Culture of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has many different cultures which may include various ethnic groups endure. Food shortages and civil unrest have characterized life in Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia, since independence from the UK in 1980, obscuring many facets of daily life. Zimbabwe’s population is estimated to be 11.65 million, which 82 percent of them are Shona and 14 percent are Ndebele. Tonga, Shangaan and Venda are the other smaller ethnic group. English is the official language of Zimbabwe, and the rest of the populations speak Bantu language like Shona and Ndebele. The traditional societies of Shona, Ndebele, Tonga, Shanggan and Venda peoples have several similarities; they have similar family structures and beliefs in the spiritual involvement of ancestors in day-to-day life. Like in many African countries, a majority of Zimbabweans depend on staple foods. Since Zimbabwe was a British colony, they have adopted some English habits (Lewis).
The history and religion make Zimbabwe culture different. In fact, this country borders with Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. The original inhabitants of Zimbabwe were pushed out by migrating Bantu tribes. The interior of Africa, where Zimbabwe is located, was untouched by European influence for years after Europeans arrived on the coastal area (Ducksters, 2013).From the religious perspective of Zimbabwe, it is estimated that between 70 and 80 percent of the population belong to mainstream Christian denominations such as the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Methodist Churches; however, over the years a variety of indigenous churches and groups have emerged from these mainstream denominations. Evangelical denominations, primarily Pentecostal churches and apostolic groups, were the fastest growing group during the reporting period. While majority of Zimbabweans believe in Christianity, they actually continue to believe in indigenous religions as well. Religious leaders also reported an increase in adherence to traditional religion and