This volume explores the prehistory of human rights in Zimbabwe. It asks whether there are democratic legacies from pre-colonial polities and what limitations then existed on human rights. It also asks what colonialism contributed to the discourse of human rights and democracy despite its denial of both to Africans. Contents: pre- colonial states of Central Africa as embodiments of despotic culture; archaeological evidence of political structures; democracy and traditional political structure 1890-1999; imperial and settler hypocrisy and double standards and the denial of human rights; black...

Zimbabwean human rights historiography often assumes that pre- colonial African politics were democratic; whilst colonialism implies a total denial of human rights. It further assumes that Zimbabwean nationalism was in essence a human rights movement; and that the liberation struggle, which led to the overthrow of colonial oppression, reinstated both human rights and democracy. This, the second volume on the historical dimensions of human rights in Africa, reconsiders questions of nationalism, democracy and human rights. It asks why the first democratic revolution was frustrated in Africa,...

This work is an attempt to look at some of the realities of Zimbabwe's liberation war and at what happened afterwards, rather than at the comfortable myths. Both heroic and terrible deeds are recorded. Zimbabwe: University of Zimbabwe Publications

Highlighting both the range of philosophical issues that Shona proverbs raise and the shared concerns emanating from them, this book is the outcome of 40 years work by Taperesa Mutematemi Samaita, a teacher at Mnene Boys Central Primary School in Mberengwa District from 1946 to 1949. Shona proverbs teaching formed part of his Shona lessons and he encouraged his pupils to collect as many Shona proverbs as possible. When collected, these were first analytically dealt with orally, then followed by written exercises. From its beginning at Mnene Boys Central Primary School the project continued...

This work examines people's beliefs, ideas and experiences both during Zimbabwe's liberation war and afterwards. The contributors look at African religion and Christianity and explore the efforts to educate people for a new society. They also look at the ideas used by whites to justify brutality and at the civilian experiences at the hands of the guerillas and the Fifth Brigade. Finally, they ask whether the new ideas were carried on after the war had ended.