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WODAZ and the Abathwa

by Mrs Julieth Nkiwane
(Sitezi School, Box 185, Gwanda)

Reading this page gave me an insight on what to emphasize on as gap filling activities in the establishment of my organisation's Traditional Women Centre.

The centre is manned by members of different ethnic groups to exhibit their ethnic cultural practices, norms and beliefs to the local and migrant learners and cultural diversity. Although the site has been secured, a few modalities are still taking place for it to be fully functional and open to society.

I am a founding director of a community based organisation named Women Development Association in Zimbabwe (WODAZ) based at Wenlock area under Chief Mathema at Sitezi area. Wenlock is neighbor to Matopo Hills and the art by the Abathwa starts there. The name Sitezi is derived from one of the paintings near Thuli river that have carved features that can be read SITEZE in modern print.

Hence members of WODAZ have decided to build a traditional home to preserve the place and other paintings that may look insignificant but marking part of the traces of the movements by Abathwa. The home will therefore make the undocumented elements of the journey travelled by the region vivid and counted and the finer details of the cultures documented.