Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has an interesting variety of customs. Humility is an esteemed attribute. Zimbabweans are usually optimistic, courteous and friendly. They are more open among friends than with strangers. Zimbabweans are sensitive to racism and discrimination because of many years of colonial subjugation.

A handshake is commonly used in greeting. A person claps hands when asking how things are. Traditionally, to pass a stranger without any word of greeting is considered bad manners, but this in no longer true in cities. Titles are not commonly used, except in urban areas where English customs are often used.

Direct eye contact during conversation is considered rude, principally in rural areas, because it shows a lack of respect. Traditionally, an item is given and accepted with both hands. A person may clap the hands as a gesture of gratitude.

Unannounced visits are common. It is impolite to refuse refreshments or offers of food. Small practical gifts for both urban and rural families are appreciated but not customarily expected. Zimbabweans are hospitable and try to make their guests comfortable. Patience and politeness are important in conversation.

Generally speaking, Zimbabweans wear Western-style clothing. Traditional African dress is reserved for performing or for special occasions, but fashions from other African countries are becoming more popular. Dressing neatly in clean clothes is important. It is not uncommon for a woman to wear a scarf on her head.

Sadza, a stiff porridge made from maize (cornmeal), is the staple food of most Zimbabweans and is served at nearly every meal. Tea is popular with meals and in the office.

While many people use Western utensils, it is also common to eat with the fingers in rural areas. Regardless of what is used, water is first provided for washing hands. When guests are invited, the hostess usually serves each plate, and it is polite to leave a little food behind to show one is not greedy. When finished eating, a person asks permission of the others to leave the table. Breakfast is eaten before one goes to or begins daily work, and the main meal is eaten after work. Lunch is usually light.

Sadza, a stiff porridge made from maize (cornmeal), is the staple food of most Zimbabweans and is served at nearly every meal. Tea is popular with meals and in the office.

The father in Zimbabwe is usually the leader of the family, but the mother also exercises influence in the home. The father expects to make all final decisions and to support his family (including children, wives, and any mistresses). Polygamy is still common among some groups. The traditional, extended family unit is strongly evident in rural areas, with more than one generation living together.

Urban families, however, tend to be more nuclear. Still, family ties are strong and important. A child is an investment; parents take care of their children and expect to be taken care of in their old age. The concept of nursing homes is highly offensive. The elderly are considered a family treasure and there is always room for them.

Public affection, while not widespread, is not uncommon. Young people usually choose their marriage partner. When a couple is ready to marry, customary visits and gifts are exchanged between the groom's family and the bride's family. A bridal token, known as a "roora" is paid to the parents of the bride. It is not uncommon for men to engage in extramarital affairs with the knowledge of their wives. This culturally accepted practice is considered necessary by men to prove virility.

Soccer is the most popular sport. Other sports include track and field, cricket, rugby, wrestling, and horse racing.

Children attending school in remote areas in Zimbabwe have many tasks lined up for them. The typical day begins as early as 5:00 a.m. when kids wake up. The first thing to be done is to fetch water and fill up all the containers, about 60 liters per household. This is followed by household chores including cleaning the yard and house, washing, cooking, and chopping firewood for use during the day. The other duties to be done will include gardening, milking the cows and/or working in the fields depending on the season. All this is done before 6 a.m. The children bathe if there is time. If the family is fortunate, the child may have breakfast, usually roasted maize or mealie-meal porridge. However, most children go to school with an empty stomach because if they prepare breakfast, they will not make it to school before 7 a.m. when classes begin. In the morning, kids greet elders or one another in indigenous language saying Mamuka sei or livuke njani which means good morning. In the evening it will be maswera sei or litshone njani which means good evening. As for the teachers, the children greet them in English saying good morning, good afternoon or good evening depending on the time. The kids are also caretakers or grounds men of the school since the school cannot afford to pay another employee.

