When I wrote the meanings/origins of Bulawayo suburb names, I also compiled the meanings of some of Zimbabwe's Cities and Towns.
Kindly add or subtract, correct or comment and everything in between 🙏
NB: The names of most cities and towns were changed between 1982 - 1983
Kindly add or subtract, correct or comment and everything in between 🙏
NB: The names of most cities and towns were changed between 1982 - 1983
ZIMBABWE 🇿🇼
MOTTO: Unity. Freedom. Work.
RHODESIAN NAME: Rhodesia
Named after Cecil John RHODES
MEANING OF ZIMBABWE
1) From the Karanga words “Dzimba-dza-mabwe - houses of stone”
2) From Zezuru words “Dzimba-hwe” meaning "Sacred or Respected houses"
MOTTO: Unity. Freedom. Work.
RHODESIAN NAME: Rhodesia
Named after Cecil John RHODES
MEANING OF ZIMBABWE
1) From the Karanga words “Dzimba-dza-mabwe - houses of stone”
2) From Zezuru words “Dzimba-hwe” meaning "Sacred or Respected houses"
HARARE
MOTTO: Pamberi Nekushandira Vanhu
RHODESIAN NAMES: Fort Salisbury then Salisbury
Salisbury - The 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, then-Prime Minister of UK
MEANING OF HARARE
Named after the Shona chief Neharawa, whose nickname was "HARARE -meaning He who does not sleep”
MOTTO: Pamberi Nekushandira Vanhu
RHODESIAN NAMES: Fort Salisbury then Salisbury
Salisbury - The 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, then-Prime Minister of UK
MEANING OF HARARE
Named after the Shona chief Neharawa, whose nickname was "HARARE -meaning He who does not sleep”
BULAWAYO
MOTTO: Siye Phambili
Kept its original name through and through
Founded by the Ndebele king, Lobhengula in 1860
MEANING: OBULAWAYO (the one being killed). There were disputes around Lobhengula’s coronation so he named his capital “KoBulawayo UmntwaneNkosi”
MOTTO: Siye Phambili
Kept its original name through and through
Founded by the Ndebele king, Lobhengula in 1860
MEANING: OBULAWAYO (the one being killed). There were disputes around Lobhengula’s coronation so he named his capital “KoBulawayo UmntwaneNkosi”
GWERU
MOTTO: Forward
ORIGINAL NAME: Khwelo
RHODESIAN NAME: Gwelo
MEANING: Originally named Khwelo, derived from the Ndebele word meaning a high/raised/steep place because of Gweru River's high banks.
Then it got corrupted to Gwelo then Gweru
MOTTO: Forward
ORIGINAL NAME: Khwelo
RHODESIAN NAME: Gwelo
MEANING: Originally named Khwelo, derived from the Ndebele word meaning a high/raised/steep place because of Gweru River's high banks.
Then it got corrupted to Gwelo then Gweru
MUTARE
MOTTO: Justice and Freedom
RHODESIAN NAME: Umtali
MEANING:
The word MUTARE comes from the word 'UTARE' meaning iron/steel (or possibly gold).
Named because there was gold being discovered in the Penalonga valley through which the Mutare River runs.
MOTTO: Justice and Freedom
RHODESIAN NAME: Umtali
MEANING:
The word MUTARE comes from the word 'UTARE' meaning iron/steel (or possibly gold).
Named because there was gold being discovered in the Penalonga valley through which the Mutare River runs.
