NEHANDA Re-imagined
P OVOA F R I KA 1
NEHANDA RE-IMAGINED
Portal entrance at Great Zimbabwe, Masvingo
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NEHANDA Re-imagined Compiled by POVOAfrika
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NEHANDA RE-IMAGINED
First published by Xealos (PVT) Ltd First Edition Xealos (PVT) Ltd Johannesburg, South Afrika baynham@xealos.com © POVOAfrika Trust Zimbabwe, 2022 While every effort has been made to trace the copyright, any oversight will be rectified in future editions at the earliest opportunity by the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission from Xealos. ISBN - 978-0-6397-0075-5 Design &Typesetting by Baynham Goredema Cover Illustration Paul Maposa
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Contents 8
Introduction Charwe Nyakasikana (C. 1840 - 1898)
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The Nehanda Statue
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The Calling Of A Warrior
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The Sacred Matriarchy Of Mbuya Nehanda
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Tora Gidi Uzvitonge
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Nyakasikana Icon I
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The New And Old Footprints
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Handikanganwe
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Mbuya Nehanda
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Desires And Archetypes
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Ambuya Nehanda In All Her Glory
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Nehanda Spirit Medium Typeface
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Mai Vemwana
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Nehanda: What Next For This Neglected Matriach?
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Commemorating Nehanda On The National Currency
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The Gidi (Gun) Uprising
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Deified: Charwe Nyakasikana
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Let The Dead Die
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Contents A Heroine Is Watching
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Words In The Wind
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Nehanda (Song)
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Mother Of A Nation
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Nyakasikana Icon II
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Mapfupa Angu
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Zuva Rekupedzisira
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Charwe Typeface
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The Woman Who Refused To Change Her Name
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Charwe Was Not A Medium
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Interrogated And Tortured
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The Heroine Footprints
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Nyakasikana
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Mai Vemwana
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Nehanda (Song II)
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She Rises
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How Mbuya Nehanda Became Privileged As The Icon Of Our Collective Ethnic Spiritual Identity
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Nyakasikana T-shirts
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Holy?
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Nehanda | Kaguvi
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Nyakasikana
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Why Don’t We Hear From Nehanda Today?
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Nehanda Rock Of Ages
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Nehanda Riddim
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Wigi yaMbuya Nehanda
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The Story of Nehanda -
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A Film
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Chii Chamuri Kuona?
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Nehanda On Wall
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Introduction The Nehanda Re-Imagined initiative is a project to revive and re-imagine depictions and the legacy of Mbuya Nehanda in their plurality and diversity, bringing her to a contemporary setting. There has been much discussion on social media in reaction to the current construction of a monument dedicated to Mbuya Nehanda in Harare, with particular controversy around the sculpture done by artist David Mutasa. Zimbabweans from across the spectrum expressed views and sentiments which illustrated how differently the iconic historical figure is viewed, showing a possible need for diverse and collective artistic expressions that pay tribute to Mbuya Nehanda.
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his book is a collection of contemporary imagery and narratives of Mbuya Nehanda, through new interpretations of how she is visualised as a host, heroine, mother, grandmother, revolutionary, charismatic military heroine, feminist. The project is an interrogation of her legacy through several visual iterations and writings to create contemporary narratives of her legacy. It is a critical creative brainstorming approach to further explore and research the plurality of ways in which Nehanda can be represented in various forms of 2-dimensional forms and also other forms of public and accessible art forms. The idea of deep research into the various narratives of Nehanda, most importantly a plurality versus a monolithic representation of the idea of Nehanda. Our aim was to democratize research, design, representation and the artistic processes that lead to public art in the context of Zimbabwe starting with the iconic story of Nehanda Nyakasikana. This collection consists of essays, articles, discussions, short stories, poems, sketches, and Illustrations.
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Charwe, the medium of Nehanda with the medium of Kaguvi. Circa. 1897.
