Achievement & Equality Team

Information on Zimbabwe and the chiShona (Shona) language

Lift high the banner, the flag of Zimbabwe

The symbol of freedom proclaiming victory

We praise our heroes’ sacrifice

And vow to keep our land from foes

And may the Almighty protect and bless our land

National Anthem of Zimbabwe

ZIMBABWE AT A GLANCE

Location – Southern Africa

Neighbours – Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa

Size – 150,872 square miles

Population– 13,481,000 (73rd)

Life Expectancy – Male / Female 44/43

Capital city – Harare

Potted History

The Mutapa empire rose in the 11th Century flourishing through gold trading before Portuguese settlers sparked a series of wars that brought down the empire. Ndebele invaders conquered the Shona majority and forced them north. Cecil Rhodes’s British South Africa Company took control of the territory in the 1880’s and renamed it Southern Rhodesia. The white minority’s refusal to accept majority rule as a condition of independence lead to a unilateral declaration of independence in 1965. This sparked a 15-year civil war that ended with a peace settlement bringing Robert Mugabe to power.

Political pressure points

The ruling elite is deeply resistant to relinquishing power. Mugabe was able to win last year’s presidential election only through a bloody campaign of intimidation. Widespread food shortages after the seizure of white-owned farms, hyperinflation and the collapse of the country’s infrastructure have forced Mugabe into a powersharing agreement with Morgan Tsvangirai

Population mix

African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 4%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%

Religious makeup

Christian 70%, Muslim 1%, Indigenous beliefs are widely followed and often combined with Christianity.

Main languages

English, ChiShona, SiNdebele

National icons

Charles Mungoshi (writer), Vusi Sibanda (cricket), Dr. Jacob Wilson Chikuhwa (author) Tsitsi Dangarembga(author and filmmaker) John Eppel (novelist, poet, short story writer), Chenjerai Hove(poet, novelist and essayist), Solomon Mangwiro Mutswairo(novelist and poet) Charles Tonderai Mudede(writer and culture critic), Chirikure Chirikure(poet, songwriter, and writer), Dambudzo Marechera(novelist and poet), Musaemura Bonas Zimunya(writer).

Website

The Nottinghamshire Context

Due to the recent unrest in Zimbabwe, families have been arriving in Nottinghamshire to flee persecution. The majority of these families claim asylum and face uncertain times while they are here. There will be a number of agencies involved with these families and schools are encouraged to attend the multi-agency meetings.

There are a small but significant number of young people who come to the UK without their parents. This again can impact on their lives due to a limited level of English language, separation from family members and friends and the traumatic experiences they may have witnessed.

Education in Zimbabwe

  • Schooling in Zimbabwe is modelled on the English education system.
  • The language of instruction in state Primary Schools is English and a local language, usually Shona or Ndebele.
  • There are a number of independent schools for the wealthy, but most children attend state schools.
  • Education is compulsory for seven years, from the age of 5 to 12.
  • Primary education lasts for seven years, after which pupils sit the Grade 7 Certificate Examination.
  • Secondary education is in two phases.
  • LowerSecondary school lasts for four years and students study about eight subjects.
  • At the end of grade 4 they take O levels, which are comparable to GCSEs.
  • Students can progress to UpperSecondary School and study A levels.
  • The literacy rate is 94 per cent for men and 87 per cent for women.

Information about the Shona Language

Shona (or ChiShona) is a native language of Zimbabwe and southern Zambia; the term is also used to identify those Bantu-language speaking peoples in Southern Africa who speak one of the Shona language dialects, namely Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika, Ndau and Korekore. The word "Shona" is derived from the Ndebele word itshonalanga ("where the sun set").

Shona is an official language of Zimbabwe, along with Ndebele and English. Numbering about 6,225,000 (SIL 1989), Shona speakers comprise more than 80% of Zimbabwe's population. Shona is also spoken by a substantial number of residents of Mozambique. Other countries that host Shona language speakers are Zambia and Botswana. The total number of Shona speakers is at least 7,000,000 (UBS 1990).

