Zimbabwe prides itself in having a solid cultural base. Heritage is part of everyday living and certain cultural norms never seem to go out of fashion. Here are ten cultural habits that have withstood the test of time.
1 Clapping hands.
This gesture is done in several instances such as when one is greeting elders or expressing gratitude. It is a polite act of thanksgiving. This practice has been done since ancient times.
2 Sending a first time pregnant lady back to her parents.
The practice is commonly known as “kusungira”. A first time pregnant woman is sent back to her parents’ home until she delivers. This is usually done in the last few weeks of the pregnancy. A short ceremony is done whereby a beast is slaughtered. The practice is donin order to allow the new mother to be taught how to take care of the new born baby at her parents’ place.
3 Payment of bride price.
Traditional marriage entails the payment of lobola or brideprice to the family of the bride to be. A list of required items is given to the suitor and he is expected to pay to the bride’s family. Although there has been a lot of noise about the issue of lobola with some people stating that is now an archaic practice, it still remains an intergral part of the Zim culture.
4 Welcoming back the spirit of the dead.
This is known as “Kurova guva”. The family of a dead person can do a traditional beer drinking practice wherein they perform cultural rites and welcome the spirit of a dead person back into the family. Due to christian influences, this practice is no longer a pre requisite but most families still perform it.