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The Nehanda Statue
The stature done by David Mutasa of Mbuya Nehanda original commisioned by the government was initially reseleased to the public after the President had gone to view it. When it was shared on social media there was a huge backloash at the depiction of Nehanda as a young girl and some were especially offended by the perky breasts and her protruding buttocks. There was a feeling that nehanda had been overly sexualised and and that would be offensive for her to be remembvered in such a way. It was not just the issue of sexualisation that was an issue but that of her likenss too. She apparently did not look like the Nehnda image that had been in the public domain over the years. With the pressure from Social media the government did a u-turn and had another stature comissioned, a 3 metre high bronze statue. This was unvieled at a ceremony on the May 25, 2021, which coincided with Africa Day. The stature was erected on the intersection of Samora Machel Avenue and Julius Nyerere Way, two iconic African leaders 18
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The Sacred Matriarchy Of Mbuya Nehanda By Cynthia Marangwanda (35 yrs, Zimbabwe) @cynthiamarang
The name Mbuya Nehanda is often cloaked in myth and misconception. To some it is synonymous with a heroic and fearless warrior woman who gave her life for her people’s freedom. As D.N. Beach (1998) notes “the figure of ‘Mbuya Nehanda’ has become the best-known popular symbol of resistance to colonial rule in modern Zimbabwe.” To others it is a name associated with a woman whose exploits have been exaggerated and over-inflated for the purposes of political and cultural expediency. Beyond all this lionising and vilifying, not enough attention is paid to her significant spirituality and its feminine nature, or its connection to similar historical archetypes beyond Zimbabwe. This is my area of interest in this article.
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y approach is based on the perspective expressed by Ruramisai Charumbira (2015) that “Nehanda’s power (and that of her mediums) came from older African historical epistemology that understood the world as feminine, governed by forces of fertility in nature. Indeed, life itself was wrapped around the (goddesses or) female spirits that kept the cycles of life in balance.” This is the same worldview referred to by Merlin Stone (1976) wherein “people revered their supreme creator as female” in ancient times. She terms this female creator “Great Goddess” or “Divine Ancestress”.
When it comes to Mbuya Nehanda, a distinction needs to be made between the spirit and its medium or host. There is a widespread but incorrect belief that Mbuya Nehanda is the woman who was hanged by the British 26
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Song by Pauline Tendai Gundidza (36 years, Zimbabwe) paulinegundidza
@Pauline_MaiSkye
Pauline Gundidza is a contemporary mbira artist from Zimbabwe. Her career began with her fronting an award winning group called Mafriq and she is currently a solo artist and band leader of Vanhu. Her music is a fusion of traditional Zimbabwean music and contemporary art. She has delivered several hits in various genres and performed at international festivals in Africa and Europe. Apart from being a powerful vocalist and mbira instrument player, Pauline is also an activist for various causes including human, women and children’s rights, health and cultural heritage. She is a mother of two daughters, Skye and Minana Josphats.
Producer: Malecko (Great Wall Records)
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ANATOMY
THE WORDS OF NEHANDA
“Mapfupa angu achamuka”
MY BONES WILL RISE FROM THE DEAD
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Nehanda: What Next For This Neglected Matriach? By Elton Farai Mjanana (42 yrs, United Kingdom) @EltonMjanana @mjanana.farai_elton
For all that she is famous for, whether mythical or real… Nehanda has been given a raw deal in a future she predicted. A statue was was erected smack in the middle of the intersection of Samora Machel Avenue and Julius Nyerere Way in Zimbabwe’s captivating capital city Harare.
