Stories

These stories are based on the accounts of ordinary Zimbabweans - the experts from whom the content on ZimbOriginal is sourced.

The forgotten but interesting Shona housewarming ceremony

By ZimbOriginal | October 9, 2025 | 0 Comments

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

10 interesting pairs of tsumo that will confuse you — and how to make sense of them

By ZimbOriginal | October 2, 2025 | 0 Comments

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

By ZimbOriginal | September 25, 2025 | 0 Comments

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

By ZimbOriginal | September 18, 2025 | 0 Comments

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

By ZimbOriginal | September 11, 2025 | 0 Comments

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

By ZimbOriginal | September 4, 2025 | 2 Comments

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

By ZimbOriginal | August 28, 2025 | 0 Comments

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

By ZimbOriginal | August 21, 2025 | 1 Comment

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

By ZimbOriginal | August 14, 2025 | 0 Comments

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)

By ZimbOriginal | July 31, 2025 | 0 Comments

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

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    ZimbOriginal was born from a passion for discovery and writing, and a commitment to never losing sight of who we are.

    It is a place for stories on culture, customs, traditions, and anything else indigenous to Zimbabwe. ZimbOriginal not only promotes cultural awareness, but also supports learning and discovery.

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