Muchongoyo and Mugabeism in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Abstract:This article explores the influence of nationalism and modernity in contemporary Zimbabwe and on the musical lives of Zimbabweans through an examination ofmuchongoyo, the signature dance–drumming tradition of Zimbabwe’s Ndau communities. Invoking the concept of “Mugabeism,” it illustrates how Shona nationalism and expectations of modernity have partially reshapedmuchongoyoin the turmoil of contemporary Zimbabwe. As indigenous practices serve political ends, their values shift. Consequently, there are now twomuchongoyos: one rooted in the unique history and values of Zimbabwe’s Ndau community, the other emerging from decades of political employment of indigenous music for the sake of nationalist discourse.