Myths and Rituals: The Adaptation and Adoption of Karanga Religiosity in the Zion Christian Church of Samuel Mutendi in Zimbabwe

By Vengesai Chimininge

Myths and rituals in Zion Christian Church (ZCC) of Samuel Mutendi in Zimbabwe is a book that comes as a result of my thesis from the University of South Africa (UNISA). The two religious phenomena, myths and rituals, are presented in the light of the Zionists’ own testimonies. It is argued in this book that a lot of beliefs and practices in the ZCC are adapted and adopted from Karanga religiosity and lifestyle. The book explained the critical role played by myths and rituals in the origins and development of the ZCC of Samuel Mutendi in Zimbabwe. As we read throughout this book, we are going to see that myths and rituals are treated as two sides of the same coin in the ZCC worldview. The relationship between the two is thus inseparable. Among the members of ZCC, myths and rituals grow pari passu, that is, at the same time. In this case, we can see that in the ZCC ecclesiastical worldview, myths and rituals are of equal importance, not only in theory but also in practice. Indeed, they act as nectar that attracts a lot of people to join the ZCC since the two have a therapeutic value.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Aug 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728391809

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© 2019 Vengesai Chimininge. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/08/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9181-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9180-9 (e)

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DEDICATION

To my late parents Esinah and Dingilizwe and all the Zionist Churches in Zimbabwe.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, I would like to thank UNISA Financial Bureau and its staff for paying my tuition during my study at UNISA. Secondly, I would like to thank my promoter Professor Gerrie Lubbe for making it possible for me to complete this work. He gave all the support and courage that I needed during the course. Many thanks also go to Professor Tabona Shoko who agreed to proof-read the final draft of this book.

For the successful completion of my field work, I am indebted to all members of the Zion Christian Church of Samuel Mutendi who graciously gave their time to tell me about the history of their church and their way of worship. There are of course also others who in different ways have been involved in discussions, I am grateful for the advice and assistance I have received. I wish to thank in particular the following ZCC ministers: Pasipamire Masvingo Urban, Chabwinja Harare West, Misias Hadzikamwi Chivi South, Magwati Chivi North, Kamutiti Chiredzi North, Chabata Bikita Central, Sydney Mudengezerwa Defe Dopota Shrine, and Mazonde of Gokwe North District. These ministers gave me permission to participate in their church services as well as allow me to carry out interviews with their laymen. I also wish to express my gratitude to Minister Mazonde who gave me an unpublished booklet entitled: Rungano RweZion Christian Church in Rhodesia which assisted me to get primary information on how the ZCC emerged and developed. His assistance proved invaluable.

Finally, an accolade goes to His Grace, Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi who, for so long a time, wished to see a historical book about his church.

CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgements

List of Tables

Glossary/Meanings of Chishona Words

Foreword

Abbreviations

Chapter 1   Background Contexts of Myths and Rituals

Introduction

Zion Christian Church of Samuel Mutendi

Context of the Book

Geographical Setting of Story

Chapter 2   Myths, Rituals and Religion in Society

Introduction

Meaning of Myth and Ritual

The Nature and Thrust of African Christianity

Conclusion

Chapter 3   The Historical Background of the Karanga People

Introduction

History of the Karanga

Origins of the Karanga People

The Migration Theory

The Conquest-Displacement Theory

The Lifestyle of the Karanga People: Past and Present

Karanga family life

Importance of Totems Mong the Karanga People

Marriage Among the Karanga People

Education

Political Organisation

Means of Production

Funerals

Phenomenological Interpretation of the Origins and Lifestyle

Conclusion

Chapter 4   The Karanga Traditional Religion: Past and Present

Introduction

Nature of Religion

Numinological Beliefs

The Concept of God

Belief in Ancestral Spirits

Qualifications for one to become an ancestor

Role of ancestors

Belief in Alien Spirits

Avenging Spirit(S)

Anthropological Beliefs

Witchcraft Beliefs

Belief in Traditional Healers

Role of the Chief and Headman

Cosmological Beliefs

Mudzanapabwe Myth

The Mwedzi Myth

The Guruuswa Myth

Traditional Rituals

Rain-making ritual

Witch hunting ritual

The Attitude of European Missionaries Toward the Karanga Religion

Historical Background of Missionaries in Zimbabwe

The Dutch and Roman Theologies

Missionaries Attitudes Towards the Shona Supreme Being

Missionary Attitudes to Ancestor Spirits

Missionary Attitudes to Witchcraft and Traditional Healers

Missionary Attitudes to Moral Values

Missionary Attitudes to Marriages

Missionary Attitude to Rain-Making Rituals

A Phenomenological Interpretation of Missionary Attitudes

Conclusion

Chapter 5   History of the Zion Christian Church of Samuel Mutendi in Zimbabwe from 1913-2012

