User:Gurundoro1/sandbox

Origin

Chief Mbari of the Shumba Gurundoro clan, who ruled over Harare and part of Mazowe before colonisation, lent his name to several iconic features of the region including Harare, Mbare, and Dzivarasekwa. His people fought bravely in the First Chimurenga, and the area was the center of the uprising, with many key players like Mukwati, Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguvi, Makombe, Nyamadzawo, and Mapondera operating in Chief Mbari's area. During the uprising, Makombe, Chief Mbari's brother, was the ruler. Many of Chief Mbari's people played important roles in the uprising, including Mudavanhu (Mukwati), Makombe, Nyamadzawo, Mutinha, and Chiridzambira. The uprising caused shockwaves throughout the region and Empire capitals such as London. After the revolt was suppressed, many people were killed in Makombe's settlement, ending the gallantry of Mbari's clan.

Mudavanhu (Mukwati)

Mukwati is a well-known spirit, but his medium, Mudavanhu, is often overlooked, much like Charwe, the medium of Mbuya Nehanda during the war period. Mudavanhu, who was Chief Mbari's son, played a crucial role in the uprising, which was orchestrated by Mukwati. Mukwati provided spiritual guidance to the chiefs who valiantly fought in the revolt, causing a stir not only in the region but also in imperial capitals like London. After consulting with the spirit at Matonjeni, Mukwati signaled the start of the revolt and traveled from place to place, rallying hesitant groups into action. Mukwati evaded capture and fittingly, one of the tallest buildings in Harare bears his name, in honor of the mastermind behind the uprising.

Makombe

After the death of Chief Mbari in 1872, his younger brother Makombe took over the chieftaincy and was later referred to as 'Makombi' in settler accounts of the popular revolt. Makombe, also known as 'Chimurenga', organized the revolt in the Mazowe area and led an attack that resulted in the deaths of over 50 settlers, including Henry Pollard, a notorious Native Commissioner known for subjecting Africans to forced labor and brutality. Although Makombe was captured three times, his extensive knowledge of the terrain and the underground tunnels (ninga) enabled him to escape each time. Makombe's success in the uprising was also due to the participation of his nephews, Nyamadzawo, Mutinha, and Chiridzambira, who were the sons of Chief Mbari.

Nyamadzawo

Much attention has been paid to the spiritual leaders of the 1896/7 revolution but little to the people who actually did the fighting. One While much attention has been given to the spiritual leaders of the 1896/7 revolution, little recognition has been given to the fighters who carried out the uprising. One such individual was Nyamadzawo, son of Chief Mbari, who commanded the insurgents and executed daring attacks despite being armed with inferior weapons. Nyamadzawo was a skilled guerrilla tactician, employing tactics such as surprise attacks, ambushes, sieges, and hit-and-run tactics. He made the Mazowe area a hazardous place for white settlers, and even cut off telegraph wires to isolate settler families in the region. The presence of the influential spirit of Mbuya Nehanda in Makombe's (Mbari's) territory further complicated matters for the settlers. The combination of spiritualism and guerrilla warfare made the fighters a formidable force. Colonial documents of the period describe the area as the "troubled Mazowe area". Among the white settlers who perished in the area were Frank Austin, a prospector, and James Steel, killed on June 24, 1896. Other fatalities included Walter Tapsell (June 21), Louis Herman (June 21), and William Harvey Brown (July 23). The siege of Deary's Store lasted from June 21 to July 31. Following the suppression of the revolt, Nyamadzawo evaded arrest and later passed away from natural causes.

Mutinha

Mutinha, who had become a sub-chief in the Mazowe area, is also notable for his role in the capture of Henry Pollard, the Native Commissioner. With the assistance of Mbuya Nehanda, the capture and execution of Pollard - a significant figure of colonial authority - was a severe blow to the Administration.

Chiridzambira

The intricate dual-tiered chieftaincy system of Mbari's Shumba Gurundoro people has always been a mystery to outsiders, both in the past and present. One of Mbari's sons, Chiridzambira, was appointed by his father to be the spiritual leader of the kingdom, while Makombe acted as the de-facto Paramount Chief. Although Chiridzambira's rule was brief, due to the destruction of the clan by colonial forces, he wielded nearly the same authority as Mbari, with the power to grant land and jurisdiction to fugitives like Seke. Chiridzambira gave his approval for the start of the uprising.

Genocide

On March 1, 1897, the settlers committed a massacre in Makombe's settlement that ended the gallantry of Mbari's clan. Those who managed to escape to the caves were betrayed by well-known collaborators and eventually dynamited. This act can be described as genocide.