The forgotten but interesting Shona housewarming ceremony
Some time ago, a reader reached out with a thoughtful question. Her family had lived in Zimbabwe years ago, and now that her children are … Read more
ZimbOriginal
10 interesting pairs of tsumo that will confuse you — and how to make sense of them
Every dilemma carries a paradox at its heart. If one option were clearly good and the other clearly bad, it wouldn’t feel like much of … Read more
5 interesting discoveries from 1,000+ Zimbabweans on their mutupo
Key Takeaways Let me pour my heart out a little here. Back in July 2024, I seriously considered giving up on ZimbOriginal. I had ideas … Read more
8 things every Shona learner should know that will make learning smoother
Every parent wants their child to succeed when learning a new language. But here’s the thing: language learning comes with some brutal truths that most … Read more
What the Shona believe about witchcraft — and why it’s surprising
I have to be honest, this is one topic I wish I didn’t have to discuss. But there’s no way I can talk about Shona … Read more
An interesting look at Shona names
I attended a kurova guva ceremony just this past month. A mbira crew had been hired to play, and the drummer’s surname was Mangoma. He … Read more
How to stop these 7 mistakes slowing your child’s Shona skills
Learning Shona — or any language — is more than memorising vocabulary and rules. It’s about building the confidence and mental habits that allow you … Read more
Shona indigenous religion as a way of life
Religion as a way of life: Reflections on Shona customs While having a conversation with my sister the other day, one thing became quite apparent … Read more
What teaching Shona to children taught me
A simple Shona tutoring venture that wasn’t so simple When I started helping children with Shona around 2019, I have to be honest—I was anxious, … Read more
More easy lessons on madimikira — from ‘Imbwa Nyoro’ (Part 2)
In a previous post, I explored the madimikira (idioms) found in the Shona novel Imbwa Nyoro by Renny M. Mumvuma. The use of idioms in … Read more