The Sunday News
Bhekumuzi Ncube, Sunday Life Reporter
SHEBEENS!
The once popular township watering holes where illicit stocks were sold by the feared, and at the same time well respected shebeen “queens” have gradually diminished. In days gone by, they were part of the culture of townships around Bulawayo and often marked a young man’s transition from boyhood to manhood.
However, these celebrated “spots” also have a dark and often chequered history that shattered many a youth’s life as a result of either violent incidents that were sometimes fatal or unrestrained sexual abandon that were key players in the break-up of many young families and a proliferation of unwanted pregnancies.
Shebeens were the integral beer spots where imbibers (generally no age restrictions) were left “legless” after consuming copious amounts of alcohol.
Ever popular in Bulawayo, these spots became people’s small paradises and efforts at civil disobedience during colonial times and continued well into post independent Zimbabwe.
During colonial times, the shebeens offered their patrons different kinds of beverages: from Ingwebu or Chibuku popularly known as “amasese” in Ndebele to clear beer. Amasese were in high demand while clear beer was the preserve of a few “ngamulas”. These illicit drinking holes often helped people forget their troubles as well as soothe the pains of hard work in industries that were then still open and operating profitably.
Shebeens became a form of a public forum where all burning issues in society were tackled: issues of oppression by industry bosses, the hate among particular neighbours, political issues as well as elections issues if it was a year of campaigning.
They were accepted by society as places where patrons freely exchanged ideas while enjoying their favourite alcoholic beverages and danced the night away to top hits of that era from the likes of Lovemore Majaivana, Soul Brothers, Ndux Malax, John Chibadura and Zex Manatse.
In those days bottle stores in the central Business District were expensive while township outlets closed early, presenting shebeen owners with a viable business opportunity and patrons a lively environment to enjoy their weekends.
However, not only beer and good music records attracted men and women to shebeens! Scores of youths perished at these “spots”. Families were shattered, criminal activities thrived, brawls and fearsome fights took centre stage.
Young girls often between ages of 16 and 20 were recruited by shebeen queens to work as prostitutes or “fadza customers” as they were popularly known while some were forced into prostitution by their parents due to financial difficulties.
However, some young girls willingly joined the shebeen life as they saw it as a short cut to easy money. They turned their backs on their parents and families and actively participated in this life of debauchery.
Young girls gave their bodies to senseless and often abusive men who slept with them to quench their sexual desires after an evening of drinking.
Prostitutes were treated as slaves and pieces of meat, they slept with men but payment for services rendered was received on their behalf by ruthless shebeen queens they worked for, who then paid the prostitutes in their own time.
The ruthless wind of the shebeen life did not only affect girls’ future as boys were involved in illicit dealings such as pick pocketing while others stole parents’ hard earned money to spend it carelessly in shebeens.
While it is generally unthinkable for young boys less than 20 years old to sleep with a 30-year-old prostitute, during the “golden era” of shebeens, these boys would go as far as even fighting for a “round” of sex with these women.
While people indulged in unprotected sex in shebeens, the deadly HIV-Aids pandemic was knocking on the door and the virus took thousands of lives across Zimbabwe. Shebeens played a major role during this tragic period of supposed sexual liberation. The virus was spread easily within these kasi paradises, the affected turning pale, thin, hair becoming curly as if permed with heartbreaking death the final stop for many in this long road of unrestrained township “entertainment”.
HIV-Aids attacked relentlessly, but medicine or the ARVs to treat the virus was rare and many people died unaware they had been even become infected by the incurable and deadly disease.
As if that was not enough, the damage caused by the shebeens and queens led to shattered families as husbands and boyfriends were shamelessly unfaithful to their wives and partners, having unprotected and unrestrained sex with prostitutes, in the process spreading the HIV virus. Whole families were consequently wiped out and shebeens earned the unenviable association with spreading this deadly disease.
In independent Zimbabwe, shebeens were a place to be even for the well to do. Loads of cars could be seen parked outside and the majority of shebeens started serving only clear beer and even food. They became places of socialising, but still they kept the dark side as men often went there with small houses or girlfriends.
Fast forward to the modern era, night clubs and pubs are now major sources of drinking but they are different from shebeens since they emphasise on age restriction.
The tale of the shebeens and shebeen queens crippled hundreds of people’s lives despite being the main “spots” for Zimbabweans to meet and share their joys of being Africans while enjoying different beverages. -@NcubeBhekumuzi
