TIME and again, in this paper, we have talked about the importance of the Grundnorm.
For those not in the know, Grundnorm is the spirit that binds a nation together.
It is the aggregate of values and norms that give the nation an identity, it is a spiritual beacon partly defined by hunhu/ubuntu.
For Zimbabwe, the Grundnorm is enshrined in our National Flag and all it symbolises.
Our Grundnorm lies in our ancestors and in our heroes who laid down their lives in defence of this nation, in every citizen working for and defending the motherland.
These are exciting times; the nation is rejuvenated.
We are all practically on the same page, Zimbabweans inside and outside the country are in sync.
We are no longer calling for Grundnorm, we are experiencing it.
But are we telling this exciting story, most importantly, are we recording this story for posterity.
From the First Chimurenga, for firsthand information, we have relied on the hand of the vanquished.
It is said until the lions can write and record their story, the tale of the hunt will always be told from the perspective of the hunter.
Now, not for the first time but on numerous occasion, I have heard people say we cannot wait for Hollywood to give us a Zimbabwean blockbuster.
Some say the famous American writer, Dan Brown, of the Davinci Code, can weave a thriller about Zimbabwe.
My question is: Why?
Where is our self-respect?
If we boast a high literacy rate, why can we not record our story?
Why can we not tell it in novels, in textbooks, in theatre productions, in film, in documentaries and in paintings?
Why can we not immortalise our story in these media?
We cannot continue to be a people who do not value recording and telling their story, from their perspectives and wait for outsiders to do so.
We at The Patriot do not want to be the only ones telling the story that enriches the current and future generations, we want everyone to put pen to paper, to tell the Zimbabwean story as they experience it.
We have, since our inception, taken a deliberate stance towards informing the nation on critical national development issues, anchored on the country’s history and so can you!
Indeed, how can a nation determine its future, its history, its identity if it does not record its story.
Without doubt, others will come from elsewhere, write our story for us and distort it.
Every nation has a limited range of resources – natural, cultural, economic as well as human, and the protection of these, unlocking of their value is in part hinged in how we package our story.
A nation without a solid story, clear and concise, cannot stand proudly in the family of nations; its voice cannot be heard, it will be drowned.
It will always be bullied by other nations with huge and effective megaphones.
It is sheer fallacy to talk of greatness which is not backed by records of that greatness.
The stories, history and aspirations of a nation on paper become a shield and a fortress.
Our story, recorded for the current and posterity, is the only real guardian of our sovereignty, of our identity and our heritage.
And the telling of our story is purely the prerogative of Zimbabweans and Zimbabweans only.
Our Chimurengas were unstoppable because, besides the physical determination of people, they were driven by memories of a historical and cultural past.
They were driven by memories of Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguvi and King Lobengula, among others.
Let us not stop recording our stories.
The future needs to be fuelled by the present.