CULTURE - Talented and friendly people make each visit special

Zimbabwe is about much more than the natural beauty of its national parks, its waterfalls andits wildlife. This is also the homelandof a cultured and hospitable people.The cultural diversity of Zimbabwe– from music and dance to festivalsand food – is a major drawfor tourists. But what many visitorsremember most about Zimbabweansis their wonderful hospitality. It issecond nature for them to greetevery traveller with a broad smileof welcome and with no thought ofpersonal gain. No wonder so manyvisitors describe Zimbabwe as one ofthe friendliest countries in Africa.

Language

The official language of Zimbabweis English. It is spoken primarily in thecities and less so in rural areas. Thecountry’s other main languages areversions of Bantu. The most widelyspoken are Shona and Ndebele.

Art

Artists are held in high regard inZimbabwe, which has many trainingcentres in the capital and elsewhere.The National Gallery in Harare has long promoted fine art, while theTengenenge Art Village in GuruveDistrict has produced many of thenation’s most famous sculptors whichare internationally acclaimed andexhibited. Those works fetch thousandsof dollars on the internationalmarket, particularly in Europe andthe United States. Zimbabweans arealso renowned for their wood carving,not least because of the range ofhardwood trees in Matabeleland,including the famous Rhodesian teak.

Literature

The first novel in the Shona languagewas published in 1956 and the firstin Ndebele a year later. Since thattime, and especially after independence,there has been a burgeoning ofliterature. Major themes are folklore,myths and legends. Internationallyacclaimed novelists include ShimmerChinyodya, Chenjerai Hove and DorisLessing. An international book fair isheld each August in Harare.

Dance

Dance is a key part of Zimbabwean culture. It features in religious andspiritual ceremonies as well as in community events with spectatorsoften invited to join in many of thetraditional dances. Music is typicallyprovided by the mbira or thumbpiano (a plucked instrument), thehosho (rattle), the magavhu (legrattle), the ngoma (drum) and, ofcourse, the human voice.

Food

For any visitor looking to experiencethe Zimbabwean way of life, it’s wellworth trying the local cuisine. Mostdishes consist of a starchy elementtogether with meat or stewedvegetables. Staple foods such asbota (a porridge) and sadza (a thickporridge) are popular with localpeople and are made by mixingmaize with water to produce apaste that varies in thickness.Bota is eaten at breakfast,while sadza is cooked forlonger than bota and isnormally eaten for lunchor dinner. Both can beflavoured with butteror peanut butter. Oncelebration days, the foodof choice is roast or stewedmeat, typically beef or goat,accompanied by rice.

Festivals and events

• Africa Day celebrations

• Bulawayo Music Festival

• Chibuku Neshamwari

• Chimanimani Arts Festival

• Harare International Carnival

• Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA)

• Harare International Food Festival

• Harare Jazz Festival

• Independence Day festivities

• Intwasa Arts Festival

• Jikinya Traditional Dance Festival

• Lion Lager Summer Beer Festival

• Midlands Arts and Cultural Festival (MACfest)

• Neverland Zimbabwe

• Nyaminyami Festival

• Shoko Festival

• Jikinya Traditional Dance Festival

• Traditional and Organic Food Festival

• Vic Falls Carnival

• Zimbabwe Food and Culture Festival

• Zimbabwe International Book Fair

• Zimbabwe International Film Festival (ZIFF)

• Zimbabwean Music Festival