10 books by Zimbabweans, set in Zimbabwe, that I have recently reread.

In the order I reread them.

1/10

A LETTER TO MY SON by TENDAI GARWE (Sokostina)

Non- Fiction

@Sokostina poured her heart and soul into this book.

It’s letters and diary entries by a mother to her son during rehabilitation after a nasty accident that left her bedridden.

The lessons are full of wisdom, and they apply to everyone.

Thank you for baring your soul, Soko ♥️

SCHOLARSHIPS & OPPORTUNITIES IN THE DIASPORA 🇿🇼

A thread of links and information shared in last night's Space.

[PS: Please DM or comment with links to more scholarships, visa information, jobs, and/or other helpful information.]

https://twitter.com/yvonne_maphosa/status/1588924394239594496

NURSE AIDE IN THE UK

[I tried my best to transcribe]

CHINHOYI CAVES 🇿🇼
 
Enchanting and deep history.

Think clear bottomless pool, blue waters, dark caves, underground rivers, beautiful fish, lions, a laid back picnic, green lawn and endless tunnels 🍹🧜‍♀️ 🌊 🌴 🌞
 
Definitely worth a visit!

#TravelZimbabwe 🇿🇼 You could go on a day trip, stop on your way, camp overnight or stay at the motel.

We went on a day trip from Harare. It's ~134 km, so it took us 1.5 h to get there.
 
The road is very good so even a small car would be fine.
 
Made a quick stop in Chinhoyi town to get supplies.

From yesterday's Space: Scholarships and Visas - Home and Abroad KOREA 🇰🇷

@Shiyelia
The ScholarshipPlugKorea. She shares tips on her Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/scholar…

Also: @olumuyiwaayo: Studied under the Korean gvt scholarship. He shares scholarship ops and tips on applying.

Also: @Je_Taps

studyinkorea.go.kr/null/main.do;j…

SCHOLARSHIPS and VISAS

A thread of links and information shared in last night's Space. It might work for you too🕯

[PS: Please DM or comment with links to more scholarships, visa information and/or opportunities.] Postgrad courses for students from developing countries for UK-based MSc and MA courses.

FIELDS: Land-based courses, eg Sustainable Development, Waste Management, Horticulture.
Also, Project Management and Economic Development.

marshalpapworth.com/our-scholarshi…

MOUNT KILIMANJARO

Costs and hiking information. COSTS

*Climb: R38000 (USD $2600)
Flights: ~R8000 (Cape Town)
Covid Tests: R4000 (R850 + $25 + $180)
Minimum Recommended Tips: $350 (R5400)
Common Extras: Toilet USD $175 (R2600)
Hiking Gear: ~R10000

*Climbing costs differ based on routes, duration, company etc

DAY 7 - THE DESCENT

Uhuru Peak - Base Camp (5 km)

High Camp - Mweka Hut Camp - Mweka Gate [18 km]

Going up took 6 days. Coming down - 1 day. It was everything and more 🤸‍♀️

Tanzanian Travels 🇹🇿

A summary of flights, accommodation and things-to-do in Arusha, Safari.

I can’t respond to all DMs so I will just thread it here.

PS: I don’t know everything, I just know what I know 😅 FLIGHTS

Cape Town - Kilimanjaro (JRO) = ~R7000 return.

It cost us more because we had to shift our flights from Joburg to Cape Town and to 10 days earlier so we could be out of SA when the President announced the readjusted Covid regulations.

Needed to escape the lockdown🙈

The Bible story of Samson is making my evangelism difficult 😂

I'm failing to explain how exactly Samson caught 300 foxes, and tied their tails together and set them on fire 🤭
They didn't run away? 😳

And where he got a donkey jawbone and how he killed 1000 Philistines with it Like, were these 1000 men waiting in a queue? Because I mean 1000:1 🙈

How do I explain why he told Delilah the truth after she had made it very clear that she wanted him dead😅

And how the Philistines didn't cut his hair after it started regrowing! Were they that stupid?😅

LAST small thread 🤥 🤥 🤥

I found this particularly interesting. Mostly because many people who acknowledge their ancestors have been accused of being evil and of being anti-God.

The Ndebele Religion:

God (uMlimu)
Living Dead (Good)
The Living
Living Dead (Bad)

https://twitter.com/Yvonne_Maphosa/status/1343993866261835783

God (uMlimu)

The Supreme being. Sovereign over all. UNkulunkulu. UMvelingqangi. UThixo. The Highest Being.
You know - GOD.

So the Ndebeles worship God.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RISE OF THE NDEBELE KINGDOM 👑

A thread...

SOURCE: Old Bulawayo Cultural Site

https://twitter.com/Yvonne_Maphosa/status/1343993866261835783

The Ndebele nation was founded by Mzilikazi Khumalo. He was a lieutenant of the Zulu King Tshaka.

