African Folklore: An Encyclopedia - Marshalls University

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Those seminal studies that are germane to the study of Shona folklore include
Hamutyinei and Plangger’s (1987) comprehensive collection of Shona proverbs; Paul
Berliner’s (1978) study on Shona musical traditions; David Beach’s (1980, 1990, 1994)
thorough analysis of Shona oral literature, through which he reconstructs the prehistoric
past of Zimbabwe’s Shona and their neighbors; H.Ellert’s (1984) extensive study on
Zimbabwe’s material culture; M.F.C.Bourdillion’s classic ethnographic survey of the
contemporary Shona (1976), their changing society (1993), and religion (1990); and
Michael Gelfand’s extensive studies on Shona customs and traditions (1979, 1973),
affinity (1981), system of health and healing (1944), ritual (1959), medicine and magic
(1962), ethics, religion, and spiritual beliefs (1968, 1964, 1977), traditional healers
(1964), witchcraft (1967), and ethnopharmacopeia (1985).
In general, Shona folklore materials and traditions are primarily verbal, musical,
visual, three-dimensional, and perceptual in form and content. However, for the purpose
of this summary, Shona folklore can be reduced into the three broad genres: oral
literature, material culture, and customs and traditions.
Shona Oral Literature
The majority of Shona folklore scholarship has focused on the study of Shona oral
literature, which is divided into the three large groupings of narratives, speech, and song.
Shona folk narratives include the generic subcategories of nhango (prose narratives),
madetembedzo (praise poetry), tsumo-shumo (proverbs), and chirahwe (riddles). Mango
can be further subdivided into ngano (folktales), nyaya (myths and urban legends),
magamba (legends), and makuhwa (tall tales). Rungano (the plural form of ngano) were
traditionally told by the older members of society as a form of evening entertainment and
instruction for children about Shona beliefs and customs. They focus on the everyday
practices of common social personalities, such as mhizha (craftsman), the n’anga
(traditional healer), and the mambo (chief). There are three basic types of ngano: the
story with a song, the story punctuated by interjections, and the straight narrative, with
the first and second types requiring the active participation of the audience to collaborate
with the sarungano (storyteller). Rungano that call for interjections from the audience
often have a mushauri (leader) to motivate and guide the vadaviri (chorus).
Madetembedzo (praise poems) are particular to a clan or subclan, which are typically
identified by specific totem. Madetembedzo are performed at specific social gatherings,
such as a bira (ritual feast to propitiate ancestral spirits), wedding, or funeral, or less
formal gatherings such as the celebration of a successful hunt or family accomplishment.
Detembo (praise) are described as being mostly praise with subtle criticism. Those
individuals responsible for performing the madetembedzo are called musvitsi or
mudetembe, and are traditionally the most senior wives of a clan. Likewise, the sons of a
daughter of that particular clan are also responsible for learning and performing the
madetembedzo. In addition to totemic praise poetry there is also ndyaringo, the poetry of
admiration or for lovers, performed at courtship rituals such as the formal exchange of
the labolla (bride price). Finally, Zimbabwe has a national praise poem, called the
Mupiro, which is performed at national celebrations by either a mhondoro (the region’s
guardian spirit) or svikiro (tribal spirit medium).