Most children tend to go to school on foot. Because of the limited number of schools, some kids walk long distances ranging from 5km to 15km. In rural areas most parents cannot afford to buy bicycles for kids to use and usually there are no vehicles at all and the roads are poor.

An average primary level school in is approximately 41 years old. Students typically enrolled in each classroom ranges from 30 to 40 children though sometimes it can be higher. Classrooms are equipped with tables, benches or chairs, and a few textbooks. Each classroom has long tables that may accommodate 8 to 10 students depending on the student density. Zimbabwe’s public education system reform become worse in recent years and the government was forced to further cut costs. This resulted in general shortage of books, science equipment and other essential learning facilities. Additionally, there are no computer or audio visual equipment in some schools.

The academic year in Zimbabwe runs from January to December, with three, three month terms broken up by a month inbetween each term. About 40 weeks of school per year. The first meal of their day for many students is eaten at 10:30 a.m. when classes break for 30 minutes. This will be food from home which includes roasted or cooked maize, sadza (home made bread), peanuts, maheu (quick brew). The schools do not provide any meals unless it is donor funded. At 11:00 a.m. students go back to classes. Classes break again for lunch which is an hour long at 1:00 p.m. Kids usually eat the same food for lunch. For donor funded food, students will be given sadza and beans or maheu. The kids who live close to school go home for lunch and have to be back at school at 2 p.m. when classes resume for afternoon session which is 2 hours long. At 4 p.m. the kids return home. The children do not speak English as the primary language at home. The reason is that parents or guardians at home are used to indigenous languages which are Shona and Ndebele. Schools give available textbooks to students to help them learn English. The subjects taught in primary schools are Mathematics, English, Shona and Ndebele (indigenous languages), social studies, environmental science and religious Education (mainly based on Christianity). Less than 70% of children move on to secondary education. Secondary education starts in form 1 (grade 8) and parents have options to send their children to private or public government schools, boarding or day. All boarding schools are usually very expensive, so the majority of students go to day secondary schools because they are the cheapest. If a student breaks a school rule, the disciplinary measures taken are very stiff. One of the measures is canning using sticks, usually on the back. Other measures include punishment which varies from cleaning classes and grounds; fetching water or moulding bricks depending on the broken rule. The headmaster is the controller of the school and has power over anyone at school. He can actually make his own decision without consulting other staff members. However in urban schools the authority will be limited due to the involvement of learned school development association members. Most teachers operate by taking orders from the headmaster who in most cases operates as a kind of dictatorship. The children are supposed to wear uniforms, but many times they do not. Parents have trouble paying fees ranging from US $5 to US $20 so they find it difficult to buy uniforms. Children end up wearing any kind of clothes at school.

Children return home directly from school. This is because of the distances they have to walk and the tasks that will be waiting for them at home. If there is an extra-curricular activity for children at school, it is usually done between 2:00 p.m. and 4 p.m. on selected days at school. The most common and popular activities are drama, sport (soccer, netball, athletics) and other clubs including quiz. These sports are played by children at an early age and so at first it will be unorganized. The games that children in Zimbabwe play are traditional games. During weekends, the children will be involved in household, family activities, looking after live stock. In remote areas there is no electricity so people will have nothing to do but go to sleep as early as 7 p.m. Some families have solar panels so children will be listening to the radio and/or watching TV. They  will not listen for long as they have to retire to bed early to prepare for the next day.

On arrival from school Zimbabwe children remove their uniforms or school clothes and fold them nicely for the school next day. Evening duties will include fetching water, cooking supper, cleaning the floor and utensils. This is done so fast during the week because most kids will not have time to do it. After supper the kids go to bed to rest for the day. The water is fetched from community taps or boreholes nearby since it’s the only available safe water. Some walk 1 to 3 km to get to the water source. The usual meal for supper will be sadza and vegetables (black jack, covo, cabbage, etc.) beans, beef, kapenta or milk.