Introduction

Historical Background of Zionism

Samuel Mutendi and Zion Christian Church

Family Background

His Genealogy

Birth and Early Life

Call to Profession

Establishment of ZCC in Zimbabwe

Imprisonment of Mutendi

Journey to Harare

Journey from Harare

Persecutions of Zionists

Journey to Transvaal

Chaos in the Church

The Miracle of Rain

Healing of the Sick

Opening of the Church

Establishment of the Church in Gokwe

The Death of Mutendi

Succession Disputes

Ordination of Nehemiah Mutendi

ZCC Under the Leadership of Nehemiah Mutendi

Zion Christian Church Achievements

Leadership in the Zion Christian Church (ZCC)

Conclusion

Chapter 6   Myths and Rituals in the Zion Christian Church

Introduction

Myths Shared in the ZCC

Myths About the Birth of Samuel Mutendi

Myths About the Call of Samuel Mutendi

Rainmaking Myth

Mythical Dimension of the Healing Rituals

Nyeredzi Myth Associated With the Sacrificial Ritual

Rituals Practised in the ZCC

Rainmaking Ritual

The Ritual Preparation

The Course of the Ritual

Blessing of Seeds

Closure of the Ritual

Healing Rituals

Diagnosis of Ailments

Treatment

Treatment of unknown diseases

Treatment of serious ailments

Exorcism of the Avenging Spirit

Ritual Preparation

The Course of the Ritual

Ritual of Sacrifice

Preparation of Ritual

Ritual Process

Closure of the Ritual

Conclusion

Chapter 7   The Adaptation and Adoption of Karanga Myths and Rituals in the Zion Christian Church

Introduction

The Relationship Between Myth and Ritual

Analysis of Myths in the ZCC

Myth About the Birth of Samuel Mutendi

Myth About the Call of Samuel Mutendi

Myth Associated With Rainmaking

Myth Associated With Healing

Myth Associated With Sacrifice

Analysis of Popular Rituals in the ZCC

Agricultural Rituals

Phenomenological Analysis of Healing Ritual

A Phenomenological Analysis of the Sacrificial Ritual

The Centrality of Samuel Mutendi in the Myths and Rituals in the ZCC

Conclusion

Chapter 8   General Conclusion

Introduction

Concluding Remarks

Myths, Rituals and African Christianity: The Way Forward

Bibliography

Primary Sources

About The Author

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Types and Function of Alien Spirits

Table 2: the ZCC Schools in Zimbabwe

GLOSSARY/MEANINGS OF CHISHONA WORDS

FOREWORD

Myths and rituals in Zion Christian Church (ZCC) of Samuel Mutendi in Zimbabwe is a book that comes as a result of my thesis from the University of South Africa (UNISA). The two religious phenomena, myths and rituals, are presented in the light of the Zionists’ own testimonies. It is argued in this book that a lot of beliefs and practices in the ZCC are adapted and adopted from Karanga religiosity and lifestyle. The book explained the critical role played by myths and rituals in the origins and development of the ZCC of Samuel Mutendi in Zimbabwe. As we read throughout this book, we are going to see that myths and rituals are treated as two sides of the same coin in the ZCC worldview. The relationship between the two is thus inseparable. Among the members of ZCC, myths and rituals grow pari passu, that is, at the same time. In this case, we can see that in the ZCC ecclesiastical worldview, myths and rituals are of equal importance, not only in theory but also in practice. Indeed, they act as nectar that attracts a lot of people to join the ZCC since the two have a therapeutic value. It has also been discovered that myths recited and rituals practised in the ZCC are all oriented towards the upkeep of health and well-being of its members. This is so because, whenever health and well-being are threatened, the ZCC members consult the ‘man of God’ or a prophet to ensure that they are able to continue with their meaningful life. This is done by performing various healing rituals, depending on the nature of the problem, as shown in this book. This is a clear indication that healing forms a vital component in the beliefs and practices of the ZCC. The emphasis on healing, rainmaking and sacrificial rites are so evident in Karanga traditional beliefs and practices and have been adopted by the ZCC to fit into its Christian concepts and practices. Adaptability is therefore a striking feature of the Zionist movement in Zimbabwe in which most believers have added their Karanga traditional culture and religion to their Christianity. It is clear from this conclusion that this book represents an important addition to field work done in Christianity in Africa. It also shows that the Karanga traditional beliefs and practices persist in their own right in the ZCC cosmological, anthropological and numinological beliefs; and this is complemented by Western approaches to Christianity. More broadly, the ZCC in contemporary Africa is shown by this book to be a dynamic force influencing as well as being influenced by political, social, economic and historical factors. The book also explains the ZCC theology which is centred on the founder leader – Bishop Samuel Mutendi who they regard as the God sent mediator. The Bishop occupies the position equal to that of the chief among the Karanga. He is considered to be a very important person since he deals with all human affairs in this world. This is why in ZCC ecclesiastical worldview the ‘Bishop’ is regarded as Vashe (King). Overall, the book makes an effective contribution to the study of myths and rituals, AICs and the ZCC. It offers new perspectives on the phenomena and contributes towards theory formation in the study of religion in Africa. This book is a compilation of seven chapters. Chapter one provides the theoretical foundation of the entire study.

