A play that celebrates the life of first chimurenga heroes mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi is set to premiere at the upcoming harare international festival of arts hifa. He was a powerful spirit medium, along with mbuya nehanda and mkwati, he was. The trial of mbuya nehanda and other chimurenga revolutionaries. Nhorowondo dze africa zimbabwe ne chitungwiza na sekuru. Sekuru kaguvi kagubi, kakubi, was a svikiro medium, a nationalist leader in pre colonial. The original rhodesia police dockets and court judgments that saw first chimurenga heroes mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi executed are now on the memory of the world register, recognising their. Mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi s remains are at the westminster abbey and the national history museums both in london. It succeeded last month, making zimbabwe the 14th african country to win endorsement from unescos 14member international advisory committee. Nehanda charwe nyakasikana well known as mbuya nehanda was one of the spirit mediums who contributed to the birth of zimbabwe. It turned out to be a sick joke as ordinary zimbabweans who are bearing the full brunt of a collapsing economy started seeing the issue of. Other first chimurenga heroes include chiefs mashayamombe and makoni chingaira. Jul 28, 2016 it is interesting to note that not only are sekuru kaguvi and mbuya nehanda buried in the old pioneer cemetery which is now closed, judge watermeyer who sentenced mbuya nehanda to death is also buried there.
The united nations educational, scientific and cultural organisation has officially confirmed the listing of the original judgment dockets from the trial of first chimurenga heroes mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi on the memory of the world register. When the white intruder avenged by hanging her for the sin she had committed, mbuya nehanda swore that her bones would arise and avenge not to the white intruder but to dudu masaiti. Remains of mbuya nehanda, sekuru kaguvi expected in. We cover politics, opinions, showbiz, sports, music, lifestyle and events.
Old world novel excavates clash of religions, tradition. The warrant for mbuya nehandas death commanded that she be executed within the wall of the gaol of salisbury between the hours of 6 and 10 in the forenoon. For example, terence rangeras revolt in southern rhodesia made much of the role of spirit mediums such as mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi, who were executed by the colonial authorities, in the first resistances to colonial rule 189697. Mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi, also known as gumboreshumba, were influential political and religious leaders spearheading the resistance and mobilising the masses. The mediums are then given the title nehanda or mbuya nehanda mbuya being the shona word for grandmother and a title of respect.
Mbuya nehanda by author with authority celebrating being. Mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi were not criminals but venerated spirit mediums who were defending their land and people from colonial encroachment. Mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi were hanged in 1898 at the height of the white colonial occupation, which they fiercely fought against. The political system in zimbabwe is what needs to go not just individuals by hopewell chinono. Of mbuya nehanda et al culture, tradition, reburials and.
Names such as mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi among others stand out, as they were brutally killed by settler forces. She talks about how as mbuya nehanda and her ally, sekuru kaguvi, were awaiting their execution in 1898, the settlers mocked the africans, where is the spirit now. Spirit mediums and the liberation struggle celebrating. Dec 08, 2011 the mashonaland part of the rebellion was encouraged by traditional religious leaders, nehanda being chief among them. Mbuya nehanda and the liberation tapestry the herald. Poignantly, mbuya nehanda street is the home of many nongov. Feb 14, 2020 the remains of mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi are expected to be repatriated back to zimbabwe in april from the united kingdom, where they are being kept as souvenirs at london museums. Join facebook to connect with hillaria noku ephifania and others you may know. Chigumadzis brave search for the forgotten heroes of.
Nov 18, 2009 the use of history in zimbabwean politics dates back to the colonial era. Charwe wokwa hwata was born in about 1862, and was medium to a revered female spirit of rain and land fertility, the spirit of nehanda. Mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvis remains are at the westminster abbey and the national history museums both in london. In the play there are actual speeches from former south african president thabo mbeki, philly lutaaya, sir seretse khama and yvonne veras work on mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi.
