By Eugene Majuru.
Harare, Zimbabwe. (News of The South) – Shona is defined as a group of people living in Southern Africa. Well over ¾ of the population live in Zimbabwe.
The Shona people speak the language Shona and no one can claim them as their people. Many people adapt to being Shona or learn the spek the Shona language. Shona’s are so royal and have never been enslaved by anyone since time immemorial. Zimbabwe’s Shona language maintains originality and was never distorted by the Slave trade, Shona is a language of Royalty and it cuts across regions. It is important to note that the Shona were never subjugated by anyone they fought off anyone who tried.
Portuguese arrived in Zimbabwe and Shona people fought them and drove them out and left them confined out to sea, the Indian Ocean where they stayed and is now known as present day Mozambique.
The Shona maintain originality in terms of geographical location and the Shona language is 100% undiluted, it’s the only language that was not bastardised. Many attempts were made by the Arab, British, Nguni and Portuguese but all failed.
In Africa Shona is the most spoken language and is also found in countries such as Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Congo, Angola, Tanzania. Arguably the Shona are the only enduring people of the World. Generations of the Shona are known to have been instructed to retain their Royalty. They are the World’s most Royal people.
There is a song titled “Six points of the revolution” in this song the Shona sing about how they treat their enemies well when they capture them and never torture or hurt them like others do.
In South Africa , cities such as Pretoria and Johannesburg are all known to be part of Zimbabwe that’s why it is easy for Zimbabweans to go there because they have a heritage of mining gold and copper. Trade was known to take place with the Arabs and Portuguese. They traded in beads known as “mikanda”. In Manicalandand Gaza most Shona’s wear beads. South Africa copied the wearing of beads from the Shona however most Shina stopped wearing beads and currently it’s the South Africans who mostly wear them.
Further evidence from history that the Shona are good at Influencing others is seen in how the real King of the Ndebele the last son of Lobengula is Shona (the Khumalo). The direct bloodline of Lobengula of Ndebele Royalty is Shona and lives in Marirangwe. They adapted to being Shona , this information is widely documented and is current history. Shona people influence others but others cannot influence the Shona That being said there is no need for the Shona to boast or brag.
The Shona are enduring and that’s why it is very important to repatriate the remains of Zimbabwe’s Royals from Britain. They are known to be transgenerational and this is why the Shona people are known to pursue things until they are done they believe in supremacy of their spiritualism which also guides them that is why they have retained their cultural heritage and hold ceremonies such as bira and many more. Through the bira ceremony Shona people are able to contact their dead ancestors.
The Shona are also known for their skills of disappearing and hiding in caves. When settlers arrived in Zimbabwe they banned Shona people from living near caves and Kopjes.
The Shona language has several dialects listed below:
1. Karanga dialect (Chikaranga). Spoken in southern Zimbabwe, near Masvingo.
Subdialects: Duma, Jena, Mhari (Mari), Ngova, Venda (not the Venda language), Nyubi (spoken in Matabeleland at the beginning of the colonial period is now extinct), Govera.
1. Zezuru dialect (Chizezuru, Bazezuru, Bazuzura, Mazizuru, Vazezuru, Wazezuru). Spoken in Mashonaland and central Zimbabwe, near Harare. The standard language.
Subdialects: Shawasha, Gova, Mbire, Tsunga, Kachikwakwa, Harava, Nohwe, Njanja, Nobvu, Kwazvimba (Zimba).
1. Korekore dialect (Northern Shona, Goba, Gova, Shangwe). Spoken in northern Zimbabwe, near Mvurwi.
Subdialects: Budya, Gova, Tande, Tavara, Nyongwe, Pfunde, Shan Gwe.
Languages with partial intelligibility with Shona, of which the speakers are considered to be ethnically Shona, are the Ndau language, spoken in Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and the Manyika language, spoken in eastern Zimbabwe, near Mutare. Ndau literacy material has been introduced into primary schools.
Maho (2009) recognizes Korekore, Zezuru, Manyika, Karanga, and Ndau as distinct languages within the Shona cluster, with Kalanga being more divergent.
Comments
About Author
