Customs and beliefs of some African peoples – Part 1

Living in the USA or in any highly industrialized country, we are insulated from daily, or even occasional, contact with people of significantly different cultures. Americans, whether from the Deep South or upstate New York, and whether black, white, or Hispanic, share similar customs.  We often assume simply because we do certain things in our everyday lives, other human beings do them too – even if they are people of a completely different race and culture.

Growing up in South Africa from the age of 12, I was aware of many differences between the customs and cultures of white (or European) and black (African) people.  It was only when I moved to Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) in 1967 that I became much more aware of the differences. I left behind a country where the leaders tried very hard to keep the races separate.  “Apartheid” was in full gear in South Africa in those times. Everything was segregated.  There were many occupations that blacks were not permitted to perform.  For example, you never saw black truck or bus drivers. There were no black tellers in banks or in post offices. Separate “homelands” were designated for blacks and so opportunities for that race in the major cities were limited to menial or labor-intensive jobs.

The situation and status of blacks in Rhodesia was completely different.  During my first visit to that country in 1966 I was surprised to see blacks in just about every occupation. Front desk hotel staff, bank tellers, salesmen, and mid to upper management positions in government agencies were often filled by indigenous Africans. I joined a major packaging manufacturer in 1971 and worked with very talented staff in sales, production and accounting positions. Working with these guys over the years I got to know a little bit about their traditional cultures, how they had moved to a more “westernized” culture, and some of the problems this had created for them. As much as a man may have educated himself and moved away from the village to become integrated into the new economic and technological environment of “western” society, there was still a powerful commitment to the family and culture he left behind.

In a country like Zimbabwe, the significant cultural differences between races could easily lead to misunderstandings over the simplest everyday issues. As both races were dependent on each other, it was important to learn as much about one another as possible.  Much of the following narrative is taken from a book that I acquired in 1970 and which was very helpful to me in understanding the customs of the two predominant African tribes living in Zimbabwe. The book is titled “The Man - and His Ways.” It was distributed by the Rhodesian Ministry of Information, Immigration and Tourism. It was not intended to be a text book on the beliefs and customs of the African people, but it was recommended as a general introduction to describe the differences between rural African beliefs and those of white Rhodesians in the 1970s.    

There are two main African tribes in the country, the AmaNdebele and the Mashona. The Mashona probably arrived in the area about 1,000 years ago. Before the Mashona the country was widely, but sparsely, populated by the small statured Bushman who had not advanced beyond the Stone Age. The Bushman would, over time, be displaced westwards to the remote vastness of the Kalahari. In the 1830s the AmaNdebele, an offshoot of the warrior Zulu nation of southeastern South Africa (now KwaZulu-Natal) arrived in the south west of the country and began to ravage and plunder the numerous Mashona tribal groups which lived in disunity in the remainder of the country. All of these people had migrated from North Africa over a long period of time, for well over 1,000 years. Their long journey was dictated by the seasons, by tribal conflict, and by need. Land was abundant and there was no urge to preserve its abundant resources.

A tribe would settle in an area, build huts from readily available materials (poles and thatch) and cultivate small patches of crop such as millet. This, together with meat from the hunt, wild honey, fruits, roots and fish, formed the basis of their diet. This was entirely a “subsistence” economy. Storage was difficult so in years of good rains, there was abundance and nothing was kept against the likelihood of drought the next year. The future, in these circumstances, could look after itself.

Each member of the tribe was wholly dependent upon the fellow members of their tribe and family.  They were all surrounded by danger and had no means of protection, apart from that of the community. There was no room for individuality and the wealth of a tribe was measured in people and in cattle, with the strongest preying upon the weakest. Of course, over time, laws and customs became vital to regulating the affairs of the tribes and these would be applied by the tribal chiefs. These customs and laws were handed down by word of mouth, as the tribes had no form of writing.  Most of these customs were recognized in the courts of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) after the late 1800s when the country was settled by westerners.

Even though there are two main African tribes in Zimbabwe, the numbers of different tribal groups within these two tribes are many, so it is easy to assume that the custom in one village will be similar in villages nearby.  There is considerable variation among customs although overall the fundamental beliefs will be the same throughout the country. For example the way that weddings are arranged will differ widely from village to village, whereas the practice of “lobolo” or bride price is concerned, this will fundamentally be the same everywhere.

Of course African law, and thinking, has been subjected to European influence for over 100 years. For example, many “modern” African people today will choose to be married in the church and will have one partner according to Christian beliefs.  Cash has replaced the hoe as a token and many other new ideas have been accepted.

Unlike Europeans, the more traditional African does not regard himself as an individual distinct from the rest of his tribal group.  He feels himself to be part of a unit, be it tribe or family and to that unit he owes certain obligations in exchange for which he derives many benefits.  His family, or tribal group, is extended to include the spirits of the departed and they have a great influence on his actions and his thinking. The solid foundation of any tribal group is the ordinary family.  The head of the family has certain responsibilities, the most importance being to maintain family unity. He can’t achieve this without consultation, so all matters affecting his small group are thoroughly discussed with the family, and his decision is a family affair based on a consensus of opinion.  In important matters, he consults the spirits of past members, and seeks their guidance.

During generations of struggle and survival the traditional African has acquired a passive fatalism.  Misfortune is often regarded as due to witchcraft or is an expression of displeasure by the spirits.  There was nothing a person could do to avoid it so he gave little or no thought to tomorrow.  He conserved his energies and blamed everything bad on something else. Even today, we might hear the excuse “I was failed by the examination” rather than “I failed!”

The African loves laughter.  His needs are few and simple and when they are satisfied he is inclined to sit back, for time, he believes, is given to everyone for nothing.  It has no value so why hurry to do today what can be postponed until tomorrow? Land and water have also been put here for his use, so they, like time, can be wasted.  Let tomorrow look after itself!

So how do the distinctly different beliefs of the African and the European merge in a third world country in which the future of each is so dependent on the other? Just as the rural, and traditional, African man must learn the customs of the European, so must the European learn the background of the African and treat him with respect, patience and courtesy.  Those whose missionary work exposed them directly to the most basic tribal beliefs were daily confronted by a need for patience. A mother who was diagnosed with a condition requiring a prescription for antibiotics, for example, would be instructed to take one daily for two weeks. Why not, she would reason, take them all at once? Surely that would be the most effective way to be cured.

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In Part 2 of this narrative I will write about the traditional African man, his spirits, his wives and children and his relationship to the land.