A STORY is told of how a priest, Reverend Knote in 1888 observed that the Shona that were assimilated in King Mzilakazi’s Amabutho (army) had completely taken over the Ndebele language and customs.
Author, DN Beach in his book Zimbabwe up to 1900 quotes Reverend Knote as saying, “They have completely taken over the language, costume and actions of the Ndebele and do not want to know that they are Shona and do not want to know that they are descendants of the Karanga although they keep visiting their Karanga relatives.”
It is said Rev Knote, had observed that the Shona-speaking people who were in the army got so proud of it that in some cases, the wife spoke in Shona and the husband answered back in Ndebele.
They desperately wanted to prove they were now part of the Ndebele, but they were unwittingly becoming more ‘Ndebele’ than the Ndebeles.
According to Cain Mathema’s book Zimbabwe Diverse But One, Mzilikazi is said to have conducted a census and he established three classes.
The first class was the Abezansi, from Zululand that included the Khumalo, Nxumalo, Dlodlo and Ndiweni, Mathema, Dabengwa among others.
They were about 500 people.
The second class were those incorporated on the way from Zululand, the Abenhla, mainly comprised of the Sotho and Tswana. The last class, the lowest, were the Amahole, the ones Mzilikazi found in the country, the Shona people. The Amahole were the largest group in terms of numbers as more were incorporated during Mzilikazi raids in the Eastern part of the country.
There are Shonas that obviously admired the Ndebele and clearly wanted to enhance their status and prestige by identifying themselves with the Ndebeles.
There are people who are trying to spread hatred by misinterpreting President Robert Mugabe’s statement about the Kalangas who trek to South Africa, some of whom end up committing ‘petty crimes’ down there.
Kalangas are Shona.
Some critics, especially from Bulawayo even encouraged cabinet ministers like Simon Khaya Moyo to resign from cabinet.
Zimbabweans are the torch bearers not just in South Africa, but globally.
According to prominent historian, Aenias Chigwedere’s book, From Rhodes to Mutapa, the Ncube’s and the Moyo’s in Matabeleland are descendants of the Mbire and later of the Rozvi.
“The Ngwenya (crocodile), Siziba (dziva-pool) and Nyoni (bird-Hungwe) in Matabeleland are of the Hungwe origin,” says Chigwedere.
“Mpofu in Matabeleland is Shava in Shona
“The totem of all the Shavas is Mhofu which in Ndebele is Mpofu.
“The Dube’s are Mbizi or Tembo and these people are descendants of the various Shona groups which hived off from Mutasa of Manicaland.
“Sibanda’s are Shumba and their descendants are Chivi, Nhema, Chirumhanzu Mutambara, Charumbira and Mtoko among others.
“Nyathi is also the Shona totem for Makoni and Chipunza while those of the Mbarure whose mutupo is Gwai Gumbi Machuma, are Tshuma in Matabeleland.
“Ndhlovu means elephant, but in some parts it means a mouse with a long nose that looks much like the trunk of an elephant.
“However, the important fact remains that whether they are Ndhlovu the elephant or mouse, they are not Ndebele, but Shona.”
In an interview, Zimbabwe Heritage Trust (ZHT) Chief Executive Officer, Cde Pritchard Zhou said people must not be ignorant of their history.
“One problem that we have as the Shona is that we are quick to admire and be swallowed by other cultures, you do not find that characteristic in Botswana or South Africa,” he said.
“We should be proud of who we are.
“I think if people were given a choice to be white they would jump on the bandwagon given the choice by some women to wear artificial hair and use skin bleaching creams to become ‘white’.”