Lessons from teaching Shona that will make Shona learning easier
When I started helping children learn Shona around 2019, I have to be honest—I was anxious, but I thought it couldn’t be that difficult. After … Read more
ZimbOriginal
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
Understanding madimikira the easy way — from Imbwa Nyoro (Part 1)
In a previous post, I shared the similes (fananidzo) and metaphors (enzaniso) that I encountered while reading the Shona novel Imbwa Nyoro, a 1982 novel … Read more
Easy ways to use ‘fananidzo’ and ‘enzaniso’ – from Imbwa Nyoro
There’s something I love about reading Shona novels from decades past — stories written before I was even born. These works offer a richer experience … Read more
Why Shona learning matters, and how to make it easy
Ever since I took on my first learner back in 2019, Shona learning has become a subject dear to me. I believe proficiency in more … Read more
What you need to know about ancestors to understand Shona religion — it might surprise you
The Shona people believe in a Supreme Being, whom they call by different names. These names include Musikavanhu, Musiki, Mwari, Nyadenga, Samasimba, Samatenga, Wedenga, Musikarudzi, … Read more
101 English verbs — and their rich nyaudzosingwi
This post was last updated on 12 January 2025. Adverbs and Nyaudzosingwi Adverbs are words that modify or describe verbs, adjectives, clauses, sentences, or even … Read more
These 28 madimikira make Tambaoga Mwanangu a great read
After reading China manenji hachifambisi I wrote on idioms (madimikira) that the writer, Mordikai A. Hamutyinei, used in the story. I decided to do the … Read more
A Shona legend| The Hera chief and a cave
A legend is a traditional story that is believed to be true. Some legends on the origins of the Shona people detail how large societies … Read more
Polygamy in traditional Shona society, as told in ‘Tambaoga Mwanangu’
A polygamous family I’ve just started reading ‘Tambaoga Mwanangu.’ This is a story about how an eighteen year old boy, Tambaoga, went about trying to … Read more