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Published: August 9th 2010
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It’s 6am, the sun is up and I am walking up an ancient path towards the baboons at the top of a hill. Giant granite boulders surround me whilst I weave my way around the crumbling pebbled path. I was travelling here to discover Zimbabwe’s identity. Instead I found that and a bit of Africa.
The planned destination was Great Zimbabwe near a town called Masvingo. Built and occupied between 13th-17th centuries Great Zimbabwe is an ancient ruin site, which once had a population of 2500. It is a unique place as it has the largest ancient structure in sub-Sahara.
As a traveller it is so hard to get information in Zimbabwe. The whites stick to themselves so have no idea on public transport. The blacks have a better idea but even then you have to be lucky to ask the right person. On this occasion I asked the wrong one but with that I was able to feel like I was travelling Africa. South Africa is too easy and Victoria Falls was not really ‘Africa’ as things were easy (minus the ATM’s).
The previous day I had organised for a bus heading for South Africa from the
Zimbabwe capital Harare to drop me off at a petrol station in Masvingo and from there I didn’t know what was going to happen. The earliest bus was at 11am I was told that it would take 3-5 hours to get there. I assumed the latter. This would give me a 2-hour buffer for stuff ups before sunset.
We leave 45 minutes late and stop for 15 minutes 500m after departure. Normal buses are two seats either side of the aisle. In Africa its two seats one side and three on the other. I am on the front seat next to an attractive female who talked about how she would like to have 5 children. I asked why that many and she replied. “So when something goes wrong family would be able to help.” She said she doesn’t have a brother and her stepfather died so she has no one to support her when something goes wrong. She was travelling 17 hours to pick up material for clothes and would come back that afternoon for another 17hours. Her passport was full of similar stamps.
The bus ride began with a prayer in the local Shona language, which was
My drop off point
See in the distance a sign... translated to me by the hot lady next to me. “She said that you should kiss the person sitting next to you for a safe ride.” I sat there assuming I heard it wrong as no one else was doing it. Stopover was at a slice franchise. Zimbabweans are not creative with their names. Pizza Inn or Pizza Slice, Chicken Inn/Slice, Creamy Inn/Slice.
It was 4pm when I arrived in Masvingo. They dropped me off 2km south of town at a Total Petrol station and about 500m past the turn off to Great Zimbabwe. As I walked to the corner I get the classic locals look at a backpacker. It’s a priceless mix of surprise and confusion, which generally means that they think you are a crazy idiot. Generally at this time of day you’ll see mini buses waiting around to get full. Other people attempting to hail down a bus, car or truck as they buzz by. There are people walking off into the distance.
That would be me, as I turned right and towards the university bus stop. This road had a similar scene as before minus the trucks. I was heading to god knows where
as the sun was close to calling it a day. I boarded a mini van taxi normally suited for 12 incl. driver. This trip we managed to squeeze 22 people - 20 seated 2 standing (well hunched over).
There is a man sitting down in front of me. He’s carrying a box of two dozen eggs in one hand and his baby on the other. There were 3 babies in total (not included in the 22). The one in front is looking back at me with tears clinging to the upper cheek like glue. It’s close to sunset after a hot day with minimal room, the combination of body temperature, the sun and limited breeze. There is no relief.
I leant forward on my seat so my clavicles didn’t fold together. Even the driver must find it hard as he has to contest with some guys left and right testicals whilst going through the 2nd and 4th gears (most likely better known as left and right testi gear) as someone is close to riding the gear stick. On the way we stop off for groceries for the locals. There was a billboard (a few hours earlier) saying
SPAR re-opened. This is based on a few years ago when the supermarkets were empty courtesy of the governments control on food rations.
I get dropped off 500m from the entrance which is in the distance, the sun had just set and it was another 1.5km to my accommodation a characterless dorm bed with no one else there bar some painters who would snore all night.
I got up at 6am because I had no idea how I was going to get back to Harare. I saw a baboon at the top of the Hill Complex whilst I was walking up the ancient path. I originally thought it was a dog from a distance. Closer to them I waved at one and it scurried away.
The steps were built between giant granite boulders and it was kind of fort like. But at the same time it had no evidence of that its just what I'm use to when I coming to ruin sites of stature. At the top I could look down at the town, Great Zimbabwe. There are 3 main parts to the site. The Hill Complex that I was standing on top of. The
Valley Enclosure and the Great Enclosure down below in the distance.
The Hill Complex had a series of Royal and Ritual enclosures with its most important in the Eastern Enclosure although the west has the best views and terraces to look at.
The Valley Enclosure is not much anymore but is heightened by the sight of the Great Enclosure in the distance. 200m long 11m high and 5m thick it creates a circle that is the biggest single pre-colonial structure in sub Saharan Africa.
The Great Enclosure has many symbolic images that are used throughout Zimbabwe the main one being the 10m Conical tower. All structures are built with stone onto stone and this structure stands up as the prominent feature once inside the circular walls of the enclosure. The name Zimbabwe came from the stone structures of Great Zimbabwe or Dzimbahwe.
It was built by Shona (Bantu) people between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries. During the fourteenth and fifteen centuries Great Zimbabwe controlled much of the ivory and gold trade in the region. But with the emergence of Portugal in the area the leader Mutoto left to expand and created the Mankumutapu Empire. By the
15th century Great Zimbabwe was no more.
At the museum I think the museum staff took the no photos thing a bit too seriously. There was a sign at the entrance, which I wanted to take so I didn’t have to write down information on this place. They say I can’t do that. I reply back “Are you serious? That is unbelievable!” What is a flash going to do to a sign? I thought. Inside the museum is full of dioramas. It seemed a joke. But out the back are 8 bird statues that were kept in the Eastern enclosure. It is key to the Shona religion and an important part of Shona culture to this day. In fact the 1st bird is the image shown on the Zimbabwean flag. It was chosen as it has the most work on it.
Great Zimbabwe although would not be in my Top 5 ruined sites was a special site in African travel as I am unable to see anything like it until I would reach northern Africa. It was an effort to get here so for this reason I wouldn’t put it in a must see unless you have time.
On the way back I got on the back of a Ute with locals and military to Masvingo. I stood at a corner of town with 30 hopefuls waiting to hitch or bus a ride to Harare. One came eventually and after palming off a drunken idiot we all squeezed in for another ride this time with my arse checks covering a portion of two separate seats. I just wish now I had spoken to someone earlier than the day after who told me there was a direct bus to the site from Harare.
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For ever Searching
Mohanad Elballal
it seems like a fascinanting complex