south of Mapungubwe is named Thovela after the
Shona ancestor Tovera. Another is named Thoho
ya Ndou after Murenga Sororenzou. The Shona
later moved to Zimbabwe and built their capital at
Wedza in Marondera.
Chaminuka’s son, Kutamadzoka, became
Mutapa I. After his death, Chigwangu, his
brother, became Mutapa II and moved the capital
to Great Zimbabwe, where he became known as
Rusvingo, which means Builder of Stone Walls.
After the deaths of Murenga, Chaminuka, and
Nehanda, the Shona continued to revere them as
their ancestors and founders of the nation. Their
spirits are invoked together especially in times of
wide-scale wars and struggles.
Murenga’s spirit operates as a voice from the
caves of Njelele in Matopo. This is where the
First Chimurenga started. It was organized in his
name. All wars of the land in Zimbabwe are
Wars of Murenga. They are called Chimurenga.
The organizing spirits behind them are
Chaminuka and Nehanda. Both operate through
mediums. The first medium of Nehanda was
Nyamhita, but the best known was Charwe, who
guided the First Chimurenga and was executed
by the British in 1897.
The first medium of Chaminuka was Kachinda,
but the most famous was Pasipamire. His fame
was associated with miracles and as a great
prophet, healer, and rainmaker. His powers were
especially manifest during the conflict with
Lobengula, at the time when Europeans were
invading southern Africa from Natal, forcing
Africans to migrate northward and come into con-
flict with one another. Lobengula had tried several
times to attack the Shona and take away their
land. But Pasipamire would take the message of
peace to him from the ancestors suggesting
harmony and coexistence with the Ndebele.
Lobengula would not listen.
He hatched a plan to invite the prophet to
Bulawayo and kill him on the way. The prophet
knew of the plan ahead of time, but was ready to
obey the ancestors and face his fate. He took his
wife, Bavheya, their sons, Bute and Kwari, and a
few soldiers with him. Lobengula’s soldiers were
waiting for him in ambush near the Shangani
River. Bavheya begged her husband to run away,
but he was resolute to face his fate. Ndebele sol-
diers fell on the little party that the prophet came
with and killed many of them. Kwari was
wounded in the leg, but managed to escape. Bute
had already sneaked away to tell the Shona to pre-
pare for war. Bavheya was left untouched.
The assailants struck at the prophet’s body with
spears, but the spears caused no harm. They fired
at him with guns, but the bullets had no effect.
When Lobengula’s soldiers were exhausted,
Chaminuka’s prophet addressed them, saying they
would not be able to kill him. For he had come in
peace, not war, and was innocent. Only a young
boy would be able to kill him because he would be
innocent and not responsible for his actions. Soon
a young boy was brought, and he struck the blow
that killed the prophet instantly. Lobengula’s sol-
diers cut open the prophet’s body and took out his
heart and liver as charms.
They proceeded to Chitungwiza to wipe out the
entire village. The village was deserted. The people
had gone to hide in ambush, ready for war.
Lobengula’s soldiers were surprised and repulsed. In
his last words, Chaminuka’s prophet had said they
would never rule his land. A race of people would
come from across the seas and defeat them and rule
for a while. The rightful owners of the land would
rise up and fight to take back their land.
Chaminuka’s prophesy has since come true.
Europeans came and defeated Lobengula. The
children of Zimbabwe took up arms and got back
their land. All these wars were fought in the name
of Murenga as the founder of Zimbabwe and
guardian of the land. They were organized
and led by the twin spirits of Chaminuka and
Nehanda. Chaminuka’s role in all this is phenom-
enal. He is ancestor of the Shona and founder
of Zimbabwe, together with Murenga and
Nehanda. He is father of the first two rulers of
Zimbabwe and has played a significant role
through his prophet Pasipamire as a messenger of
the humanistic values of peace, harmony, and
coexistence that unite Africans in Zimbabwe today
as a people and a nation.Vimbai Gukwe ChivauraSeealsoAkhenaten; NehandaFurther Readings
Bourdillon, M. (1998).The Shona Peoples:Ethnography
on the Contemporary Shona,With Special Reference
to Their Religion. Gweru: Mambo Press.158 Chaminuka