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 solve the mystery of the murder of his father VaMupakaviri, the king. I haven’t gotten to the end, but I’m sure he succeeded. Tambaoga came from a polygamous family. The … Read more

The Tembo-Shumba Samaita clan

1. Their totem changed from tembo to shumba Tembo-Shumba (‘Zebra-Lion’) is the totem of the present day Mutasa people. The Mutasa people were not always known as such. The dynasty’s totem was changed from tembo to shumba, and the dynasty’s title was changed from Chikanga to Mutasa. In ancient times, rulership was passed down a family, forming a … Read more

Mutupo| 6 interesting things you should know about Shona totems, praise names and poetry

This post was last updated on 16 February 2023. Mutupo, chidao and detembo redzinza The mutupo system is an important source of ancestral and family history in Zimbabwe. The Shona are a cultural group native to Zimbabwe that became divided into a number of clans. The clans are represented by the various totems. Today totems, … Read more