People
Zimbabwe's people are said be very nice, and kind to their friends, but to strangers they
are very cautious. Family is a very important feature in Zimbabwe's culture. It is very impolite to embarass someone in public.
Zimbabweans tend to spend money quickly and not look towards future needs. They call this " living for today."
Language and Religion
The languages
spoken in Zimbabwe are English, Shona, and Ndebele. English is the offical language, but there are many other dialects the
Zimbabweans use. Christianity is predominent, majority of people are Roman Catholic, but most people have a mixed belief structure.
Many of their practices and beliefs include spirtual doctors, witches, witchcraft, ancestor veneration, and also practice
their religion with the use of totem. Many people attend church services. One percent are Muslims.
Clothing and Housing
Zimbabwean women wear dresses below the knee, or they wear a wrapped around skirt with a blouse. To a special gathering they
might wear a dhuku, which is a head scarf. Men prefer to wear a shirt and slacks, but for business- like jobs they have to
wear suits. It is very valued to have the appearence of being wealthy. This doesn't mean being rich, but looking as if you
are very wealthy. A man that has a big stomach is admired, because that shows that he can afford to pay for a meal daily.
Everyone in Zimbabwe washes daily, even if they live in the rural areas. In urban areas people usually live in houses made
of brick. In rural areas people often live in villages, and on farms. Their houses are made of brick or mud, with thatched
or metal roofs.
Dance, Music, and the Arts
Rich storytelling is a strong tradition in Zimbabwe. Oral history is how legends, epic poems, praise, and ballads came to
be. Doris Lessing's first novel The Grass Is Singing led to her to be banned from the country, for expressing her
thoughts. her book is about the hardship, isolation, and tragic racial tension experienced by a white farmer. Many other
books were written about Zimbabwe's hardships, through out the years. Music is constantly present in Zimbabwe. For a fun,
dance-like occasion, the music is up beat, but when there is a serious occasion, the music is help back, and solemn. Ususally
songs are about everyday life. A popular instrument is marimba's, a mariba, can be compared to a xylophone. The most important
instrument, is the drum. Drums come in all differnt sizes, shapes, and colors. Tuku is the best-selling songwriter and performer
in Zimbabwe. His music is very fast, and hard-driving rythm from South Africa, called jit. Beautiful, expressive dances are
performed at community gathering. They are usually accompanied by drums. Also dances are performed to tell stories and give
messages, using symbols. This is called commemorative dance.
