Chiundura communal lands is situated approximately forty kilometers North –East of the Midlands Provincial capital city of Gweru. It is under the jurisdiction of the paramount traditional chief Gambiza of the Moyo totem. Due to many years of migrations in and out of the area, this area is now home to a variety of people of different ethnic origins namely the Karanga, Zezuru and the Ndebele speaking people. Due to its proximity to the city of Gweru, many urban dwellers have bought small pieces of land and built homes in the area, making the population mixed and the region cosmopolitan.
The Karanga speaking peoples, like the other peoples in the area have maintained their indigenous religion to a great extent. Despite modernity, advancement in science and technology and many years of Christian influence, Karanga indigenous religion has survived the turbulences paused by these western influences as it commands a good following today. Many Karanga people in the area, despite being professing Christians, see no harm in carrying out indigenous religious practices especially where the older generation of people are still in existence. Even though the younger generation is
104 outwardly Christian, inwardly they are African and governed by tradition and indigenous religious beliefs.
The Karanga speaking people are a subgroup of the Shona speaking people of Zimbabwe and are mainly found in Masvingo Province. Bourdillon (op.cit) cited in Cox (op.cit:64) notes that the Shona speaking people are part of the Bantu people who migrated from the mythical region called Guruhuswa ( meaning area of big grass); a region believed to be situated around the present day Tanzania. These migrants are believed to have arrived in the present day Zimbabwe around the second century CE ( Bourdillon, 1987:7). According to Chavhunduka (1978), there are six dialects spoken among the Shona namely Zezuru, Karanga, Korekore, Manyika, Ndau and Kalanga.
These people speak Karanga, a dialect of the Shona language and are reputed for keeping their traditions wherever they are found. Due to their conservative nature, the name ‘mukaranga’ is used proverbially to mean a conservative man or woman who takes pride in their traditional beliefs and customs despite western education and social status. The Karanga people like other Shona and African people believe in the ancestors for whom many ceremonies and rituals are held from time to time. The belief in ancestral spirits is one of the pillars of Karanga A.I.R.
The bira is one of the ceremonies held to show honour and reverence to the ancestors of the clan or extended family. The word ‘bira’ is derived from the karanga word ‘kupira’ which literary means to give, to offer or to present. The ‘bira’ is therefore a ceremony in which the living people summon their ancestors, commune with them through food and drink, while at the same time thanking them for the protection, privileges and opportunities they provide. The clan comes together once in a while and conduct a big ceremony to remember their ancestors and seek their guidance.
As part of the preparations, family elders come together and decide to have a bira to remember their ancestors. They may make this decision out of their own volition or they may make such decision after experiencing a series of calamities about which they may consult a n’anga who may diagnose the spiritual cause of their misfortune as the ancestors who are ‘thirsty’ or need to be remembered. Another indicator of the need to
105 have a bira may be a troublesome bull dedicated to one of the ancestors (Gelfand, op. cit:91) which may not spend nights in the kraal with the other cattle, or always strays and eats the crops belonging to the neighbours. These may be interpreted as signs for the need for a bira. This was the cause for the Hash family’s decision to consult an’anga and conduct a bira.
The researcher and the participants did not witness the consultation of the n’anga and the other preparations since they were done days before the actual ceremony. The information on the preparations was obtained from the eldest member of the family who acted as the director of ceremonies, the family spokesperson and our informant. In A.I.R, the eldest male member of the family or clan is by virtue of his age and seniority, a family religious practitioner who can communicate with the spirit world on behalf of the family or clan.
After the decision is made, a small amount of millet is taken, put in a wooden plate or gourd. The eldest male member of the family and other members enter the kitchen hut of the household and goes to the ‘chikuva’. Whilst kneeling and bare footed, he addresses the ancestors in their hierarchy, beginning with the latest to have joined the spiritual world (junior) up to the eldest ( most senior) who should pass the communication to the ancestors they remember by name and those they can no longer remember and ultimately the creator; Musikavanhu of their intention to conduct a bira and brew traditional beer with the millet in his hands. The following words may be said;
You, our ancestors who have gone into the spirit world before us ( mentioning the
names of the ancestors beginning with the most recently departed). We, your
children remember you and are grateful for your protection. With this millet we are preparing you beer so that you quench your thirst. We beseech you to guide us in
these preparations.
Once the address is over, those present clap hands while women ululate to show honour and joy. The millet is then mixed with the rest of the millet that will be used to prepare beer, soaked in water until it begins to germinate. It is then placed in the sun to dry.
106 Once dry it is ground on the traditional grinding stone (guyo). Beer that is dedicated to the ancestors is brewed with millet only; ground on the grinding stone and is stored in two separate pots. The rest of the beer can be made from millet and mealie meal.
The beer is brewed by old women who are past child bearing age, no longer menstruating and who no longer have sexual intercourse with men. These women are considered ritually clean and morally upright. One of the participants drew parallels with the Jewish scriptures regarding ritual purification laws on women on their monthly cycles ( Leviticus 15:19-29). Young boys and girls who have not had sexual intercourse are allowed to assist with the preparation of the beer. If prohibited persons get into contact with the beer, the utensils used for its preparation or even touch the fire hood in the fire place, the beer gets spoiled and the function will not achieve the desired goal. The beer is therefore jealously guarded from those who may deliberately want to spoil it until it is handed to the master of ceremonies.
Well before the ceremony, the researcher was informed by Hasha, one of his students that there would be a bira at their home. He visited the home with the student who introduced the researcher and explained the purpose of the visit. The fact that the researcher was known to the student and was accompanied by the student assisted in the granting of the request to bring some students on the day of the bira to learn about the traditional ceremony. Howard et al (op. cit.) notes that the researcher should have and use interpersonal skills to negotiate with gatekeepers who have the prerogative to allow or deny entry to a research site. The researcher paid some money as a token of appreciation.