Shona is a written language with an orthography and grammar that was codified during the early 20th century and fixed in the 1950s. The first novel in Shona, Solomon Mutswairo's Feso, was published in 1957. It is taught in the schools but is not the general medium of instruction in other subjects. It has a literature and is described through monolingual and bilingual dictionaries (chiefly Shona - English). Modern Shona is based on the dialect spoken by the Karanga people of MasvingoProvince, the region around Great Zimbabwe, and the Zezuru people of central and northern Zimbabwe. However, all Shona dialects are officially considered to be of equal significance and are taught in local schools.

Shona is a member of the large family of Bantu languages. In Guthrie's zonal classification of Bantu languages, zone S10 designates a dialect continuum of closely related varieties, including Shona proper, Manyika, Nambya, and Ndau, spoken in Zimbabwe and central Mozambique; Tawara and Tewe, found in Mozambique; and Ikalanga of Botswana.

Shona has five vowels: a, e, i, o, u and has a rich consonant inventory, which features "whistling sounds" transcribed as "zv" (possibly one of the most frequent; e.g. zvakanaka, very well), "dzv", "sv" and "tsv" . It is a tonal language, though tone is not represented in spelling.

Useful words and phrases in chiShona (Shona)

English / chiShona (Shona)
Welcome / Mauya
Hello / Mhoro (sg) Mhoroi (pl)
How are you?
I'm fine, thanks. And you? / Wakadini zvako? (sg) Makadini zvenyu? (pl)
Ndiripo
Long time no see / Ko, vemakore!
What's your name?
My name is ... / Unonzani? (sg) Munonzani? (pl)
Ndinonzi... / Zita rangu i.....
Where are you from?
I'm from ... / Unobva kupi? (sg) Munobva kupi?? (pl)
Ndinobva ku...
Pleased to meet you / Ndafara kukuziva (sg) Ndafara kukuzivai (pl)
Good morning / Mangwanani / Mangwanani, marara sei? (reply)
Good afternoon / Masikati / Masikati, maswera sei? (reply)
Good evening / Manheru / Maswera sei (reply)
Good night / Urare zvakanaka (sg) Murare Zvakanaka (pl)
Goodbye / Sara Zvakanaka (sg) Sariayi Zvakanaka (pl)
Good luck / Uve nemhanza yakanaka (sg)
Muve nemhanza yakanaka (pl)
Have a nice day / Uve nezuva rakanaka (sg) Muve nezuva rakanaka (pl)
Bon appetit / Pamusoroyi
Bon voyage / Ufambe zvakanaka (sg) Mufambe zvakanaka (pl)
I don't understand / Handisi kunyaso nzwisisa
Please speak more slowly / Ndinokumbirawo kuti musakurumidze kutaura
Please say that again / Ndinokumbirawo kuti muzvitaure futi
Please write it down / Ndinokumbirawo kuti muzvinyore pasi
Do you speak ...? / Unotaura ...? (sg) Munotaura ...? (pl)
Excuse me / Pamusoro (sg) Pamusoroyi (pl)
How much is this? / Chinoita marii?
Sorry / Ndineurombo
Thank you
Response / Waita zvako (sg) Maita zvenyu (pl)
Ndizvozvo
Where's the toilet? / Chimbuzi chiripi?
This gentleman/lady
will pay for everything / Baba ava ndivo vachabhadhara (gentleman)
Amai ava ndivo vachabhadhara (lady)
Would you like to
dance with me? / Ungande kutamba? (sg) Mungade kutamba? (pl)
I love you / Ndinokuda!
Get well soon / Ndinovimba kuti uchakurumidza kupora (sg)
Ndinovimba kuti muchakurumidza kupora (pl)
Leave me alone! / Ndisiye!!
Help!
Fire!
Stop! / Ndibatsireiwo!
Moto!
Mira!
Call the police! / Daiidzayi mapurisa!
Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year / Muve nekisimusi ne goredzva zvakanaka
One language is never enough / Rurimi rumwe haruzadzikisa mutauro
My hovercraft is full of eels / Hovercraft yangu yakazara nemikunga

