Languages in Zimbabwe - Shona Customs & Traditions

There are 16 official languages in Zimbabwe, each carrying its own unique history and worldview. If you truly want people to understand you, the age-old advice remains true: speak their language. This post focuses on one of the most vibrant aspects of Zimbabwean communication—Shona proverbs (tsumo)—exploring their purpose, meanings, and the profound wisdom they hold.

What is a Proverb, Anyway?

At its core, a proverb is a brief, popular saying that offers advice or shares a universal truth based on practical, everyday experience. Etymologically, the word comes from the Latin proverbium—a saying that supports a point.

However, as Onifade Abayomi notes in Philosophy in African Proverbs, they often carry a deeper message behind their sometimes odd or metaphorical appearances. Proverbs are widely loved because they sprinkle color and wisdom into our spoken language and folk literature. They are the ultimate expressions of a culture’s thoughts, moral codes, and heritage.

Why Proverbs Matter

Proverbs matter because they are the social glue of a community. Across many African nations, proverbs are considered a national treasure. They act as an intergenerational bridge, teaching the youth while gently reminding the elders of the foundational rules of conduct.

As noted by scholar C.L.S. Nyembezi, people within a social unit have definite ways of behaving in specific setups. Proverbs are the shorthand for these expectations. When you hear a proverb, you aren’t just hearing a sentence; you are hearing the distilled wit and practical experience of countless past generations.

I get a lot of questions from the younger generation to help them with their Shona homework, especially about proverbs (tsumo). I have compiled a list to help out. For more reading, click below.

A Compiled List of Proverbs (tsumo)

Shona Proverbs

Cracking the Code: Understanding Shona Proverbs

Shona proverbs are a vital piece of the cultural heritage of the Shona people, one of Zimbabwe’s largest ethnic groups. Shona, a rich Bantu language, is filled with metaphorical expressions that reflect the customs, natural environment, and social norms of the community.

These sayings are typically brief but pack a heavy punch, conveying timeless truths about relationships, morality, and navigating life’s unpredictable moments.

The Cultural Importance of Tsumo

Shona proverbs (tsumo) are not merely linguistic artifacts; they are living, breathing expressions of a vibrant culture. They play an active role in maintaining the social fabric of the community.

The primary cultural purpose of tsumo is to educate the youth about proper standards of human conduct (Gwavaranda and Masaka, 2008). According to the late researcher Michael Gelfand, the ultimate goal of tsumo is to preserve humanity (hunhu) and prevent societal chaos (mashura).

In traditional Shona society, there is a general assumption that a person who uses proverbs skillfully deeply understands the rules of conduct. A well-spoken Shona individual can deploy an appropriate proverb to elegantly defend their actions or point of view—much like a Christian might quote a verse from the Bible. Because of this immense cultural value, tsumo are a core part of the school curriculum across Zimbabwe.

More Than Words: The Purpose of Shona Proverbs

Beyond their cultural weight, Shona proverbs serve several practical purposes in daily life:

Preservation of Tradition: They serve as custodians of history, passing down knowledge about the natural world, survival, and moral principles from the ancestors to the present day.
Communication and Teaching: Proverbs are a concise and memorable way to convey complex ideas. They are regularly used in everyday conversation, storytelling, and formal teaching settings to impart knowledge, provide guidance, and even peacefully resolve disputes.

Four Reasons You Should Learn Shona Proverbs

1. Deepen Your Cultural Appreciation Learning Shona proverbs allows you to look past the surface and gain a nuanced understanding of the Shona worldview. By grasping the context behind these sayings, you learn what the culture truly values.

2. Enrich Your Language Skills Proverbs are a fantastic tool for language learners. They offer unique insights into Shona vocabulary, grammar, and idiomatic quirks. Mastering a few proverbs can massively enhance your fluency and help you connect more authentically with native speakers.

3. Foster Cross-Cultural Empathy Engaging with the wisdom of another culture broadens your perspective. It builds empathy and fosters a greater appreciation for the diverse ways humans understand the world.

4. Spark Personal Growth The timeless wisdom tucked inside Shona proverbs has the power to inspire self-reflection. Whether it’s an aphorism about resilience, patience, or gratitude, these sayings offer incredibly valuable lessons for navigating modern life’s challenges.

