THE liberation war fighters knew that emotional upsets and disappointments occurred in the course of the struggle for independence.
But they believed that apart from spirits from mediums such as Mbuya Nehanda and sekuru Kaguvi, certain medicines, animals, insects, birds and reptiles as well as observance of certain taboos guarded against inherent dangers in the bush.
While some people believe that taboos are superstitious and pagan beliefs, the freedom fighters used taboos as a control measure in the management of their war.
This system has also been used not only in the Zimbabwean liberation war but in other African states that waged liberation war against colonialism as well as other societies far away from Africa such as in North and South America where the indigenous people have their own taboo system to manage their surroundings.
Among some of the wild animals and birds that played a role in assisting and guiding the fighters are monkeys, lions, eland, pangolins, scaders (Nyenze), bees, honeybirds, hawks, ground hornbills, hippos and elephants.
But among the most significant of all and revered of all are the birds. The Zimbabwe Bird is our national emblem.
In Zimbabwe birds have a symbolic significance across cultures relating to both life and death.
Birds are routinely seen as portents of impending calamity and death, while they are also often thought to bear or steal spirits of the dead and sometimes embodying those very spirits themselves.
On the other hand, birds such as ground hornbills (dendera) owls, crows, doves, and many others are commonly associated with life, fertility, bad luck and longevity.
Traditional African cultures saw ground hornbills as harbingers of rain. Killing them was thus taboo.
Sadly, with the passing of such beliefs, these birds have become increasingly threatened.
During the liberation struggle of Zimbabwe birds were often considered as harbingers or omens of imminent death.
Some birds are thought to steal souls from people who are dying or to act as psychopomps, carrying the souls of the dead to the ‘next world’.
Today the idea that a bird flying into one’s house portends a death in the family is a common superstition .
Sometimes owls and black birds such as crows in particular are often the victims as their color is associated with evil and death or predict death.
It is common that if a crow or a raven flies over a house or croaks portends a death.
Nocturnal birds such as owls are the victims of their ‘love’ for flying and hunting during the night.
According to National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority officials nocturnal birds cries are generally eerier than the more musical sounds of songbirds.
Former liberation war fighters said the cries of certain birds during the night signified danger and they would change bases on hearing certain sounds of birds.
They said there were birds that also directed them where there was honey (food), water or simply warned them where there was danger.
There are also legends warning of roosters inappropriately crowing at night, a cock crowing at night indicates an imminent death according to the certain cultures.
During the liberation struggle untimely bird’s call during the dark night or birds acting oddly was taken as a bad omen.
Among some communities owls, along with other nocturnal birds like nighthawks are almost synonymous with death, their nocturnal habits equate them with ghosts.
Birds also bear wisdom in ancient forms of divination and are often equated with prophecy and insight, echoed in the modern adage: “a little birdie told me.” Birds are routinely associated with gods as familiar spirits or ancestors.
The eagle is considered in many African countries as a symbol of strength and in Native American tribes especially among the Indians the bird is related to the Great Spirit.
In the BaTonga folklore birds are generally seen as divine messengers, divided into castes; those birds considered ‘untouchable’ include ravens, crows, vultures, hawks, and owls, serving as emissaries for darker forces including death.
Vultures represented the gods in their voracious acceptance of sacrificial offerings.
The dove is synonymous with the Christian Holy Spirit their roles as divine messengers, birds are analogous to angels in Abrahamic traditions;  when angels are imagined, they often have feathered wings.
Christians envision pearly gates and winged harp-playing angels when they see doves.
During the liberation struggle if the fighters saw doves they would relax and it was time to organise pungwes and chimbwidos would bring food to the comrades.
In some western countries, swallows resting on a home predict death and are elieved to snatch the soul away; if they are perched on a church, they are deliberating upon which soul to take.
Legends appear in both China and among certain Native Americans that owls snatch souls from the dying with some South-East Native American prayers intended to induce owls to steal the souls of enemies in other folklore, the owl is often linked to demons,
The dual connection of birds with both death and life is common. Vultures, for instance, play a central role in funerary customs involving exposure of the corpse, the vulture is also recognised for its longevity, a quality it obtained devouring the life-blood of corpses.
The BaTonga matriarchs used to eat the flesh of a dead vulture to ensure that they lived longer according to elders.
The other bird that is held in high esteem is the white stock, there are tales were stocks are belived to bring babies to families, however some researchers have suggested that the stork’s migratory pattern indicating the return of spring may account for its association with fertility, but such a suggestion must surely apply to a wide range of birds.
During the liberation struggle this bird was rarely seen because of its migratory instincts.
Cranes add to the avian migratory pattern a peculiar circular, hopping mating dance that is readily associated with various cycles of nature, including those of the seasons and of life and death.
The dance has also been imitated by humans, being common to rituals enacted in funerary labyrinth in many parts of the world. The famous Kanindo dance during the liberation struggle has some crane dance tactics according to nimble footedness Cde Fainos Moyo.
That birds are often believed to actually embody spirits of the dead themselves “is a widespread and extremely ancient belief” as birds played a role to detect some of the dead comrades who were buried in shallow graves and caves around the country.
Perhaps this explains why we have the Zimbabwe bird as our national emblem.