The Sunday News
Phathisa Nyathi
The event was unique, even more unique was its content coming from unfamiliar players in the cultural sector.
A national army is considered the last line of defence and better known for its weapons and martial drills. We associate the army with guns, grenades, armoured vehicles, tanks, military fatigue and social isolation.
What a rude awakening it was on 27 November 2017 at the inaugural Culture Day for the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) at Lookout Masuku barracks (formerly Imbizo), just outside Bulawayo.
The day was the eve of the graduation ceremony for the army recruits.
This was by no means the first graduation for the army recruits. The day marked a pronounced departure from what used to transpire during such occasions.
Hardly has Zimbabwe ever experienced cultural extravaganza on such unprecedented scale.
The timing was unbelievable, coming so soon after the prosecution of the world’s most uniquely executed military coup.
“Cultural experts define culture as shared meanings, rituals, symbols and history which are passed down from one generation to another,” said Lt General Phillip Valerio Sibanda the commander of the Zimbabwe National Army. “Zimbabwe has diverse cultures and it is important that soldiers be knowledgeable about national heritage. A people without culture are a lost people. Cultures of powerful nations have dominated the world. Africans have become carbon copies of their erstwhile colonisers,” added the softly spoken Army General.
The ground breaking occasion’s theme was “Instilling Patriotism Through Culture.” “Amagugu (International Heritage Centre) has become part of the military,” remarked Raisedon Baya who was one of the three adjudicators, namely Sarah Mpofu-Sibanda and Israel Israel.
I too had been specially invited. During most of the day the Army Commander was cognisant of the presence of the traditional leader of the area, Chief Sigola.
Whenever the chief remained behind during the tour of the stands, the commander beckoned him to come. “Chiefs are the custodians of our traditions,” he said when he addressed the hundreds of people in attendance.
It was a rare speech from rare quarters with emphasis on culture and no more.
Whoever conceived the cultural day, particularly its curriculum, if we might call it that, displayed some stroke of genius.
The six companies due for graduation the following day were assigned to showcase all of Zimbabwe’s cultures. It was this display of all indigenous cultures of Zimbabwe which made the event unique.
Never before have all of Zimbabwe’s cultures been embraced and showcased on a single day at a single venue. The following cultures were showcased: Zezuru, Manyika, Ndau, Tonga, Xhosa, Nambya, Sotho, Venda, Shangani, Kalanga, Karanga and Korekore.
Each company had its own stand-cum-village where it showcased the various aspects of chosen culture. The attire identified each culture. For example, you could not fail to identify the Xhosa and the Venda in particular.
Each exhibition indicated the various components within the homestead, from kitchens, cattle byres, sleeping huts, men’s courts and grain storage structures,
Architecture for each culture was brought to the fore and visibly projected the uniqueness of each culture. My favourite ngazi, the upstairs hut-cum-observation platform for the BaTonga was there.
The distinctive Ndebele beehive hut was on display too in the Ndebele homestead where a well gifted poet stole the hearts of many.
The gendered spaces within each homestead were identified and the roles of men and women acted out, in the indigenous languages with another recruit interpreting into English.
It is this sensitivity to other cultures’ languages which has been terribly lacking in Zimbabwe. The recruits, who will constitute the future army, did appreciate the various cultures, something that augurs well for unity, an attribute which is an integral part of the ethos of the army’s operations.
There is scope for the army to come up with a permanent theme park which showcases the cultural diversity found in Zimbabwe. It certainly would be an attraction to schools grappling with the new curriculum. Increased tourist arrivals would add to the nation’s visibility and the national fiscus.
Material culture was captured through the various artefacts which were explained and interpreted by well couched recruits.
In many instances, the artefacts were put to practical use. Women pounded or ground sorghum grain while men attended to cattle in the cattle byre.
Considering that these were young persons, their level of confidence and eloquence in narrating each culture’s history was an envy of many. Their instructors certainly did their homework.
The culinary arts, also known as gastronomy, were well covered. Various dishes for the numerous cultures were prepared.
Those of us in the commander’s touring party partook of the sumptuous cuisines: umfahlwa, amasi omcaba, roasted rabbits, and umfushwa and inkukhu makhaya, inter alia.
The second stage comprised culture-specific performances by the companies. The audience went wild and hysterical. Mbakumba, Isitshikitsha, Amantshomane, Muchongoyo, Mhande, Shangara, Wosana, Woso, among several others, were exquisitely executed by the recruits who donned relevant traditional attire.
My favourite mobile orchestral band, Ngoma Buntibe’s sonorous rendition caressed the air that in turn erotically caressed our eardrums.
In my serene heart, I saluted primary school teachers, Delta Beverages, the National Association of Primary School Heads(Naph) and the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) who provide the appropriate platform, Jikinya Traditional Dance Festival, the training ground where skills in traditional music and dance are nurtured and passed down to future generations.
When the cultural event, in which Commandant Thomson Mkhwananzi was a key player and host to the commander of the ZNA, came to an end, finger-licking and lip-moistening traditional cuisines were served. I saw beaming smiles on Generals’ faces.
Finally, the army had taken a small step and yet a giant leap in defending the people together with their cultures. Hundreds of spectators had already filled up their mental stomachs with the cultural offering.
In my heart of hearts, I could not resist whispering, “From Command Agriculture to Command Culture,” well, better late than never!
For me what reverberated down the labyrinths of my mind was the enduring echo from the Commander’s speech: “No culture is superior to other cultures.” Zimbabweans would do well to internalise the exhortation and begin to build a united and strong nation devoid of prejudices and false egos.
