From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:ZIMBABWE: A DEARTH OF CULTURAL IDENTITY
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 03:54:20 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: ZIMBABWE: A DEARTH OF CULTURAL IDENTITY


an inter press service feature

by joe bankole

harare, oct 29 (ips) -- a flowing gown over a pair of trousers
and a top or a kente cloth wrapped around the body and tied
across the shoulder complete the dressing of africans from some
parts of the continent.

in other parts of africa, a knee-length top with long or
short sleeves over a pair of trousers or some dresses in
patterns similar to some animal skins are also some of peculiar
dressing found.

however, on the streets of harare, the zimbabwe capital,
a first time visitor wonders if he is in an african city.

every black man in sight wears western dresses like a shirt
with or without ties on a pair of trousers or complete suits.

''the zimbabwean respect for western dresses is truly
shocking in view of my experience here when i attended the trial
of a nigerian in one of the magistrate's courts'', says nigerian
trader david nwosu.

nwosu had a nasty experience at the court recently when an
orderly pulled him roughly by the collar of his dress because he
was ''improperly dressed''. he had put on his national attire of
kaftan -- a knee-length top with long sleeves over a pair of
trousers.

''i told him i was wearing my national dress but he told me,
this is zimbabwe. so, i had to go back to my hotel and change to
the acceptable tie and jacket attire'', nwosu told ips.

to alice ncube, schoolteacher here, however, the acceptance
of the western dress is a result of the country's long history
of colonialism.

''you see, we did not have the chance to develop our own
dressing culture properly before being overwhelmed by the
whiteman's way of dressing'', she told ips.

ncube says having been used to such dresses, zimbabweans will
probably just adopt by individual choice some dressing culture
from other african countries. ''and this takes time, you know'',
she adds.

john ndemera, a barman in a hotel here, agrees that adopting
other africans' mode of dressing is a possibility.

''but an outfit comprising a pair of trousers and a top
dress is to me like a pyjamas'', says ndemera. (more/ips)


zimbabwe: a dearth (2)

the authorities appear to be aware of the need to rejuvenate
culture. as early as 1984, four years after independence from
british rule, the zimbabwe government set up a culture house at
murehwa, about 100 km east of harare, the capital.

meant to be a pilot project, the facility mainly targets
the youths, who were initially thrilled by the variety of
artifacts collected there.

gordon mutasa, the director of the culture house, told ips in
murehwa the artifacts -- including the traditional grinding
stone, mortar and pestle and the traditional pillows made of
wood -- were used by ancestors.

''to schoolchildren, these look rather strange, but it
helps to educate our children on how our ancestors lived and the
tools they used to perform certain chores'', explains mutasa.

the culture house has a gallery for arts and crafts to
enhance the exhibition of crafts as well as, the ''production
and consumption of culture''.

as part of the cultural re-awakening, mutasa says the house
organises workshops to hunt for talents among schoolchildren
and non-school goers alike. the house also contains a hall for
music, dancing and gymnastics.

''we interview old people and place such valuable information
on tape as part of our efforts to research into our cultural
heritage'', says the director of the culture house.

however, ngugi wa mirii, the coordinator of the zimbabwe
association of community theatre (zact), says controllers of the
economy are also responsible for the slow pace of cultural
growth in this southern african nation of 11 million people.

''zimbabwe culture has no room to express itself because it
is overwhelmed by the euro-american culture which is led by our
leaders and the media, who do not promote our culture'', says wa
mirii.

but malachia mandimutsa, who fought in zimbabwe's
independence war, says 90 years of physical domination has
pushed the people's culture to the background.

however, in spite of the cultural invasion, some things still
make the shona and ndebeles, zimbabwe's two major indigenous
ethnic groups, stand out, says mandimutsa, an historian.

''the traditional marriage ceremony where the groom must
show humility before the bride's family and respect for elders
generally are some of the many attributes of the people of this
part of africa'', adds mandimutsa.  (end/ips/jb/apc/ar/92)