The rebellion was initiated in matebeland in may 1896, the leading role there being mukwati, in october 1896 kaguvi and nehanda from. Nhorowondo dze africa zimbabwe ne chitungwiza na sekuru nyathie. The warrant for mbuya nehandas death commanded that she be executed within the wall of the gaol of salisbury between the hours of 6 and 10 in the afternoon. Nehanda nyakasikana left and sekuru kaguvi right, after their 1897 capture sekuru kaguvi 1 kagubi, 2 kakubi, was a svikiro medium, a nationalist leader in precolonial zimbabwe, and a leader in the shona rebellion of 18961897 against european rule, known as the first chimurenga. Sekuru kaguvi, mbuya nehanda along with zindoga, hwata and gutsa wrongly stood accused of murdering a brutal white native commissioner, henry hawkins pollard of the british south africa company bsac who lived near mazowe and terrorised people in the district. It is believed he failed to make headway with mbuya nehanda, only succeeding with sekuru kaguvi, whom he baptised dismas the good thief. Here, they have been captured, tried and photographed before being executed by hanging in first african freedom fighter in southern africa freehand and kaguvi. The prisoners, nehanda and kaguvi were perplexed by the white mens long processes of the law which only ended in the march of 1898 with their conviction. In the chidamba village lived the famous shona spirit medium mbuya nehanda. He came to offer nehanda and kaguvi religious instruction and baptism, and, although kaguvi at first refused to listen to him, he came to believe later that it might help him to avoid the gallows. These are facts from the holy bible that the guinness book of records recognises as the most read book in the world. Nehanda, shona spirit who uses women as her mediums. The dreams mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi rose up for, are the same we yearn for today. Indeed as the writer states, one cannot talk about the liberation struggle without mentioning the pivotal role of spiritual figures such as mbuya nehanda, sekuru kaguvi and chaminuka.
Nehanda nyakasikana left and sekuru kaguvi right, after their 1897 capture. Nehanda nyakasikana left and sekuru kaguvi right, after their 1897 capture nehanda charwe nyakasikana also known as mbuya nehanda c. She and her ally who some historians claim was her husband, sekuru kaguvi were. How can we focus on the economy when the skulls of mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi are displayed in a british museum. Lets also remember our heroes and heroines killed by zanu. Recently government apparatchiks queued up to join president robert mugabe in angrily accusing the countrys former colonial master, britain, of continuing to display in its museums some skulls believed to belong to mbuya chahwe, the medium of the nehanda spirit, sekuru gumboreshumba, the medium of kaguvi or murenga, chingaira makoni, chinengundu.
Chaminuka, mbuya nehanda, sekuru kaguvi these were important spiritual and political leaders in zimbabwean history so much so that they lived on, not only in mythology, but they were wellknown spirits who visited biras shona spiritual ceremonies where ancestral spirits communicate with the living and possessed spirit mediums around the. John wycliffe was popularly known as the morning star of. They then went on, in one of the shortest murder trials in history, to find her. Nechombo would listen to peoples concerns and relay them to mbuya nehanda. It is necessary to read the account of kaguvi last days, written by a priest from chishawasha mission. Sekuru kaguvi, was a svikiro medium, a nationalist leader in precolonial zimbabwe, and a leader in the shona rebellion of 18961897 against european rule, known as the first chimurenga. It is worth noting that this is a story of the great ancestor of zimbabwe, mbuya wema shona as samupindi describes her hence the author, a zimbabwean has the authority to write about her. Documentary heritage submitted by zimbabwe and recommended for inclusion in the memory of the world register in 2015.
The midlands capital of gweru put the head of nehanda together with that of josiah tongogara, a hero of chimurenga ii, on its coat of arms. Those periods were popularised by revolutionary exploits in the 1st phase of resistance by astute legends such as mbuya nehanda, sekuru kaguvi, tobela murenga, mawarashanga rusinauta, chamimuka mufemberi among many others. Throughout the book, she alludes to the significance of the spiritual. Initially in africa a great king by the name of akenatan of the 18th dynasty of egypt introduced the idea of one a god becoming the first monotheist. Both were hanged by the bsac in salisbury in 1898 on charges of banditry and rebellion.
