adminThe Herald, 16 October, 1980
A DEDICATED team of young Zimbabweans is busy trying to fill the blanks in the history of their country at the National Archives in Salisbury.
Under the guidance of the director and veteran archivist, Mr Robert Turner, they are not only filling the gaps in the history of their own culture but adjusting the previous Eurocentric emphasis.
“We are now trying to embrace all cultures in this country”, was the way Mr Meshack Mutsamwira (28) described his work as archivist in charge of the illustrations collection.
Responsible for more than 25 000 photographs and processing documents for people who need information, Mr Mutsamwira said most people appreciated the value of the archives in the new independent Zimbabwe.
Describing his work as “fascinating” he said there were obvious blanks in the photographic collection.
“We do not have any pictures of African agriculture at any period, all are of white farming. Now we are anxious to remedy this and if anybody has photographs, we would like to borrow and copy them.”
Born in Inyanga, Mr Mutsamwira graduated with an honours history degree from the University of Zimbabwe in 1976. He taught for two years at Kutama College before joining the staff of the archives last year.
Next year he will go to the University of Wales for post-graduate qualifications.
One picture in his collection which has recently aroused “tremendous interest” is of spirit medium Mbuya Nehanda, who in 1896 led the Mashonaland uprising and was subsequently executed.
“Over the years she has been associated with the liberation struggle and there are only two known photographs of her. The one we have had been copied and ordered by Government departments in Salisbury to hang on their walls,” said Mr Mutsamwira.
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