkey that was killed at the same instant.  The boy's Shona description was something like "I was just taking a walk eating some leaves on my way to visit relatives when you killed me.  Why did you kill me?  You must make ammends!"  The boy went on to point out the accused monkey killers.  Obviously, said Helen, that's not real.  The boy's crazy.  But everyone reads it.

Many women wear weaves here.  So it was actually pretty interesting to watch how that's done too!