KADOMA
MOTTO: May Kadoma Flourish
RHODESIAN NAME: Gatooma
MEANING:
Named after Chief KATUMA, who was the chief in that area at the time
Chief Katuma is represented on the town's coat of arms by the mountain bearing his name and the chief's badge of office
MOTTO: May Kadoma Flourish
RHODESIAN NAME: Gatooma
MEANING:
Named after Chief KATUMA, who was the chief in that area at the time
Chief Katuma is represented on the town's coat of arms by the mountain bearing his name and the chief's badge of office
KWEKWE
MOTTO: The Now City in Touch With Tomorrow
RHODESIAN NAME: Que Que
MEANING:
1. From the Zulu word "isikwekwe" which means "scurvy/scab".
OR
2. Named after the croaking noise made by the nearby river's frogs (kwe kwe)
MOTTO: The Now City in Touch With Tomorrow
RHODESIAN NAME: Que Que
MEANING:
1. From the Zulu word "isikwekwe" which means "scurvy/scab".
OR
2. Named after the croaking noise made by the nearby river's frogs (kwe kwe)
CHITUNGWIZA
MOTTO: Pamberi nekushandira pamwe
MEANING
Chitungwiza - adopted from the name of the shrine of the spirit medium Chaminuka, who had his shrine called DUNGWIZA raChaminuka
MOTTO: Pamberi nekushandira pamwe
MEANING
Chitungwiza - adopted from the name of the shrine of the spirit medium Chaminuka, who had his shrine called DUNGWIZA raChaminuka
BEITBRIDGE
MEANING
Named after the bridge which was sponsored by Alfred BEIT, the founder of De Beers Mining Company in South Africa.
MEANING
Named after the bridge which was sponsored by Alfred BEIT, the founder of De Beers Mining Company in South Africa.
MARONDERA
MOTTO: May Marondera Flourish
RHODESIAN NAME: Marandellas
MEANING
Marandella's Kraal, corrupted from Chief Marondera's Kraal.
Marondera was the chief of the Rozvi people who lived in the area.
MOTTO: May Marondera Flourish
RHODESIAN NAME: Marandellas
MEANING
Marandella's Kraal, corrupted from Chief Marondera's Kraal.
Marondera was the chief of the Rozvi people who lived in the area.
MASVINGO
MOTTO: Our Heritage. Our Guide
RHODESIAN NAME: Fort Victoria
RENAMED: NYANDA after independence. Reference to a nearby mountain. But Nyanda also means “one who has lice” so they changed it to Masvingo
MEANING:
Masvingo eVitori means Fort Victoria
MOTTO: Our Heritage. Our Guide
RHODESIAN NAME: Fort Victoria
RENAMED: NYANDA after independence. Reference to a nearby mountain. But Nyanda also means “one who has lice” so they changed it to Masvingo
MEANING:
Masvingo eVitori means Fort Victoria
CHINHOYI
RHODESIAN NAME: Sinoia
MEANING:
SINOIA was derives from TJINOYI. Settlers pronounced it as Sinoia
TJINOYI was a Rozvi Chief. The Karanga name, Tjinoyi, was changed to Sinoia by the whites and later to CHINHOYI by the Zezuru.
RHODESIAN NAME: Sinoia
MEANING:
SINOIA was derives from TJINOYI. Settlers pronounced it as Sinoia
TJINOYI was a Rozvi Chief. The Karanga name, Tjinoyi, was changed to Sinoia by the whites and later to CHINHOYI by the Zezuru.
HWANGE
RHODESIAN NAME: Wankie
MEANING:
Named AFTER the chieftaincy of Chief ZWANGE now called Chief HWANGE.
RHODESIAN NAME: Wankie
MEANING:
Named AFTER the chieftaincy of Chief ZWANGE now called Chief HWANGE.
