The Sunday News
Euro-centrists like Joao de Barros gave credit to non-Africans like Jews an Phoenicians as builders of Great Zimbabwe. These Euro-centrists base their argument on the complexity of the stone structures and the existence of foreign goods. In his 1552 Da Asia, the most complete chronicle of the Portuguese conquests, João de Barros wrote of “a square fortress, masonry within and without, built of stones of marvellous size, and there appears to be no mortar joining them.” He went on to argue that, thought the edifice, which he never saw, was Axuma, one of the cities of the Queen of Sheba. Other Portuguese chroniclers of the day linked the rumoured fortress with the region’s gold trade and decided it must be the biblical Ophir, from which the Queen of Sheba procured gold for the Temple of Solomon in trying to credit Europeans as constructors of Great Zimbabwe. Similar to Solomon’s palace for Queen of Sheba, which suggests it, was built by Semitic colonists not the locals.
Carl Mauch argued that Great Zimbabwe ruins had an exotic origin. In 1871, Mauch, eager to seek for the fabled ruins of Ophir, penetrated deep into what is today southern Zimbabwe. In August, he reached the home of a lone German trader, who told him of “quite large ruins which could never have been built by blacks.” On September 5, local Karanga tribesmen led Mauch to the site. And Mauch only boosted the Portuguese theories of three centuries before. The soapstone and iron relics he uncovered told him that a “civilised [read: white] nation must once have lived there.” From a lintel, he cut some wood that he described as reddish, scented, and very like the wood of his pencil.
Therefore, he concluded, the wood must be cedar from Lebanon and must have been brought by Phoenicians. And therefore, the Great Enclosure the edifice’s most impressive structure, which local Karanga called Mumbahuru, “the house of the great woman” must have been built by the Queen of Sheba. The Euro centric views are based on negating the African culture.
They purported that the Shona were inherently lazy to build such an impressive and spectacular like Great Zimbabwe, they spend much of their time merry making and beer drinking. However, it is not true Mudenge refuted that it was this time that the Shona carried collective work hence supporting the indigenous theory.
In addition, Richard Hall, a white archaeologist, who was hired to investigate the Great Zimbabwe site, concluded in 1902 that Great Zimbabwe was built by more civilised races than Africans.
Cecil John Rhodes in a bid to misrepresent the origins of Great Zimbabwe established the Ancient Ruins Company and financed men such as James Theodore Bent who concluded in 1892 that items found within the Great Zimbabwe complex proved that the civilisation was not built by local Africans. Eager to nail down the edifice’s exotic origins once and for all, Rhodes and his British South Africa company quickly sponsored an investigation of Great Zimbabwe.
They hired one J. Theodore Bent, whose only claim to expertise lay in an antiquarian interest born of travels through the eastern Mediterranean and Persian Gulf that the civilisation was not built by local Africans.
The Euro-centrists were not in a position to credit Africans for any other impressive thing in Africa.
This is why some historians argue that historical evidence on the origins of Great Zimbabwe has been deliberately distorted.
Architectural Controversy: – [Purpose of the stone walls]
Great Zimbabwe was built as a symbol of fertility. Mukanya argues that the conical tower and its two replicas was an expression of fertility and success. He suggested that conical tower was built similar shaped to the male organ which shows that it was built as a symbol of fertility. This is evidenced by the statistical number of the people who resides at Great Zimbabwe. The population is estimated to be 11 000- 18 000, which approves his argument. More religious related artefacts were exhumed thus dismissing the view that it was a grain storage
K Mufuka argues that the conical tour suggest that they wanted to be closer to Mwari. It had an alter for religious ceremonies. Mufuka further argues that the upright stone walls were associated with religious beliefs of the Shona. This implies that walls were built as a religious centre or shrine. This is evidenced by the findings of the Hungwe soapstone birds. The existence of other objects like rituals bowls has been described as symbolising the importance of religion. Oral tradition however, helps to interpret the utility value of some of the key artefacts found at the monuments. For instance, T.N. Huffman’s “The soapstone
Birds from Great Zimbabwe” in determining the meaning and significance of the soapstone birds had to rely on oral tradition in order to link the birds to the cultural norms and beliefs of the Shona people. Hence Huffman cites that “Eagles, being the largest and most powerful birds, are appropriate messengers for the most important people”. here is obviously a difference between Shona cultural beliefs in general and oral tradition, but both have been passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth and the former by practice as well, therefore this evidence shows the Shona or locals as the builders of Great Zimbabwe.
Without doubt the Great Zimbabwe was built for defensive reason .This can BE evidently clear simply because of the look out points possibly to spy the enemies from afar. The beautiful chevron pattern can suggest more. It is interesting to note that inside the Great enclosures the narrow roads were a clear indication of defensive mind.
However, Mudenge and Beach had differed opinions for the first time Beach argues during this time there was there was no source of threats posed to the Great Zimbabwe.
It was Mudenge with extensive Shona who cited the Torwa and accepted the history of the Torwa is very sketchy. What can be concluded is the Great city was generally built for various reasons, chief among them religious centre, trade centre, defensive reasons.
l To be continued in the next issue……
l Manners Msongelwa is the president of History Teachers of Zimbabwe and Association of History Teachers and Lecturers in Africa. Follow All his lessons on YouTube channel Manners Msongelwa.
