Bandla, ngibuye njalo ngenye ingxoxo. Indaba ile;


First European colonialism in the 18th century and then Shona language and cultural imperialism today, Mthwakazi/Matebeleland has been under constant assault in attempts to annihilate Mthwakazi and her peoples.
Militarism and language/cultural imperialism have been the two central policy planks employed in the assault against Mthwakazi.Think Cecil Rhodes and his forces then Robert Mugabe and Gukurawundi.
It must be noted that in both these situations, Cecil Rhodes and Robert Mgabe did not operate in a vacuum - they had the total backing of their people, whites and amaShona.

Apart from the urgent need to find a common cause and rally behind it, what can/should Mthwakazians do to defend themselves against this onslaught? While political programmes such as federalism and secession require that we first seize total control of the political space in Mthwakazi before implementing our policies - a scenario that is very remote, if not entirely impossible as things stand - what about 'non-political'or civic programmes in areas where we seem to have a certain measure of control?

Lapha I'm thinking of local government - think city/rural councils etc.Are our civic leaders in a position to reverse gains made by Shona imperialists in Mthwakazi?
A simple, Mthwakazi-wide civic programme of reclaiming our land, using traditional names is the best weapon at our disposal okwamanje. Shona language and cultural imperialist ambitions were made plain and clear when Zanu changed Bulawayo street names from English to Shona.We must reverse all of this by adopting Mthwakazi geographical points and people names to not only preserve them but most importantly, entrench/strengthen a tribal/cultural connection with them.

Every hill, mountain, river, street, village, town, city residential area must carry a Mthwakazi (Venda, Tonga, Ndebele, Sotho, Zulu, etc )name njengoba silabo Mzilikazi 'township' etc. All English and Shona names must be removed - that we have streets called 'Takawira', 'Jiri' or residential areas called 'Hillside', 'Selbourne Park' etc is a travesty. Are we being party to our own destruction?

Remember ukuthi Mthwakazi names and places are descriptive, they remind us of past legends and things that happened there. Are we to let go of all that history and heritage?Our land has been besmirched with foreign history. Our current and future civic leaders must be made to realise how much power they hold in the fight against Shona language and cultural imperialism. We need forward-thinking civic leaders who will take pride in our history and heritage.

I propose that all our city/rural councils create a 'Culture Directorate' in their ranks. This Directorate would liase with Mthwakazian Historians and researchers whenever a new building, residential area, road, street is erected and advise on the naming process. Mthwakazi, liyizwa kanjani lendaba?

Ibambeni, lingay'yeki. Sebenza!!

BAfowethu.

Yizo indaba engizizwisisayo lezi. Naming buildings and roads will preserve our history for all posterity.

Li Zwangendaba.

Ever wondered what Francistown would be like if it was called with its traditional name, Nyangagwe?

Bandla, ngibuye njalo ngalolu daba.

Ibambeni, lingay'yeki. Sebenza!!

I just love the name ye Mhlahlandlela Govt. Complex ekhaya! That is what it ought to be throughout!

Our language and history is so rich and great. We will never run out of names. Laba abazinika amagama abo kwethu kuzamele siwasuse!

One way of reclaiming Bulawayo would be to rename the streets accordingly, with names of heroes who truely represent Bulawayo.

Please submit suggestions.

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Once Mugabe and his mob were convinced that Nkomo and the Ndebele (Mthwakazi) were finished, they moved fast to complete the humiliation and to seal their stamp of conquest on Mthwakazi’s own capital, Bulawayo. They hurriedly renamed prominent streets in Bulawayo after those persons who Nkomo would have been most pained or miffed by. Selbourne Avenue became Leopold Takawira Avenue, Grey Street became Robert Mugabe Way and Rhodes Street became Herbert Chitepo Street. As expected, none was named after Nkomo, even as Nkomo remains the colossus of Zimbabwe’s anti-colonial struggle. UMR

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KANTI KWENZAKALANI LAPHA MADODA,LIYABONANJE UKUTHI UBULAWAYO BAYAMTHATHA KANCANEKANCANE,I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY EVEN CHANGED THE FAMOUS SELBONE(SOLOBHONI)KAYINGAVUNYELWA LENTO.

Quote:

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Dozens of white residents in Lydenburg - and one black person - rallied to keep the name given to the town by Dutch settlers in the 19th century. The black mayor, Clara Ndlovu, recently announced that it would change to Mashishing, the name of a nearby black township which means "wind blowing through the grass".

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Whites protest at African name changes


Ibambe, ungay'yeki. Sebenza!

Bafowethu.

Mina ngicela ukuthi:
1. ama Avenues siwanikeze amaqhawe kwezomdabuka losiko kanye lenkolo zonke ezitholakala ku Mthwakazi NGAPHANDLE KWE GUTA-RAMARI, hk hk hk "osutha esentshontshe imali".
2. ama Streets anikezwe amaqhawe kweze politics, empini, kuScience and arts njalo njalo.

Ngumbono zihlobo lingangithwaleli intonga abanye. Nxa sifuna ukuguqula izinto, singasikizi.

Li Zwangendaba.