Shona is a tribe of Zimbabwe whose tribal language is the Bantu and their population is about nine million. The Shona contribute much to the Zimbabwean population as they represent 80% of the total population. Unlike other tribes, the Shona prefer to live in isolated settlements where a family consists of an extended family and an elder. Although power is recognized as constituted by a political state, the family makes many decisions. Shona as a tribe has its own language groups, the main ones being Zeseru, Tonga-Korekore, Manyika, Karanga and Ndau. There are two types of spirits that are important to the Shona people, the spirit of shaving, for example, makes them believe that they are connected to communities outside their walls. The spirit of Vadzimu, on the other hand,
Origin and history of the Shona
Historically, the people of Shona have been highly recognized for their skilled hands in creating art since they were involved in the construction of Greater Zimbabwe and hundreds of other Zimbabwean stone buildings. The Shona were colonized by the British for nearly a century and were among the best mixed farmers that existed in southern Africa. Rozwi is a clan in the Shona who is known to have invented a kingdom that was named Monomotapa before 1500.
In Zimbabwe, a region in the central-southern Africa plateau is where the Shona settled, although the original inhabitants were the Hungwe who later merged into the Mbire. During the powerful expansion of the Bantus, the Shona moved into current Zimbabwe, and by 1800, a huge part of Zimbabwe was populated with the Shona. Before the Shona migrated to Rhodesia, it is believed that they first settled in the Congo area and that their first result was the first stone building.
Shona lifestyle
The Shona, being an indigenous group from Zimbabwe, is known to embrace a different culture, for example, it is known to keep cattle for currency and pride. They are also involved in crops such as corn, beans, millet, sorghum, rice and peanuts. A totem is a type of costume made up of parts of the animal body, and the people of a common clan have the right to use a similar totem as it differentiates them from another clan. Each clan has a different totem that was founded by their ancestor, and people from the same totem cannot have relationships.
The Shona people are known for having talent in sculpture of stone sculptures as they have a rich artistic heritage. Mwari is the preeminent Shona deity in which most of the people of Shona firmly believe they are ensuring rain, good health and success. While the Shona may believe in Mwari, magic and witchcraft remain crucial as they still believe in the spirit of the beard and the Vadzimu spirits, which are important means of social control and disaster. Mbira is an instrument that is used to play music by Shona, and is made of a pumpkin and metal canes. It is sometimes known as the finger plane.