What would mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi have done. Furthermore the gaoler of nehanda, one patrick hayden. Hats off to the national archives of zimbabwe, which led the push for the recognition of mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi. Mbuya nehanda according to historical sources the original. Sekuru kaguvi news newspapers books scholar jstor april 2014 learn how and when to remove this template message. Sekuru kaguvi and mbuya nehanda after capture, 1897. Mbuya nehanda was a spirit medium for the zezuru shona people. Views on the role of mbuya nehanda in zimbabwean history.
Sekuru kaguvi kagubi, kakubi, was a svikiro, a nationalist leader in precolonial zimbabwe, and a leader in the shona rebellion of 18961897 against european rule, known as the first chimurenga. Mbuya charwe and gumbo reshumba, the spirit mediums of nehanda and kaguvi, respectively, and both descendants of mushavatu, also of the mhofu totem, were arrested, tried and hanged by the white invaders for organising the rebellion some time in 1898. For example, one geoffrey bond in his book remember mazoe which is. Zimbabwe and its heroes, ancestors and spirit mediums. Great heroes of chimurenga the murder of nehanda, kaguvi and. In the second phase, the names are countless and the effort to fight colonialism immeasurable. A roman catholic priest, fatherr richertz, was signed up to convert mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi. Names such as mbuya nehanda, and sekuru kaguvi amongst a whole host of others stand out, as they were brutally killed by settler forces who had more superior military. The use of history in zimbabwean politics dates back to the colonial era. Bring back our heroes, heroines heads april 27, 2016 zimbabwe herald on this day, 118 years ago one of the countrys eminent heroine. Kutandara na mbuya nehanda nasekuru kaguvi tichitaura. The remains of mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi are expected to be repatriated back to zimbabwe in april from the united kingdom, where they are being kept as souvenirs at london museums. Apr 11, 2019 throughout the book, she alludes to the significance of the spiritual. Kutandara na mbuya nehanda nasekuru kaguvi tichitaura dzebonde.
Some of those who took over and fought for this country are now good boys and girls gone bad. This young woman was given the name mbuya nehanda at birth and subsequently became mbuya. Good morning my dear friends, i have been reflecting like everyone else and i have realized that we are making the same terrible mistakes that. Nehanda is a mhondoro a powerful and revered ancestral spirit based in central and northern mashonaland in zimbabwe. Recently government apparatchiks queued up to join president robert mugabe in angrily accusing the countrys former colonial master, britain, of continuing to display in its museums some skulls believed to belong to mbuya chahwe, the medium of the nehanda spirit, sekuru gumboreshumba, the. A profile of the life and times sekuru kaguvi from. This young woman was given the name mbuya nehanda at birth and subsequently became mbuya nehandas spirit medium. They had bows and arrows and spears blacksmithed from whatever little iron they could gather through the yettobe developed extraction mechanisms. Writings on my soul by fungai o maboreke, paperback. A profile of the life and times mbuya nehanda from.
She died near a mountain which, to this day bears her name, gomo renehanda or nehanda mountain. Sekuru kaguvi kagubi, kakubi, was a svikiro medium, a nationalist leader in precolonial. Today, we face a situation that faced mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi. This is in recognition of their importance in documenting world history. John wycliffe was popularly known as the morning star of the reformation. The story is told that when subjugation and humiliation came, mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi, not having attended law school or any. The political system in zimbabwe is what needs to go not. It is through their guidance the second chimurenga birthed the countrys independence. Nehanda radio zimbabwe news and internet radio station.
Therefore, there were no practical miracles except those that they read from the bible. A roman catholic priest, one fr richertz, was assigned to convert mbuya nehanda, sekuru kaguvi, hwata and zindoga. Mbuya nehanda, sekuru kaguvi remains expected in april. Spirit mediums of mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi who inspired a rebellion of the zezuru people against european colonial settlers in present day zimbabwe.