Sample text in Shona

Vanhu vese vanoberekwa vakasununguka uyewo vakaenzana pahunhu nekodzero dzavo. Vanhu vese vanechipo chokufunga nekuziva chakaipa nechakanaka saka vanofanira kubatana nomweya wohusahwira.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Useful guidance is available from:

New Arrivals Excellence Programme Guidance

(2007) Ref 00650 – 2007BKT- EN

This resource is for primary and secondary schools and contains guidance on admission and developing classroom practice

A language in common: assessing English as an additional language

QCA (2000) (QCA/00/584).

This document sets out steps used in assessment of EAL, linked to English National Curriculum levels. It provides guidance and exemplifications.

Aiming High: guidance on supporting the education of asylum seeking and refugee children (DfES 0287 – 2004)

This guidance helps explain the value of an inclusive ethos and curriculum to all pupils.

Aiming High: meeting the needs of newly arrived learners of EAL

(DfES 1381 -2005)

Information on working with newly arrived isolated EAL pupils in settings that have little or no access to EAL support.

Excellence and enjoyment: learning and teaching for bilingual children in the primary years (DfES 0013 – 2006PCK- EN)

Key Stage 3 National Strategy: Access and engagement in English:teaching pupils for whom English is an additional language (DfES 0609 – 2002)

Publications/Catalogues are available from:

MUNDI Tel: 0115 8546418

Mundi

Global Education Centre

Foxhall Lodge

Foxhall Road

Nottingham

NG7 6LH

construction/Aug 2010)

Mundi loan resources to schools in Nottinghamshire free for up to half a term

e-mail:

GRANT AND CUTLERTel: 0207734 2012

55-57 Great Marlborough Street,
London'
England
W1F 7AY

Web:

A one-stop shop for foreign language resources including language-learning material, reference books, technical dictionaries, literature, history, politics etc.

MILET PUBLISHING Tel: 0207603 5477
6 North End Parade
London W14 0SJ
England

Web:

Milet publishers a wide range of bilingual picture dictionaries, including board books for use in early years settings.

TRENTHAM BOOKS LTD Tel: 01782 745567

Westview House,734 London Road,
Stoke on Trent,
UKST4 5NP Web:

Trentham publishes 'a wide range of titles plus seven professional journals, mainly in the field of education and social policy.

MANTRA LINGUA Tel: 0208 44 55 123

Global House

303 Ballards Lane

London
N12 8NP
UK

Web:

Mantra Lingua creative learning resources Audio CDs, Big Books, e-books, fun tales, folk tales, friezes, games, language learning, packs posters, story props, toys videos and so on.

Classroom Resources are available from:

The Dingle Granby Toxteth Education Action Zone website; Useful letters for parents translated into Shona available at:

DLTK's Crafts for Kids features a variety images that can be used for creating pupils own subject-specific dictionaries.

Activities for ESL Students can be adapted for EAL pupils in primary and secondary schools. Has bilingual quizzes in large number of languages, available at;

Omniglot writing systems and languages of the world available at

EMA Online resource base for teachers has been developed by Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester LAs with funding from the DfES, available at

Racist bullying, Advice designed for schools to dip in and out as appropriate for them and offers discussion topics and activities to stimulate debate and spark activity involving everyone in the school community, available at;

Teachernet states that a successful home–school relationship can be a key element in making a school stronger and more effective. In particular, it can make a real difference to groups of underachieving pupils and their families, available at;

Interactive video clips showing children teaching their home languages. Not available in all languages but constantly being updated.

Nottinghamshire Achievement & Equality Team