Buhera treasure waiting to be discovered

Tanyaradzwa Rusike recently in BUHERA

NESTLED at the heart of Buhera district, Manicaland province, is a stone-walled structure that resembles the Great Zimbabwe Monument.

It is known for its unique decorations in the dry-stone walling that includes two monoliths at the top of the perimeter wall.

The Matendera Monument’s design has led archaeologists to believe it is the handiwork of the same people who built the Great Zimbabwe.

The monuments are understood to have been constructed in the 17th century, just as the Great Zimbabwe State was declining.

Some historians argue that the first migrators from Great Zimbabwe built Matendera and other smaller structures of this kind that are dotted around Buhera.

Because of its uniqueness, it has been given a Class Two rating by the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ), a status that is second only to the Great Zimbabwe.

Significance to Zimbabwe’s independence

The Great Zimbabwe Monument encapsulates the country’s rich history and heritage.

It still stands today as an enduring reminder of a great civilisation that held sway over Southern African trade routes.

As Zimbabwe holds its Independence Day celebrations in Buhera on April 18, the Matendera Monument, which is seen as a “Mini Great Zimbabwe”, serves as a towering reminder of the greatness, fortitude and resilience that enabled Zimbabwe to defeat colonialism and look to the future with hope. In a document prepared for The Sunday Mail, NMMZ acting regional director for the Eastern Region Mr Lloyd Makonya said: “It is argued that the same people who built Great Zimbabwe were involved in the construction of Matendera. Similarity in the construction techniques and the dressing of the walls with decorations such as herringbone and dentelle provide the basis for this argument.

“As at Great Zimbabwe, the largest known Dzimbahwe in Sub-Saharan Africa, the spatial organisation at Matendera was organised in a layout that accommodated both elites and commoners.

“Nevertheless, because of royal privilege, elite residences were constructed within the walled areas, whilst the commoners lived outside the walls.”

In a journal titled “Cultural Heritage Sites and Contemporary Uses; Finding a Balance between Monumentality and Intangibility in Eastern Zimbabwe”, published in 2018, historian and University of Manchester Museum curator of living cultures Dr Njabulo Chipangura said: “The monument is built on a low-domed kopje of smooth granite. The stones that were used to build the monument are believed to have come from the exfoliations of the kopje upon a crown of which the building stands. It is clearly indicated by the way the monument is built with freestanding walls built in semi Q and PQ style and the dentelle and herringbone decorations.”

Dr Chipangura said some of the unique features from the Matendera Monument, which are similar to those at the Great Zimbabwe Monument, include opaque glass beads, shell disks, circular metal (copper and bronze) and pottery.

“There is one major entrance at Matendera. The other entrances seem to have been blocked. For example, it is believed that the southern-western side was triple blocked. There is no obvious explanation for the blocked entrances, but the architectural pattern seems to have been designed to allow for the later blocking of the entrance,” he added.

Buhera Central Member of Parliament Mr Samson Matema told The Sunday Mail that Matendera, which is in the province that will host this year’s main Independence Day celebrations, remains “a hidden tourist gem”.

“Now that Independence Day celebrations are coming to Buhera, more limelight should be given to the monument. It is a prime tourist area,” Mr Matema said.

The monument, he added, needs to be spruced up.

“The entire place needs to be given a facelift so that we can attract tourists. Matendera will forever remain a sacred place that tells an important aspect of Zimbabwe’s history. We feel the area has been neglected and serious restoration is needed to improve its current state.”

Mr Wellington Chaita, a Buhera Central resident, appealed to the Government to assist in upgrading the Matendera Monument.

“The only problem is that the shrine is not marketed properly, and it also needs to be renovated. Now that Independence Day celebrations are coming to Buhera, the time has come for the Matendera Monument to be transformed for the better so that it can attract more tourists and local communities can benefit.”

Tourism

However, the NMMZ has been embarking on various programmes to spotlight the monument as a prime tourist destination.

A carnival, dubbed the Matendera Festival, is hosted annually by the Buhera Rural District Council, NMMZ and other partners.

The festival is a celebration of the heritage of the people of Buhera through their native dances, drama and poetry.

Mr Makonya said:

“Apart from the festival, which usually happens in September, there is not much economic gain or profit the community derives from the monument, as there is no other structured activity or means to benefit from the monument. There is a site custodian employed by NMMZ from the local community who does the general maintenance of a culture hut built by the Buhera Rural District Council, from where the community can market their cultural wares.

“The culture hut has over the years turned into a white elephant since there is no other activity to look forward to during the rest of the year when there is no festival.”

NMMZ, he said, is advocating a community-based tourism project for the area.

Gogo Susan Nhangu (76), another Buhera resident, said they are keen to take part in community-based tourism projects.