Mbari Clan of Gurundoro totem (Precolonial rulers of Harare and Mazowe area)
Introduction
History of the Mbari clan dates back when their great great ancestor Muora Mukwati came into Zimbabwe some thousands of years ago from Guruuswa. Mbari people of the Shumba Gurundoro (Gururendoro) clan originally were the inhabitants of precolonial Harare and part of Mazowe all the way to concession up to Pote river and Mount Hampden. Mbari had a son called Nyavira in which a sacred hill was named after him at Sunside farm in Nyabira area. Its also impossible to note that the Shava clan also had a son called Nyavira and he is not to be mitsaken for the Mbari son Mbavira.
Mbari was a descendant of Mkwati and was born at a place now called Stockade farm (Rukonde hill) in Mazowe. The last spirit medium of Mkwati who participated in the first Chimurenga while in Matebeland and finally Mashonaland was Mbari’s son. Mbari was a paramount chief of Harare and part of Mazowe area and earned himself a totem (chidawu) called Shumba Gururendoro (Gurundoro) after allocating land to all the chiefs surrounding his area of jurisdiction. He handed over chieftaincy of the area to his younger brother Makombe (Chitemamuswe) after being possessed by spirit medium (mhondoro), as in our culture you cannot perform both duties as a spirit medium and as a chief. Makombe took over and ruled the area up to the time it was commercialized by white settlers and subsequent colonization in 1897.
Boundaries
Makombe, Mbari’s brother who took over chieftainship resided at Ngomahuru hills in Mazowe area, under him were four sub chiefs namely Ruzende in the north, Chibiramhira to the west, Mutinha to the East and Kawonde to the South.
Mbari’s territory of jurisdiction covered areas from South of present day Harare where there was Seke with Mhanyame (Mhanyaumire) river boundary. To the east it borders with Chishawasha under Chinhamora, then stretches into Domboshawa, where in 1918 Chinhamora was moved to from Chishawasha. To the west it borders Zvimba with Mhanyame covering Darwendale up to Great Dyke with Mkwadzi River. To the North it had a boundary with Chipuriro in Tsatse area, Makope and Negomo, then it goes up to some parts of Concession (Mhanda) an area named after one of Mbari ancestor Mhandakota. Mazowe Gomba was just a part under Mbari jurisdiction.
Mbari clan was scattered all over their area of jurisdiction for example in the north there was Ruzende family living in the Tsatse area, Mutinha family were in Gomba area stretching into Domboshawa where Matambanadzo family was based, and a school was named Kachuta in honour of Matambanadzo family, 5km from Tsikwi hill to the north in Mazowe now a farm owned by Prof. Jonathan Moyo former minister, and also known as Patterson Farm, was Majuru (descendant of Mbari) homestead before colonization, where some graves of our ancestors have been vandalized.
Charwe Nehanda Spirit Medium (1862-1898)
The first spirit medium of Nehanda in Zimbabwe was Nyamhita daughter of Nyatsimba Mutota who came some 600 years ago from Guruuswa and their first port of call was Great Zimbabwe where Mutota was handed over the reign of Mwenemutapa but could not live or stay there after he was instructed by spirit medium of Mukwati to find somewhere else to stay with his family, He finally moved to Tuwuyu Tusere (Bakasa area Guruve) a place where Nyamhita passed on and years later the spirit medium of Nehanda possessed Charwe, who was later on accommodated by Chief Mbari who instructed his brother Makombe and chief Rusike to supervise construction of her homestead (zumba) in Mazowe gomba area where there is Lowdale farm today at Cherunje hill (Shavarunzi). This is the area where she was arrested and later on executed. It is also believed that there was a relationship that existed between Mbari and Charwe through one of his wives.
After execution of Charwe the Nehanda spirit possessed Mazviona Chienderamwando of Dande who became the third spirit medium of Nehanda in this country and she passed on in Chifombo Zambia during the 2nd Chimurenga war. It is very unfortunate today that the spirit mediums of; Kaguvi, Chaminuka, and Mkwati are being used for personal gains rather than national.
1st Chimurenga 1896-1897
In as much as writers do not want to mention Makombe of Mbari clan role during 1st Chimurenga the Rhodesians acknowledge in “The London Gazette Issue 26954 published on the 5 April 1898. Pages 2203 to 2208. http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/search-by-number. indicates a number of settlers who were killed in Makombe kraal during 1st Chimurenga war to mention but just a few; a farmer by the name Tapsell Walter is believed to have been killed on 21 June 1896, Brown William Harvey a trooper S.F.F was killed in Makombe kraal on 23 July 1896 and many other settlers were killed in Makombe kraal during the war that took place from the 21 June to 13 July 1896 referred as “the Siege of Deary store in Abercon district (Mazowe)”.
