Residents revive Ndau culture

TENDAI MUSWERA IN CHIPINGE

Residents and business leaders in Chipinge this week met traditional leaders in the area to discuss ways of  reviving the Ndau culture, reducing the rampant early child marriages and gender-based violence (GBV) that has hit the town.

At least  55 traditional leaders attended the meeting held at Chipinge Primary School.

The meeting came after Chipinge was recently rated as a town with the highest rate of early child marriages and GBV.

“We should return back to our old days as Ndau people, where we have discussion groups as men and women, teaching and counselling these young children.

It was a taboo for a lady to engage into sexual activities before marriage.

Again it was an offense for a boy to propose to a lady at a tender age,” Chief Mutema said.

He added: “There was a time when the fathers and mothers would sit down and discuss marriage issues with children when they realised she or he is ripe to engage in such things.

“With the introduction of these laws that restrict parents from disciplining their children, our Ndau norms have been destroyed.

We need a relaxation of such laws and bring back the customary ways of reliving our culture.”

Simba Mwaingeni , a businessman, who sponsored the event  said: “There is hope these child marriages can stop if  we educate our people at  community level.

“It is with such a shame that we become the trophy holder for child marriages and GBV. So much has to be done. “

The Chipinge Central legislator, Raymore Machingura, who is also deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Development said: “The women we brought up as Ndau people should be seen with good deeds.

“Long back people would fight for Ndau wives because of the way they were taught the morals. There is a need for that so that we regain our prestige.”

Chipinge residents and business representatives spokesperson Amato Rungano, said  the “higher incidence of cases of GBV and child marriages in Chipinge has prompted Chipinge Business and Residents Trust to hold an engagement.

“The main objective was to capacitate traditional leaders with strategies to prevent child marriages and raise awareness on GBV and ways of curbing the incidences to a barest minimum.