| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | to make rain, are still held in the Matobo Hills caves |
| Traditional Zimbabwe Religion has a firm monotheistic | | | | and at other sacred places throughout Zimbabwe. |
| faith rooted in the belief in one supreme creator. | | | | A large portion of the population, however, has |
| Today however this faith has been melded into a | | | | accepted Christianity outright — mainly Roman |
| part Christian and part traditional. This blended faith is | | | | Catholic — although there are strong |
| followed by at least fifty per cent of the people. | | | | congregations of Anglican, Apostolic, Methodist, |
| The traditional aspect of this dual-sided faith is rooted | | | | Baptist, Seventh Day Adventists, Presbyterian and |
| in the custom of channelling all prayers to the | | | | Salvation Army devotees. |
| supreme creator, Mwari (God), through family | | | | The first Christian mission stations were opened in |
| ancestors. In times of trouble and misfortune | | | | 1859 at Inyati, near Bulawayo and in 1870 at Hope |
| worshippers consult a spirit medium for advice, for | | | | Fountain, Bulawayo. Both were operated by the |
| they are believed to have direct contact with the | | | | London Missionary Society and led by Reverend |
| ancestors. | | | | Robert Moffat. |
| This faith found its greatest expression in Great | | | | Soon to follow were evangelists sent out by the |
| Zimbabwe, where it become the centralizing religious | | | | Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa, and the |
| authority, and in the Matobo Hills where it eventually | | | | Jesuit Fathers opened a mission near |
| became known as Mwari ve-Matonjeni, God of | | | | Lobengula’s kraal in 1880. The Anglican Church |
| the Matobo and was adopted by the Ndebele | | | | opened missions in the 1890s, as did the Methodists |
| whose reverence for the Matobo is sacred. | | | | and a number of other denominations. |
| They called the creator Mulimu, provider of rain and | | | | The missionaries erected schools, offered agricultural |
| guardian of nature, and sought divine intercession | | | | training, and provided medical help. Yet it took a |
| whenever calamity threatened. It was after such | | | | considerable time before the Zimbabweans |
| consultation with the priests, and oracles of the | | | | themselves could become priest and eventually take |
| place of the benevolent spirits that the Ndebele | | | | over most of the social and educational activities of |
| took up arms against the Europeans in 1986. | | | | the missionary institutions. |
| Early Christian missionaries like the Robert Moffat | | | | Many new religions originating in Africa are found in |
| family recognised the purity of the Shona and | | | | Zimbabwe. The most important is the Zionist or |
| Ndebele belief in the unknowable High God, the one | | | | Apostolic church, a kind of revival movement |
| creator, and adopted local concept into their scriptural | | | | dependent on charismatic leaders. It is characterised |
| teachings, making it synonymous with the Christian | | | | by social practices such as polygamy, dancing and |
| faith. | | | | open-air sermons. |
| Mwari shrines are still held in reverential awe by local | | | | Zimbabwe religion also has a minority of Muslims, |
| communities and ceremonies to appease the | | | | Jews and Hindus. |
| ancestral spirits, overcome ill fortune, and particularly | | | | |