What we have shown are the lineages of the shona and their close relatives. Kaguvi and nehanda dockets comprises the judgment record, judge watermeyers criminal record book 18981899, some manuscripts as well as all the court proceedings. Great heroes of chimurenga the murder of nehanda, kaguvi. A brave questioning of zimbabwean history by panashe. The remains of mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi are expected to be repatriated back to zimbabwe in april from the united kingdom, where they are being kept as war trophies in london museums. The notion of the divinityof yeshua ben yosef jesus is a european con. The empire of great zimbabwe also called munhu mu tapa, mwene mutapa, manhumutapa, monomotapa, mutapa, all meaning ravager of the lands was a medieval kingdom c. Mbuya nehanda ordered the killing of a white intruder and i do not blame her but i want to expose her character in life as it is in death. The spirit nehanda is said to be a mhodndoro,meaning a royal ancestral spirit or lion spirit in shona. Furthermore the gaoler of nehanda, one patrick hayden, who should in fact have hung her by the neck is also buried there. The soubriquet kaguvi was given to him because he was said to speak for the traditional shona spirit mwari. These barbarians have been displaying the skulls of our first chimurenga heroes and heroines in their libraries. At one point in time, mbuya nehanda spirit medium was the daughter of chief mutota ishe mutota, who led the varozvi tribe.
It is interesting to note that not only are sekuru kaguvi and mbuya nehanda buried in the old pioneer cemetery which is now closed, judge watermeyer who sentenced mbuya nehanda to death is also. She is called nehanda or mbuya nehanda for much the same reasons tenzin gyatso is called the dalai lama. Mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi after their capture. It is a great privilege to be given a chance to explore history through theatre and film but i am also writing an academic book at the same time. Mbuya nehanda, sekuru kaguvi listed in world register. Their remains are at the westminster abbey and the national history museums both in london. Their heads were shipped as souvenirs to the uk, where they have been kept. A roman catholic priest, one father richertz was assigned to convert mbuya nehanda, sekuru kaguvi, gutsa, hwata and zindoga to christianity. The recognition comes at a time when the sunday mail has embarked on an extensive and taxing exercise to record and publish interviews from the real owners of the second chimurenga.
It is important to realise that most of these early missionaries were not as prophetic as the contemporary folks. When one looks at the trials of mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi who. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and. Along with her spiritual husband sekuru kaguvi, nehanda was charged with murder kaguvi for the death of an african policeman and nehanda for the death of the native commissioner and sentenced to death by hanging. There is a nehanda childrens fund and a nehanda childrens centre, which cares for street children and aids orphans.
Written by acclaimed local playwright blessing hungwe, lovers in time features celebrated artists including actor and standup comedian michael. Mbuya nehanda tree knocked down by truck religion in zimbabwe. Mbuya nehanda, sekuru kaguvi remains expected in april from. On the contrary, then, mbuya nehanda, sekuru kaguvi, and chaminuka were known for their miracles. Recently government apparatchiks queued up to join president robert mugabe in angrily accusing the countrys former colonial master, britain, of continuing to display in its museums some skulls believed to belong to mbuya chahwe, the medium of the nehanda spirit, sekuru gumboreshumba, the medium of kaguvi or murenga, chingaira makoni, chinengundu mashayamombe, mapondera. She was a medium of nehanda, a female shona mhondoro. Nov 15, 2015 mbuya nehanda and sekuru kaguvi after their capture. It is interesting to note that not only are sekuru kaguvi and mbuya nehanda buried in the old pioneer cemetery which is now closed, judge watermeyer who sentenced mbuya nehanda to death is also buried there. Oct 02, 2014 through the book, samupindi explores how mbuya nehanda was brutally treated by the settler regime during her capture and trial. Award winners book club selections books by author books by series coming soon kids books new releases teens books this months biggest new books. Zimbabwe denies mbuya nehanda a heroes funeral news of the. My point here is, the idea that some of us frowning and turning away from anything that mentions of names like mbuya nehanda, kaguvi, chaminuka because they are of the evil spirit is wrong.
576 186 201 1354 797 874 339 757 62 1170 68 717 303 1363 227 9 424 536 1041 1295 1275 1088 1011 1437 1235 1024 53 1005 1252 867 1024 1247 1053 1278 447 3 502 1226 85 1115 714 1471 428 327 113 774 708 290 835