His name means 'uMzila wegazi' 👇

https://twitter.com/Yvonne_Maphosa/status/1344036897165881347?s=19

Stop 1: OLD BULAWAYO

I'm doing a "Heritage Tour" this week. I'll be visiting historical sites around Plumtree and Bulawayo to learn more about our history.

Today, I spent hours with Mr Mthonzima, the custodian of OLD BULAWAYO - the original home of King Lobengula. Old Bulawayo, or more correctly, Ko Bulawayo is a historical site situated less than 20 km from the city of Bulawayo.

Old Bulawayo was established by King Lobengula as his capital in 1870 after the death of his father King Mzilikazi in 1868.

WRITING TIPS 📚

I sometimes get this message:
"I want to write but I don't know how to..."

My Reply: "Just start, it gets better as you go..."

I'm sharing a few writing tips in this thread.

Always remember, it's not a one size fits all and I'm not an expert 😁 WRITE 📝

To be a writer, writing has to be a habit. Practice makes perfect after all. Create a writing ritual that works for you.

Write often.

I personally think it's best to type it out instead of writing on paper then typing it out later, but do whatever works for you.

PREMARITAL PREGNANCY IN THE NORTHERN NDEBELE CULTURE

✨ A shortish thread✨

Some comments on my 'NDEBELE WEDDING' thread pointed out how a woman with a child didn't get married the same way as one who didn't.

So here's how premarital pregnants were/are handled culturally...🤰 As usual, please ADD ON what you know. We can only learn if we teach and correct one another 🤗
_______

The rule of thumb was "NO SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE"

But obviously these things happen

A NDEBELE WEDDING 👰 🤵

Marriage ceremonies among the Ndebele were an entire vibe and they went on for weeks.

This thread is a summary of the marriage rites.

Please feel free to add, subtract, correct, comment and everything else except disrespect other people’s culture ♥ WEDDING EVE

The day before the marriage, the bride-to-be's father would slaughter a beast to COLA his daughter with.

UkuCOLA - To cleanse, express happiness and wish one success. It’s a way of showing acknowledgement, acceptance and blessings

PS: COLA not (Coca)COLA 😐

SELF-PUBLISHING ON AMAZON ✨

This thread wwill probably resonate with only a few people: Writers who want to publish on Amazon.

But anyone nje can read 😊 1. WRITE A BOOK!

Obviously!
Get it edited, proofread and the whole shebang. Get it professionally done as you would a traditionally published book.

But be kind to yourself. Just do your level best. After all, perfection is overrated 🤓

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 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"

Here's the promised thread on the origins and meanings of some of Bulawayo's suburbs 📃

The list is not complete because Bulawayo is huge 😅

Please feel free to add and subtract, correct and comment and everything in between 😁 NDEBELE ROYALTY 👑

KHUMALO - Surname of the Royal Clan of the Ndebele

MATSHOBANA: Chief Matshobana Khumalo. King Mzilikazi’s father

MZILIKAZI: King Mzilikazi

NKULUMANE: Prince/King Nkulumane, son of King Mzilikazi

LOBHENGULA: King Lobengula, Mzilikazi's son

Ok so let me tell you my #SaltAndVinegar experience 😭😭🙆🏾‍♀️🙆🏾‍♀️

Ok so vele things and me are like a priest and a cross, inseparable!

So vele there was no way I was going to let a challenge like this pass me by.

Because vele I'm extremely brave 🤥

https://twitter.com/Yvonne_Maphosa/status/1268418971558121472

I don't have vinegar in the house 😔
[What do people use vinegar for? 🤔]

But the instructions were clear: Put Salt and Vinegar under your bed and see the witches responsible for your poverty 👩🏽‍🏫

So since I didn't have vinegar, I improvised 😝

THE OSTRICH PEOPLE OF THE DOMA TRIBE, ZIMBABWE 🇿🇼

They only have two toes on each foot.

So their feet are V-shaped, like those of an ostrich AKA

The "Ostrich" people are members of the Doma tribe also known as the:

Dema Tribe
Bantwana Tribe (children/descendants)
Two-toed Tribe
Ostrich people
vaDoma

LANGUAGES: Chikunda (Portuguese) and KoreKore.

MBUYA NEHANDA ✨

“My bones will rise again”

Many know her from a picture that’s actually not of her but of her spirit medium Charwe Nyakasikana.

She was a powerhouse! Up there with Queen Lozikeyi and other great women who played a major role in freeing present day Zimbabwe. WHO WAS MBUYA NEHANDA?

According to various sources, the original Nehanda was the daughter of Monomatapa Mutota if the Mutapa State

Her real name was Nyamhika but she became widely known as Nehanda

Mutota was the father of the Matope, making Matope and Nehanda half siblings