Shona people

Shona and Shona is the name for a group of people. There are some tribes in southern Africa in the area of the present state of Zimbabwe, especially in the north and east of the country. They consist of the six major nations of the Kore Kore, Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika, Ndau and Rozvi and many other micro - strains. The term was in the 19th century, originally a derogatory term for those who did not belong to the Ndebele tribe.

The language of the Shona is also called Shona, it is counted among the Bantu languages. The Shona in Zimbabwe provide the majority of the population. In Zimbabwe and Mozambique together about nine million Shona live. Supreme God of the traditional Shona religion is rapt to heaven Mwari. To get in touch with him, the ancestors are invoked as a mediator in Bira ritual.

One of the basic principles of the Shona religion is held for real communication with the other world by spirits, which are housed in a medium that can pass on their "voice". There are many spirits which are assigned specific tasks. Some bring rain; the ancestral spirits vadzimu provide protection for individuals and communities and demand that traditional values ​​are strictly observed. Another category are those derived from long-dead strangers Mashawe ghosts that wander restless until they settle in a person who becomes ill then. In contrast, the person must occasionally with the help of a healer ( Nganga ) perform a Mashawe also called obsession ritual.

In addition, the term developed since the mid-20th century to become synonymous with Shona sculptures belonging to an important part of contemporary African art because of their sculptural quality. The Mbende - Jerusarema dance of the people of Zezuru - Shona, a polyrhythmic music with acrobatic dance was recorded in 2005 in the UNESCO list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity and is since 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of mankind.