Final Thoughts

Embedded within these succinct sayings is the collective soul of the Shona people. By exploring and learning from Shona proverbs, we embark on a journey of cultural discovery and personal growth. As we delve into this treasure trove of wisdom, we gain not only a window into a specific Zimbabwean culture but also a deeper understanding of the universal truths that unite us all.

References

1. McArthur, T. (ed.) The Oxford Companion To The English Language [abridge edition], (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996) p.736.2.

2. Nyembezi, C. L. S, Zulu Proverbs, (Johannesburg, Witwatersrand Univ. Press, 1954).

3. Zambezia (1980), Shumo, Tsumo and Socialization* H. Chimhundu Department of African Languages, University of Zimbabwe.

4. Onifade Abayomi, Philosophy in African Proverbs.

Why Shona Dialects Are Disappearing (And Why It Matters)

Shona is one of the 16 official languages of Zimbabwe—and as my mother tongue, it holds a deeply special place in my heart. Growing up speaking Shona, I’ve learned firsthand the profound beauty and complexity of this language.

But there is a hidden crisis happening right under our noses: our diverse Shona dialects are slowly disappearing. Today, approximately 75% of the Zimbabwean population speaks Shona, a prominent member of the vast Bantu language family (Mutasa, 1996).

However, the Shona taught in schools and broadcast on the news isn’t the whole story. To understand why our rich, localized ways of speaking are fading, we have to look back at history.

The Elephant in the Room: How Standardisation Almost Killed the Shona Language

Historically, the Shona language wasn’t a single, rigid block of vocabulary. It was a beautiful tapestry of interconnected dialects. So, who introduced the “Standard Shona” we see in textbooks today?

During the colonial administration (1890–1980), missionaries struggled to communicate with the local population across different regions. To make their work easier, they decided it was necessary to create a single, unified language.

To solve this “problem,” the Rhodesian administration invited South African linguist Clement Doke in the early 1930s. Perceived as the ultimate expert, Doke was tasked with standardising the spelling, word division, and grammar.

This administrative decision gave birth to Standard Shona, which rapidly became the sole official language for writing school books, newspapers, and official documents.

The Excluded Voices: Dialects Thrown Out of the Curricula

While standardisation made printing books easier, it was an enormous blunder for indigenous linguistic diversity. The policy heavily watered down the language, effectively sidelining the immense richness of traditional Shona.

By making Standard Shona the official benchmark, the system forced indigenous people to read and write a very specific version of the language.

In the process, several rich dialects and sub-dialects were excluded from formal education and official use, including:

Zezuru
Korekore
Ndau
Kalanga (historically grouped with Shona, though often recognized as distinct today)
Venda (similarly affected by regional standardisation policies)
Manyika and Karanga

Was Standardising the Shona Language a Mistake?

According to linguistic researcher Mhute (2016), standardisation under normal circumstances shouldn’t force a population to abandon more than half of their natural way of speaking. Yet, in Zimbabwe, that is exactly what happened.

The Shona people had been speaking diverse varieties that were robust enough to be considered independent languages. The new language policy forced generations of Zimbabweans “to speak in a prescribed way, in spite of whether they really speak the same language or not.”

The Domino Effect: From Language Shift to Language Death

When a nation’s official policy excludes regional dialects from schools, media, and government, a dangerous psychological shift occurs. Speakers lose the motivation to continue using their ancestral, localized ways of speaking.

If children aren’t taught their specific dialect in school, and if it isn’t viewed as “professional” or “standard,” they slowly stop using it. This lack of daily use leads directly to language shift, and eventually, the irreversible death of that particular dialect.

Instead of promoting multilingualism and preserving our heritage, the standardisation of the Shona language corrupted a once-vibrant, multi-faceted linguistic ecosystem.

Let’s Keep Our True Languages Alive

As a proud Shona speaker, I believe it is our responsibility to recognize the full spectrum of our language. By understanding the colonial history of Standard Shona, we can make a conscious effort to celebrate, speak, and pass down the unique dialects of our ancestors.

Over to you! Did you find this deep dive into Zimbabwe’s languages informative? Have you noticed the loss of your own local dialect over the years?

I would love to hear all about your personal experiences. Please leave your thoughts and questions in the comments below! Let’s keep the conversation—and our dialects—alive.

Learn More!

Echoes of the Ancestors: Unlocking the Power of Shona Proverbs