EDITOR – WHAT has happened to us as black people?

It is as if we have forgotten who we are. 

We have forgotten our roots and we are slowly leading our children astray. 

I live in Harare and almost every day I come across situations that show that as a people, we are slowly abandoning our culture. 

Children no longer respect their parents, let alone other adults from the neighbourhood.  

Black people have been ‘Christianised’ and infiltrated by Western culture to an extent that many are abandoning their culture. 

In fact, they are now saying chivanhu is demonic. 

They are now saying kurova guva is evil.

In fact, I have an experience I want to share. 

A few years back we had a ceremony kumusha paifanira kurohwa guva rasekuru. 

Some family members who were and are still part of these minana churches brewed quite a shocker. 

It was unbelievable. 

After doing all the errands and even driving to Mbare musika to buy some of the traditional things needed for the function kumusha, they abandoned ship at the eleventh hour. 

They all refused to go kumusha and their reason was: “Kuchechi kwedu hatiite izvozvo. Ndezvemashavi and papa havazvitenderi.” 

Some of us couldn’t believe it, but we just had to accept kuti ndozviripo. 

We went kumusha and enjoyed ourselves together with other relatives. 

In fact it was quite a reunion as family members gathered as one. 

This ceremony showed me who we are as a people and how our forefathers used to do their things. 

It was indeed an eye-opener and the truth is I didn’t see anything evil about it. 

Editor, thank you again for alerting Zimbabweans that our culture is in great danger. 

We must teach our children our culture. 

Who we are is what is important.

Baba Dee, Harare.