Culture and Customs of Zimbabwe

(Hardback)

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Description

Richly surveys the contemporary society in Zimbabwe Zimbabwe, formerly known as Rhodesia, is freshly examined in this content-rich, accessible overview. Culture and Customs of Zimbabwe evokes the contemporary ways of life in a largely homogenous and agricultural country. Students and the general reader will be engaged in the narrative, from an explanation of the beer culture to a powerful discussion of marriage, family, and gender roles from the Zimbabwean point of view. This one-stop volume is ideal for research and reports on another important African nation. Zimbabwe won its independence from Great Britain in 1980 and the evolving traditions of the Zimbabweans provide the most interest. Still, the impact of Western lifestyles and prejudices continues to be felt, and Owomoyela authoritatively conveys the coexistence of traditional and Western forces today in such areas as religion and music. A chronology and glossary accompany the text.

Reviews

[t]horoughly survey the history, culture, and people of each country.-MultiCultural Review
[u]seful to students who want to put the works of Zimbabwean writers like Shimmer Chinodya, Tsitsi Dangaremba, and Chenjerai Hove into the proper social and cultural contexts. Owomoyela does an excellent job of showing how Zimbabwean writers use their characters to explore the frictions that arise when "tradition" simply cannot go on any longer. He is particularly adept at choosing examples that capture the tensions that stretch between genders and across generations.-International Journal of African Historical Studies
This reference is another that may be equally appropriate on the non-fiction shelves. If you have very little on this country, this will be a welcomed addition.-Reference for Students
"thoroughly survey the history, culture, and people of each country."-MultiCultural Review
"useful to students who want to put the works of Zimbabwean writers like Shimmer Chinodya, Tsitsi Dangaremba, and Chenjerai Hove into the proper social and cultural contexts. Owomoyela does an excellent job of showing how Zimbabwean writers use their characters to explore the frictions that arise when "tradition" simply cannot go on any longer. He is particularly adept at choosing examples that capture the tensions that stretch between genders and across generations."-International Journal of African Historical Studies
"[t]horoughly survey the history, culture, and people of each country."-MultiCultural Review
"This reference is another that may be equally appropriate on the non-fiction shelves. If you have very little on this country, this will be a welcomed addition."-Reference for Students
"[u]seful to students who want to put the works of Zimbabwean writers like Shimmer Chinodya, Tsitsi Dangaremba, and Chenjerai Hove into the proper social and cultural contexts. Owomoyela does an excellent job of showing how Zimbabwean writers use their characters to explore the frictions that arise when "tradition" simply cannot go on any longer. He is particularly adept at choosing examples that capture the tensions that stretch between genders and across generations."-International Journal of African Historical Studies

Author Bio

OYEKAN OWOMOYELA is a Ryan Professor of African Literature at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.