Christmas then and now in rural Zimbabwe

CHRISTMAS celebrations have undergone a dramatic transformation over the years, leaving many older generations fondly recalling the simpler pleasures of the past.

In rural areas, the anticipation for December 25 and New Year’s Eve was palpable, as these were often the only times of the year when many experienced a taste of abundance and joy.

From having new clothes to eating bread and rice, these were once luxuries that one could only indulge in during those two days. Christmas used to be a good time for the extended family to get together and enjoy special meals, starting with tea in the morning.

Who could forget dishes packed to capacity with bread and buns, eating until you hit each other with the buns?
Meat was another luxury eaten during Christmas, and a goat would be slaughtered the night before to add flavour to the plate of rice.

If the goat survived, a chicken or two would grace the plate. That was before the advent of broilers.
Boys herding cattle would carry enough food to sustain a full stomach during the day in the grazing areas. Herding cattle during Christmas was torture as one missed a number of activities happening during the day. These included fashion shows where one got to exhibit the best fashion bought by their parents.

Back in the grazing lands, the biggest challenge was that the sun somehow seemed to take forever to set so that one could join the festivities of the day.

Several activities believed to speed up the setting of the sun were conducted by the boys. Of these, I vividly remember one where you had to strip off and remain with only tops. We would then bend facing eastward.

That act of showing “number two” to the sun was believed to speed up the setting of the sun. Whether that worked is a matter of debate among those who participated in the grazing area activities.

If one was lucky, you would be permitted to pen the cattle way before the sunset just for that day. We would then take one of the quickest baths, don our new clothes, and join our peers. There was always that homestead which hosted the annual Christmas celebrations, and this was the place to be.

These homesteads were those gifted with a good radio to usher people into the dancing mood. Power for the radio used to be a challenge, and the best was to have a car battery fully charged so that the party could last long, as that was before solar and electricity graced rural areas.

But over the years, things have changed, and Christmas celebrations in rural areas, although still special, have largely modernised.

The eating sessions have long ceased, as all the food which used to be a treat is now part of the everyday menu.

The gathering of families and neighbours has also vanished. The rural business centres are now the place to be. Once the sun sets, the festivities begin. The youths and party lovers gather at the business centre where professional DJs are hired to play music throughout the night. Yes, they dance throughout the night.

For the business community, it is just time to make money from alcohol and other foodstuff sales.
I got to experience Christmas at a place called Diba Business Centre, popularly known as Diba Mall. This is the place to be on Christmas, and some drive all the way from Plumtree town, some 15km away, and from other surrounding villages to enjoy the Christmas night.

Music is a major pull factor, with both the old and young mixing and mingling to enjoy the night.
This, though, has had its own set of challenges like alcohol abuse by the youths and crimes being recorded. Exposure to HIV and STIs is also a reality as some use the freedom they get recklessly.

“This place is good for celebrating; there is a good vibe here. People enjoy in peace, and we are able to get everything we need for a joyful night. Every year I look forward to coming to party on Christmas here. I bring my family so that we enjoy ourselves,” said Mr Bongani Nyoni.

The DJs have to play a balancing act on the decks as rhumba music is the staple, but other music genres that speak to the youths’ taste are also accepted and danced to.–@themkhust