Andrew
Theseus Shambare
EACH year, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ evokes reminiscences of gatherings and traditions of the past. For many, these memories have even become more cherished amid the changing times.
Seniors who lived before the turn of the new millennium believe their Christmas experiences were better than those of the new generation — from the food to the clothing.
They shared memories of those days with their younger counterparts, born after the year 2000. The seniors warmly remember how certain meals and vacations were reserved for that special day.
Food
For those in rural areas, a combination of sliced bread with jam or margarine; and milk tea in Kango cups would make the day different from any other. For urban setups, rice and chicken, topped with coleslaw salad, and a fizzy drink, the one that hissed at initial opening, did the trick.
During those times, chimupotohai was also popular. This was home-baked bread. The main ingredients were simple — flour and mealie meal. In most cases, it was half-cooked on a paraffin stove.
An elderly person, whom The Sunday Mail Society bumped into, had a dive into the past, sharing ideas on what Christmas meant to them and what Ama2K, as the youths born in the 2000s are referred to in street lingo, can emulate.
“Christmas was a merrymaking day for families. This was the day when the whole family could go to a rural village and spend time with their kith and kin.
“As we all know, ukama igasva, hunozadziswa nekudya (relationships are hardly complete unless you partake of a meal together). This idiom guided us. A beast would be slaughtered and people would feast, while sharing family love,” said Gogo Sabina Machingura (78) of Mufakose.
She said the celebratory ritual associated with Christmas used to be a unifying factor for many families.
“Everyone from the cities would not want to miss this moment; they would make sure they found their way back to rukuvhute, which meant the village of origin.
“Individualism had no place back then. You would feel isolated if you failed to join others at such moments,” she said.
Children, she added, would enter any house and have a meal there, with no rebuke, as sharing created a sense of belonging.
In rural areas, Christmas Day meant wearing your best dress, old or new, and going to the nearest shopping centre, where local music would be playing. Everyone would be dancing to the music and merry-making.
During such times, those working in towns would bring goodies such as biscuits, syrups and tinned foods, which would make the day one to remember.
In some instances, the day would start with weeding in the fields up to about noon, then everyone would dash for a bath and wear the best they had. The have and the have-nots would all be joyful as families shared whatever they had.
Big cocks would be slaughtered and cooked, alongside big pots of rice.
It was as if Christmas was a celebration of food. It was through eating that many could express their joy.
In the cities, many blacks stayed in high- density areas, where children would wake up early and show off their new clothes. It was also a day of eating unusual foods such as rice and chicken and ice-cream, as well as imbibing drinks.
Radios would be playing full blast.
Residents played their favourite songs on this day.
On the streets, it would all be about Christmas joy. People appeared to forgive each other; they would hug and make merry.
The celebrations lasted for days. The young would elicit gifts from the elders through the “Christmas box” concept.
It was at such gatherings that elders would counsel their young relatives and reprimand them if the need arose.
New clothes
Eneresi Mandishora (69) said Christmas was not just for religious people but for everyone.
“This day was the only one, when you would see people in new clothes. It was a unique day for a unique dress code. New clothes were reserved for the day.
“Parents were obliged to remember that buying gifts for their children was a necessity. Putting a smile on someone’s face was a must. This made our society healthy,” she said.
Back then, clothes had names, “hembe dzeChristmas”, which overrode the manufacturers’, making them more special.
“Growing up, we even used to compete in producing better grades at school because our father would have promised to buy the one with the highest grades a double portion.
“What this meant is that you would get one pair of new clothes for the 25th, then the other for the 26th, and if you surpass the target, he would even buy you another pair for the New Year’s holiday,” she added.
Globalisation
Mr Tutsirai Shangwe (62), a driving school instructor in Harare, blamed globalisation for partly making immorality to be considered part of enjoyment.
“Our joy used to be found in food, dancing to hit songs by our old local musicians like the late Leonard Dembo, and gathering as a family.
“However, with the exposure that our children are getting through the internet and other platforms, they now find joy in immoral activities and end up doing weird things,” said Mr Shangwe.
He was referring to the recent popular events known as vuzu parties. Vuzu parties are secret indoor gatherings common among adolescents in cities. They usually take alcoholic drinks and drugs, and indulge in wild sex in front of everyone.
Youths who normally patronise vuzu parties are those who have the means to spend lavishly on booze, and often drive.
“By doing such things, youths no longer take days like Christmas Day with high regard. They, rather, throw their lives into the hands of cunning criminals and end up being manipulated sexually and physically,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Shangwe said, with the inevitable changing times, people have drawn lessons from their spending during the festive season.
“We cannot do justice if we do not mention that, in the past, people used to experience economic dryness in January, after spending extravagantly, forgetting children’s school fees and other basic needs,” he said.
Reimagining Christmas
However, Trynos Marambi, a student at Harare Polytechnic, argues that Christmas needs to be reimagined.
“I don’t subscribe to the notion that the Christmas of yesteryear was the best. Visiting resort towns in the past was literally reserved for the elite, but with the changing times, we are now able to make savings throughout the year, and spend memorable holidays at any destination of choice,” said the 24-year-old.
These days people go to braai spots or visit holiday resorts locally and abroad. The advent of social media often results in people tripping over each other to post and counter-post their pictures to show off the size of their pockets.
In some cases, it becomes more of a competition, although there are cases where people are genuinely seeking to have fun. Visiting one of the top tourist destinations like Victoria Falls or Vumba Mountains is now becoming common among young families during the festive season, and going to rural areas is no longer a holiday activity but a fortnightly routine, depending on the mobility of an individual.
Making money
Some things that used to be considered luxuries have since lost their status.
“Celebrating with rice and chicken or buttered bread no longer makes sense. Instead, as vendors, this is our moment to make money, capitalising on the bonuses received by those formally employed.
“I have gathered enough stock that will see me through the holiday, otherwise, when the business starts to slow down, that is when I will give myself rest and see where I can spend time,” said 47-year-old Margret Mujeketwa, a cosmetic vendor in Harare.
This trend, it appears, is not confined to the informal sector only; companies have changed their culture; they barely close for holidays like those of yesteryear.
In Christian circles, festivities on Christmas Day have taken away the essence of the day.
“Why has Christmas Day been taken away by those in the world, rather than the Church? Churches will be nearly empty on the day, yet we are saying it is the day the Saviour was born,” said Reverend Josias Mudenda, while addressing Methodist Church congregants at Epworth Mission during a midweek service.
Unlike other Christian holidays like Easter, which still have the expected solemnity, Christmas is more of barbecuing and joyriding.
However, it can be enjoyed in different ways, and the unifying effect can be retained through family get-together parties that can be held throughout the year.
Online Reporter