Chief Makombi is also mentioned in the “The War Campaigns of British South Africa” where they cited several chiefs who participated in Mashonaland 1st Chimurenga uprising against settlers where they acknowledge that Makombe and Chinamora kraals were attacked on the 1st of March 1897.
Makombe is also highlighted in the “Publication No. 25 — December, 1971 THE RHODESIANA SOCIETY Salisbury Rhodesia Edited by W. V. BRELSFORD Assisted by E. E. BURKE” » page 4. As on quote below;
“Mealie lands represented food supply for the coming winter and to cut off the rebels from growing areas, or to keep them on the move so that they could not reap the crop, became matters of military necessity. Fr. E. Biehler, S.J., in a report to the Administrator on the general situation, pointed out that as long as Kagubi and Nyanda were at liberty there would never be peace and he gave as his advice that all crops throughout the district should be destroyed. Thus on 1st March a strong patrol of B.S.A.P. left Salisbury. There were 60 Police, two 7-pounders and one Maxim, 50 native contingent and 110 unarmed “friendlies”. They moved first against Makombi’s and Chinamora’s kraals 25 miles east-north-east of Salisbury. Under the command of De Moleyns and reinforced with an additional 100 “friendlies” from the Charter district the column next entered the troublesome Mazoe area. Operating from Fort Alderson they set about the wasting of the crops in the valley of the upper Mazoe—estimated at about 500 acres—and caused the rebels to retire well across the river”.
On this day Makombe and his people were brutally attacked with two powerful 7-pounders and one max gun that decimated his kraal though they could not capture him. This left the colonizers with their puppets who now claim the area. Gurundoro people immediately dispersed after the massacre that left many people of the clan dead and moved to areas surrounding Harare and part of Mazowe. This incident left mostly women and children without food and shelter. Most Mbari men were killed during the war that almost wiped the whole clan, this is how the clan lost its chieftaincy as Mazowe became a farming and mining area and Harare became capital city Salisbury.
In 1898, Hwata and Gutsa testified against Charwe (Nehanda spirit medium) during her trial. It is known that Hwata murdered Pollard but apportioned blame to Charwe of having ordered him to commit murder, which led to Charwe being executed for murder. During execution process it is the Hwata people who told the settlers to remove snuff from her under garments after they had failed twice to carry on the execution. A number of white settlers in Mazowe were attacked and killed in 1896 around June and July and none of them had been reported to have been killed in Hwata homestead as can be seen on Charwe trial, where Hwata was only charged with killing of one person the Native Commissioner Pollard of which he testified against Charwe and he was spared from execution. This also proves that Hwata was not closely related to Charwe as he built a case and colluded against Charwe whom they claim was Hwata’s daughter. To also prove that Hwata people had no jurisdiction over the area, one of their Chiefs who was based in Muzarabani passed on and they tried to bury him in the Mazowe area and to their utter surprise found the body exhumed the following morning under mysterious circumstances.
The Mbari clam history has been distorted to the extent that many issues where left hanging without full explanation for example little is known about the spirit medium of Mkwati who participated in both wars in Matebeland and Mashonaland that he was a son to Mbari and he was never captured and died of natural causes and stress after execution of Nehanda and Kagauvi in Mazowe area and his grave can be identified. He was in Matebeland when war first broke out conducting rituals at Njelele shrine (Matopos) and was the last spirit medium to communicate with the voice that was coming out of the cave. Over 1000 people died during the 1st Chimurenga war in Mbari’s area of jurisdiction whose rituals are yet to be conducted and advise them that the country they fought and died for, is now back. 1st Chimurenga war was heavily fought and resisted in Mazowe hence the high casualties in the area.
Arrival of Shava people in Harare and parts of Mazowe (1860 – 1880)
The first Shava person to come to this region was Seke from Buhera who had run away from his father after he had committed incest with one of his father’s wife hence his totem of Vhuramai. He came to Harare area where Mbari who was his brother in Law resided. Mbari was married to one of Seke’s aunt (tete) who was known as Mwera, a sister to Nyashanu. Seke moved from Uhera area with two of his brothers; namely Nyagumbira and Gutsa the first. Nyagumbira his descendants are using Shava Nyakuviruka totem today. The first Gutsa had a family some of them use Bob Garande surname in Chiweshe and Maurukira found in Guruve. Seke lived and served in Mbari’s court where Mbari was referred as “Harawa isingarare) one who never sleeps.
