As we approach the end of the year, let us recognise the beauty of the cultural diversity which surrounds us. Farai Magaya puts the value of this aptly:
“Cultural diversity brings so much to us as a people. There is great beauty in embracing your culture, showing love to someone, and learning more about a culture that’s not the same as yours. At times, conflicts arise because there is a lack of understanding with regard to the next person’s culture and values.”
This month, we produce a three-part series where we look at Durbanites with different cultural backgrounds and this week’s spotlight goes to the man behind these words, Farai Magaya, umShona.
Let us learn more about his culture:
Shona (Karanga)
Hometown: Masvingo – Zimbabwe
Totem names: Gumbo, Madyirapanze, Sambiri, Chitova
Languages: Shona, English, Ndebele, IsiZulu
Favourite food: Mupunga une dovi (rice with peanut butter) + huku yechikaranga nemuriwo (road runner with veggies)
Did you know?
- The name of the country was derived from the fortified trading hub, Great Zimbabwe (great house of stones), which was built in medieval times.
- Zimbabwe has 16 official languages.
- Mwari is the name of the deity of the Shona people.
- The Shona language has no letter ‘L’.
- Zimbabwe is thought to be the location of Ophir, the Biblical land from which King Solomon got ivory, gold, peacocks and other precious items.
- The local name for Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is “Mosi-oa-Tunya” (the smoke that thunders).
- 90% of Zimbabweans are literate, which is the highest literacy rate in Africa.
- Some 85% of Zimbabweans are Christian.
- Around 1821, the Zulu general Mzilikazi of the Khumalo clan successfully rebelled against King Shaka and created his own clan, the Ndebele and eventually settled in what’s now known as Matebeleland province, with Bulawayo as the capital.
Supplied by: Farai Magaya