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ore than a century ago, the body carrying the spirit of Nehanda, being Charwe, was killed by colonial settlers as she had proven to be stubborn, unyielding and determined to defy everything that they stood for. She and others like Sekuru Kaguvi led the what became known as the First Chimurenga, the war of resistance. So stubborn she was that in her final hour, facing the hangman’s noose, she still refused to convert to the Settlers’ Christianity, instead declaring that her bones will rise. And rise her bones did because sometime in the early 70’s the Zimbabwean Nationalists decided to engage in a war to fight for independence – the Second Chimurenga. So it goes: Nehanda’s death becomes the beginning of her legend. Urban legend or … proper legend? It doesn’t matter how one looks at it – the thin line between the body housing the spirit of the Nehanda and the Nehanda herself, all became rolled on one and one meant the other while the other meant the one. Simple! Maybe 50
Commemorating Nehanda On The National Currency
In 2021 the Zimbabwe government launched a new $50 note in commemoration of Mbuya Nehanda.
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Song by Black Afro (26 years, Zimbabwe) @ blackafro070
BlackAfro070
Sharleen Eunice Jirongo also known as known by the name BlackAfro is a vocalist and mbira player, born on the 19th of October 1995. Currently pursuing studies in Travel Tourism and Hospitality. Very social, fun and enjoy travelling, music is my passion and I am looking forward to further studies in music. In 2021 Black Afro was also part of the #16WomenVoices project by POVOAfrika Trust in comemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence.
Producer - Spencer (Diamond studios)
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Nyakasikana Icon II By Yemurai Mafi (39 yrs, South Africa) https://www.linkedin.com/in/yemurai-mafi-a330a253/
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y creation is a concept, motivated by the need to simplify the imagery of nyakasikana. Creating an icon or symbol like depiction. A graphic that is easy to apply or re-render for any visual purpose. A visual upgrade that gives more options apart from the only image we currently relate to. Mafi - Yemurai is a visual graphic artist. Inspired by my name, my thinking and expressions to life are forever presented in the best artistic way possible. My God given visual intelligence, has seen me into a career of over 15 years. An all-rounder with impactful contributions passed to, and experience gained within Ad Agencies, Publishing, Production and Corporate entities.
Digital Illustration 2021
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The Woman Who Refused To Change Her Name By Thema Vimbainshe Goronga (23 yrs, Masvingo, Zimbabwe) @ icing_sugar_xx
“This job called greatness, you don’t choose it, You don’t pursue it, It comes to you like a Thief in the night and grips you on The chest, right on your dear life. In a nutshell this job called greatness You don’t choose it IT chooses you.” 1840
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woman is in great pain. It is dark and the atmosphere outside is rather tense. The woman is sweating, her eyelids dilated as another contraction jolts through her body. The midwives are attending to her, one is wiping the sweat off her forehead, the other telling her to push as the baby is almost coming out. At the dawn of the new day an ear splitting scream fills the atmosphere and a baby girl is welcomed on the planet. The father of the baby rushes into the hut to see the sex of the baby and to his great dismay he is informed that it is a girl. He stomps out of the tent screaming heart-wrenching curses to his wife for failing to produce an heir for him and now his wife is met with a new kind of pain disappointment. The baby begins to cry, and the midwives try to shush her but the efforts are in vain. The mother on the other hand refuses to hold her own babe, at the agony of failing to produce the ever longed for boy. From nowhere an Eastern wind blows mildly at first with a voice softly chanting the name Nyakasikana. But as the baby’s cries get louder the magnitude of the wind gets stronger. The voice becomes more audible and no longer soft as if screeching the 84
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NEHANDA RE-IMAGINED
Nehanda Re-Imagined The Nehanda Re-Imagined is a project to revive and re-imagine depictions and the legacy of Mbuya Nehanda in their plurality and diversity, bringing her to a contemporary setting. There has been much discussion on social media in reaction to the current construction of a monument dedicated to Mbuya Nehanda in Harare, with particular controversy around the sculpture done by artist David Mutasa. Zimbabweans from across the spectrum expressed views and sentiments which illustrated how differently the iconic historical figure is viewed, showing a possible need for diverse and collective artistic expressions that pay tribute to Mbuya Nehanda.
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