Shona Zvidawo & Totems

The Shona-speaking peoples of Zimbabwe use several cultural markers to identify a person and to show their origin. The most important cultural marker is one's totem (usually in the form of an animal). My totem - mutupo in Shona - is Mhara/antelope. Male members of the Mhara totemic lineage go by the honorific name of *Chikonamombe* ( *mombe* means cow in Shona). The honorific name, *Chikonamombe* can also be rendered as *Chikonan'ombe* . In Shona, this honorific name is known as a *chidawo*.

Zvidawo (plural of chidawo) can also be used as family names, hence *James Chikonamombe*. Every totemic lineage has a praise poem that is associated with that lineage. A single line of this praise-poem is called a *detembo*; several lines are called *madetembo*, and to be showered with praise using your lineage praise-poem is known as *kudetembedzwa* .

Here are some lines from my lineage praise-poem: Mbuya Chikonamombe, chigumbu chinounye... ....Gusho, vari Rare.....vari zihota...vemuto munyere....vakazadzwa mhezi neVaranda. The reciting of the praise-poem is often accompanied by the ritual clapping of hands (kuwombera maoko). If you ever see two Zimbabweans clasping and clapping their hands, as they exchange pleasantaries, don't be confused....you will actually be witnessing a ritual greeting.

Shona *madetembo* often include ritual attributes of that totemic lineage (sometimes in jest), and some geographic attributes. For example, in ours, there is reference to *vari Rare*. Here, *Rare* refers to an area in Chikomba (my home district) now known as *Range*. During colonial times it was known as *The Range*. In our poem, the line with *vemuto munyere* refers to our legendary love of meat. When Zvikonamombe (plural of Chikonamombe) are at the table then be forewarned: there are no vegetarians in the family, and baby-carrots and mushy peas just won't suffice!

Honorific names are how adult (male) Zimbabweans address one another, either in person or in correspondence (and not by their given family names). For example, PM Morgan Tsvangirai is addressed in person as *Save*, and not *Morgan* or *Morgan Tsvangirai*. You might have read of *Gushungo* in passages about Zimbabwe. The *Gushungo* they are referring to is President Robert Mugabe. The respectful and proper way to address President Mugabe in person is by his lineage honorific name of Gushungo, and not *Bob* or *Robert*.