Seke married Ndimirwa daughter of the Zuruvi clan from Nyamweda. Mbari and Seke lived harmoniously together and their grave sites are a few meters apart.
The second lot of Shava people coming from Buhera to the area comprised of Shayachimwe (Hwata), Gutsa and Nyakudya (Chiweshe). They arrived at Seke’s area and later on referred to Mbari clan for their safety and security as they were running away from the Ndebele warriors. It was then Chingondo, Nzvereyembwa, Makombe and some elders of the Mbari clan decided to offer temporary shelter in Mazowe to the three brothers as they were fleeing from their area. This was decided at Mufakose Hills and these brothers were to seek protection in Gomba area where there is Lowdale farm today. They were asked to do temporary shelter as this was a place where Charwe spirit medium of Nehanda was staying and would act as a safe and good hiding place as well. On arrival in the area Hwata and Chiweshe changed totems to Mufakose and Mutenhesanwa respectively as a way to prevent identification by their pursuers. These three brothers came after Mbari had passed on and that’s why it was decided by Mbari elders to provide temporary shelter for them at Gomba.
Upon arrival Hwata attacked and killed a person called Zumba who was staying and acted as a custodian of Charwe’s court. Hwata assumed Zumba’s totem of Shava Mufakose and Chiweshe became Shava Mutenhesanwa all from Museyamwa totem. These brothers came almost the same time the settlers came into the country and most of their family members joined BSAP like Mhasvi force number 49 and Chiweshe joined the Native Commission Mazowe (DA).
It is not true that Mbari was killed by Gutsa of the Shava people as is written in some circles. It is believed Gutsa fought with Dumburudzi and he killed him and hence the false claims. His grave is near Gwebi College.
Hwata was not a title of a chief before the coming of white men but was a nickname given by the Zumba people because of the way Hwata walked which depicted a secretary bird (Hwata). Chiweshe area never existed before the coming of white men, only to get the title after they were allocated the area we now call Chiweshe by colonialists to cushion themselves from Mapondera who was resisting settler regime in the area.
After 1st Chimurenga Chiweshe was awarded with chieftainship in Sango reshangure now called Chiweshe to neutralize Mapondera who had refused to surrender to settlers. This area has seven Village-heads (sabhuku) right now and was formerly under Headman Nyachuru and Chief Negomo.
In 1898 Hwata who was believed to be 50 years old while testifying against Charwe trial, clearly indicates he was probably born in 1848 and it is on record that Charwe was born in 1862 and that makes it 14 years age difference with Hwata then, with that age difference it was not practical for him to have fathered Charwe as they claim in some publications. It would be a lie to say these 3 brothers came in the 18th century between 1760 and 1780 as they claim in some writings, and the said Gutsa was about twenty two years old in 1898 as indicated during Charwe trial. The fact that Hwata and Gutsa are cited as key witness in Charwe trial of 1898 which is 138 years later from the period they claim to have arrived in the area, defeats the logic of their claim.
Conclusion
To further show that Mbari clan are the rightful owners of the area a number of appeasement rituals were performed at Dzivarasekwa Presidential Guard in 1993, appeased 596 graves of 1st Chimurenga war victims lying scattered in Mazowe hills in 1997 and also some rituals were done at Harare Kopje (Chihoka hill) in 2007, all performed by the Mbari clan. It is not by coincidence that one of the oldest location in Harare is named Mbare after Chief Mbari of the Gurundoro clan.
It is with great sadness that the Mbari clan and their chieftainship were forcibly removed from Harare and part of Mazowe when their people were brutally murdered and displaced during 1st Chimurenga war of 1896 – 1897. The Mbari clan resisted and suffered heavily resulting in its people moving out of the area and spread all over the country soon after the war, leaving the colonizers and their puppets who were collaborating with them in the area, a lot happened between 1 March 1897 to 1980 regarding distortions of Mbari clan. The clan continues to live in a destitute situation under other chiefs and being haunted by spirits of the departed heroes yet they have a heritage to protect and need access to perform these outstanding rituals.
Comments
About Author