It should be noted that the ZCC of Samuel Mutendi did not emerge in a vacuum. It originates in the Karanga religious and cultural milieu of Masvingo Province. The Karanga culture is thus the bedrock upon which the ZCC religious beliefs and practices rest.

This being the case, Chapter 2 outlines the history and lifestyles of the Karanga before the advent of Christianity while Chapter 3 examines the major beliefs and practices of the Karanga people as expressed in their myths and rituals.

Masvingo Province is well known for different movements of the Zionists as compared to other branches of AICs in other provinces of Zimbabwe. Chapter 3 examines why this brand of AIC (Zionist) emerged in the Karangaland. The encounter between the Karanga people of Masvingo and the European missionaries is presented in this chapter. Chapter 3 reveals that the Karanga traditional religion is revered by the ZCC; therefore, it is an abomination to discard it completely. For the Karanga people, the traditional beliefs and practices of a people should be practised side by side with Christianity, thus giving us a new brand of Christianity in action.

The focus of Chapter 4 is to outline and describe the origins and developments of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) of Samuel Mutendi in Zimbabwe from its inception up to the present 21st century. The historiography of the ZCC from 1913 -2012 is thus captured in this chapter. This chapter reveals various myths that embellish the ZCC religious history.

Chapter 5 presents myths and rituals associated with the origins and development of the ZCC of Samuel Mutendi. Since there are so many myths shared and rituals practised in the ZCC, this book presents those myths and rituals that are fundamental to the ZCC. Of particular importance are the myths and rituals associated with the birth, call and death of Samuel Mutendi; rainmaking, healing and sacrifice.

Chapter 6 is an analysis of myths and rituals shared and practised in the ZCC of Samuel Mutendi. Central to this chapter is showing the contributions played by myths and rituals in the origins and expansion of the ZCC of Samuel Mutendi.

Chapter 7 explained how the Zion Christian Church adapted and adopted Karanga myths and rituals

Chapter 8 is the overall conclusion of the book which summarises and gives some recommendations and suggests the way forward.

ABBREVIATIONS

CHAPTER 1

Background Contexts of Myths and Rituals

INTRODUCTION

Myths and rituals are some of the salient features of a living religion in any given society. When society is affected by natural disasters like drought, floods, pestilence and diseases narrating myths and performing rituals are ways of trying to find solutions to human problems. Shoko (1993:34), noted that:

The majority of Africans are anthropocentric in nature, and their underlying conviction is that, life should be experienced in its totality as replete with health and well-being and when some of these factors undermine it, serious efforts must be undertaken to deal decisively with the threat and restore the condition of well- being.

From the above explanation we can deduce that both man-made and natural disasters find expression in people’s belief systems and practices. In most cases, their faith is expressed through myths and rituals. This being the case, it is probably the effects of the shared myths and the aspects of healing through participation in various rituals where the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) adherents find comfort in their religion and the church’s upliftment projects. In this book, we explore various myths for instance, agricultural myth, Mutendi’s birth and how he received the divine call. In addition, the book also explores the Mapumhangozi myth associated with healing, and the Nyeredzi myth associated with Mutendi’s death and resurrection in order to see how these myths are used to attract a large number of people to join that church. We then further describe the healing, agricultural and sacrificial rituals in the ZCC and assess their effect on recruiting congregants to this movement.

Daneel (1971) maintains that since the end of the twentieth century, there has been a rapid growth in the membership of African Independent Churches (AICs). This observation is based on Barrett’s (1968:50) findings that there were [then] more than six thousands of these churches with a total membership approximating seven million found in more than two hundred and seventy five tribes. Barrett (1968) estimates that the entire movement was growing at a rate of approximately 3 to 4 thousand adherents per year. On the same note, a Mozambican Roman Catholic Bishop based in Chimoio, Father Matola (1994:6) submits that, The number of indigenous congregations in Africa has been increasing day by day … This proves incontestably that the African is no less suitable for the religious life than from any other culture. As a remedy to why people in Africa are running away from the mainstream churches to AICs, Matola (1994:6) suggests that:

Priests and other Pastoral Workers should conduct