BINDURA
RHODESIAN NAME: Kimberley Reefs till 1913
Kimberly Reefs was a gold mine opened in Bindura in 1901
My guess is, it was named after their mines in Kimberly, SA
MEANING
From the Shona phrase “Pindura mhuka - turn the game” since it was named when the railway line arrived
RHODESIAN NAME: Kimberley Reefs till 1913
Kimberly Reefs was a gold mine opened in Bindura in 1901
My guess is, it was named after their mines in Kimberly, SA
MEANING
From the Shona phrase “Pindura mhuka - turn the game” since it was named when the railway line arrived
ZVISHAVANE
RHODESIAN NAME: Shabanie for the mine and Shabani for the town
MEANING:
Shabanie derived from "zvikomo zvishava" which means "red anthills". Because there were a lot of "reddish hills" in the area because of the red soil
RHODESIAN NAME: Shabanie for the mine and Shabani for the town
MEANING:
Shabanie derived from "zvikomo zvishava" which means "red anthills". Because there were a lot of "reddish hills" in the area because of the red soil
RUSAPE
RHODESIAN NAME: Rusapi
MEANING:
Rusape - derived from RUSAPWE which means "may it never dry", with reference to the ever-flowing waters of the river near the town
RHODESIAN NAME: Rusapi
MEANING:
Rusape - derived from RUSAPWE which means "may it never dry", with reference to the ever-flowing waters of the river near the town
GWANDA
MOTTO: Tradition and Progress
Founded in 1900 as a settlement for miners
Oldest Suburb - Jahunda: From Kalanga words Ja (eat) + unda (move/go). So it referred to the nomadic lifestyle of the miners
What does Gwanda mean?
I know iGWANDA - a runner grass with thorns🤔
MOTTO: Tradition and Progress
Founded in 1900 as a settlement for miners
Oldest Suburb - Jahunda: From Kalanga words Ja (eat) + unda (move/go). So it referred to the nomadic lifestyle of the miners
What does Gwanda mean?
I know iGWANDA - a runner grass with thorns🤔
VICTORIA FALLS
NATIVE NAMES:
Mosi-Oa-Tunya in Lozi - The smoke that thunders
Shungu Namutitima in Tonga - Boiling Water
MEANING:
Named after Queen by David Livingstone in 1855
NATIVE NAMES:
Mosi-Oa-Tunya in Lozi - The smoke that thunders
Shungu Namutitima in Tonga - Boiling Water
MEANING:
Named after Queen by David Livingstone in 1855
CHEGUTU
RHODESIAN NAME: Hartley
Named after Henry Hartley, a hunter and explorer who settled there
MEANING:
CHEGUTU- named after Chief CHINENGUNDU Mashayamombe
RHODESIAN NAME: Hartley
Named after Henry Hartley, a hunter and explorer who settled there
MEANING:
CHEGUTU- named after Chief CHINENGUNDU Mashayamombe
PLUMTREE
Kept its name through and through
MEANING:
Wild plum trees (umqokolo) which grew abundantly in the area.
Used to be called Getjenge
Fondly known as Titji/estitshini which means station (Railway station).
Kept its name through and through
MEANING:
Wild plum trees (umqokolo) which grew abundantly in the area.
Used to be called Getjenge
Fondly known as Titji/estitshini which means station (Railway station).
CHIPINGE
RHODESIAN NAME: South Melsetter
MEANING:
Melsetter was the name of the hometown of the settler, Thomas Moodie, in Scotland
Renamed Chipinga after a local chief in 1907
Then renamed Chipinge in 1982
RHODESIAN NAME: South Melsetter
MEANING:
Melsetter was the name of the hometown of the settler, Thomas Moodie, in Scotland
Renamed Chipinga after a local chief in 1907
Then renamed Chipinge in 1982
Twitter has a limit to the number of 'slides' on a thread so this is the end.
Yazi nje we may be struggling but we have a beautiful country 😔
The MOTTO la ekhaya is:
LEARN. TEACH. CORRECT. COMMENT. 😜
Yazi nje we may be struggling but we have a beautiful country 😔
The MOTTO la ekhaya is:
LEARN. TEACH. CORRECT. COMMENT. 😜
*Masvingo was most probably named after Great Zimbabwe
Rusvingo means wall, fence, barrier... So the walls of Great Zimbabwe "Masvingo eZimbabwe"
I'm sorry for leaving that out 🙏
Rusvingo means wall, fence, barrier... So the walls of Great Zimbabwe "Masvingo eZimbabwe"
I'm sorry for leaving that out 🙏
