By Talent Gondo| Former first lady Grace Mugabe’s ex husband, Stanley Goreraza has called on Zimbabweans to stop attacking MDC Alliance President, Nelson Chamisa over the joke he made in UK that he will give his 18 year old sister to President Emmerson Mnangagwa if he wins the forthcoming polls arguing that the statement is a normal cultural joke which should be appreciated by those privy to Zimbabwean culture.
Goreraza said there is nothing sinister or degrading about the joke especially in the Zimbabwean context considering that in our Shona culture, there is “chiramu”.
“This is who we are and how we have been for a thousand years,” he said.
“We grew up doing it …..and it is done with much love and respect but it solidifies family bonds,” he said.
He said the cliche was being blown out of context by especially those who had acquired European education and had adopted western cultures.
“I will give you (Chamisa) my daughter if you win so that you can accord me the befitting respect,” said Goreraza.
Below is the full text of Goreraza’s statement on facebook:
I too have said exactly what was said by Nelson Chamisa, many times. We grew up with our mothers and fathers, Uncles and Aunts making the very same jokes.
Tine chiramu pachivanhu. Tinoti minin’ina wemukadzi mukadzi wako (meaning your wife’s young sister is your wife). Mwanasikana watsano mukadzi wako (your brother in law’s daughter is your wife). Tinoti mwanasikana we hanzvadzi mudzimai kunyangwe kari kacheche (we say your sister’s daughter even when she is still a day old is your wife). Ini ndinoti atezvara kune mwanakomana wangu (I call my son my father in law), and I will marry his daughter.
My brothers son is not my nephew but my son. My brothers daughter is not my niece but my daughter.
That is who we are. We have been making these jokes for thousands of years. Vamwe vedu tobva tada kutorera chirungu pamsoro (some of us despite being African want to adopt the culture of whites). Isu vamwe hatisi varungu (some of us are not whites).
Jokingly, my sister offers me her daughters to marry if I respect her by kuvawombera saambuya. She will ask me how much I’m offering her for her daughters, how many Cows will I give her as part of Lobola. My sisters daughter will tell me she doesn’t love me anymore and is divorcing me because I haven’t been in contact with her for too long.
This is who we are and how we have been for thousands of years. It is all done with much love and respect and solidifies family bonds. White people have their own culture and we have ours.
Nelson Chamisa was simply being Zimbabwean and doing what we have been doing for thousands of years. Mnangagwa anobva atoti vatezvare kuna Chamisa, otowombera (Mnangagwa will call Chamisa father in law and he will respect him accordingly). Nelson Chamisa’s sister can visit Mnangagwas wife and tells her I have come to take my husband, meaning Mnangagwa. Auxillia Mnangagwa will respond by saying “manje nhasi panorwiwa pano amainini” as she pours Nelson’s sister some tea and they spend the whole day together, laughing.
That is how our ancestors strengthened family bonds and built husahwira (friendships)which turned into family.
Vamwe vanobva vano dzidza ku varungu vobva vatoti it’s abuse (those who are not privy to our culture and who learn the European way of doing things will describe this as abuse).
There is so much about us and our culture that white people will never understand. Things like roora, ngozi, kurova guva and many other things.
In Zimbabwe, a man cannot pay lobola for another man. But in Australia a man can get on his knees and ask another man to marry him. We find the practice abominable, it has never been part of who we are.
We should not be made to change who we are to become who we are not. Yes, there are wrong things like giving away a girl child to pay off ngozi, but that is easily sorted out by paying cattle instead of an innocent girl.
Don’t be made to hate who you are and where you came from.
Va Chamisa, ini ndichakupaiwo mwana wangu musikana kana mukawhina monyatsondi wombera zvakanaka (Chamisa, I will also give you my daughter if you win then you will accord me the befitting respect).