Online Reporter
Blessings Chidakwa
Harare Bureau
CULTURE and Heritage patron, First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, brought her vibrant Zviperengo Cultural Quiz Programme to Manicaland, lighting up the hearts of multitudes of learners, teachers and parents who turned out to participate in the historic and educative initiative passed on from the country’s ancestors.
The eastern province came alive on Wednesday as thousands flocked to Hartzell High School as Dr Mnangagwa who launched ‘‘Zviperengo Cultural Quiz Programme’’ in Harare early this year, took it to the province, spearheading the cultural renaissance sweeping across Zimbabwe.
The programme saw learners, teachers and parents from various corners of the province from bustling urban to remote rural schools locking horns in an exciting quiz programme that celebrated the richness of Zimbabwean languages and traditions.
Learners tackled questions ranging from tsumo (proverbs), madimikira (idioms), zviperengo (spelling challenges), figures of speech, to zvirahwe (riddles) using indigenous languages such as Barwe, Ndau, and Sign Language, all aimed at restoring pride in mother languages.
True to Manicaland’s heritage, the learners were challenged to display culinary prowess by preparing ethnic delicacies unique to their communities, including sadza remungoza or renjera (zviyo), haifiridzi, yum chips made from magogoya, mufushwa webangara (nyeve), manhanga (matikiti), and madima (mbambaira).
Also, another unique delicacy was that of a Chindau chicken, which is cooked whole with all its body parts, including the musoro, matumbu, tsvararsvata, and mazai.
Several other dishes were prepared such as mutakura, nyemba and derere under the watchful eye of the First Lady, who offered warm encouragement.
Indeed, the Zviperengo Cultural Quiz and Gastronomy initiatives by Dr Mnangagwa proved to be more than programmes, but a journey into the soul of a people.
This time, Manicaland had its turn to bask in the warmth of the First Lady’s motherly wisdom and cultural revival mission, whose teachings are building a legacy of pride, dignity and cultural continuity.
As part of the hands-on quiz segment, Mrs Tafadzwa Zuze led the Barwe language quiz, with Mr Tatenda Chinoda handling the Ndau segment, while Mr Noble Mawungwa led the Sign Language segment, asking questions that drew both laughter and learning.
The atmosphere was electric, yet educative as learners were also tested on knowledge of family setup, local traditional foods, culture and heritage, with winners walking away with food hampers courtesy of the First Lady.
But it was not all fun and games, as the mother of the nation’s message was clear; it is time Zimbabweans return to their roots.
It was not just the children who were quizzed; parents and teachers were also put to the test.
Some stumbled on basic cultural knowledge, reinforcing the First Lady’s concern that heritage gaps are widening, even at the family level.
The mother of the nation also tackled issues of drug and substance abuse as well as discouraging love affairs for minors, while frankly interacting with the learners, and urging them to take a leaf from her, a proud doctorate graduate.
A Grade Five girl left the crowd in stitches after being asked what her response would be if a boy proposed to her: “If a guy proposes to me, I will bluntly reject him, telling him that I need to finish school and be a successful person.”
A Grade Seven boy was also asked why some attempt to propose love at such a minor age, and gave a response that mesmerised the crowd.
“Some of the girls’ lure to be proposed to, you can see with the way they walk that this one is looking for a partner,” he said.
The First Lady made sure that no one, whether from the valleys of Chimanimani or the highlands of Nyanga, was left behind in the national cultural awakening.
In her address, the Culture and Heritage Patron, Dr Mnangagwa, said she initiated the programme with the aim that children would come to understand aspects of culture.
“I observed and realised that for children to know and preserve our traditions, they must learn and understand them. This is also a way of involving them in their own learning and helping them enjoy the process,” she said.
“I saw that our culture is delicate, and we must start teaching children while they are still young, building on a strong educational foundation. So I decided that the programme I launched should begin with children in the middle of their primary education, from Grade Five to Grade Seven.”
Dr Mnangagwa said her thinking was that these children should begin learning proverbs, idioms, and also customs and ways of life.
“I also thought that our children should learn about our traditional foods and how they are prepared,” she said.
The First Lady said, while planning the programme, she consulted universities that deal with various languages, engaged media personnel and the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services who are experts in broadcasting, along with those involved in food culture.
“We formed a team that brainstormed and launched the programme we are gathered for today. We agreed that this programme would cover all ethnic groups in Zimbabwe, bringing them together through shared efforts to ensure our children who cannot hear are not left behind.
“This was done following the guidance in the 2013 National Constitution. We also agreed that the programme would be conducted in all the 10 provinces of the country. That is why you see us here today. This aligns with the Government’s vision to promote local development,” she said.
In the spirit of leaving no one and no place behind, Dr Mnangagwa said as a committee, while the programme was being aired, they realised that many children might miss out on participating in the competitions where they are supposed to learn about culture and traditions, hence the need to reach schools in remote areas.
The First Lady said the programme, being aired on the national broadcaster ZBC, is meant to advertise and showcase children who are striving to excel.
“What pleases me the most is that this programme strongly emphasises the importance of knowing our heritage, things like sacred mountains, our rivers and their origins which are all part of the education curriculum.
“This strongly helps to build the character of our children and instils discipline in them,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa said the programme has two segments, with the first involving competitions where children are asked questions about culture, proverbs, idioms, and language rules, and the second where children will be cooking traditional foods from heritage as passed down by ancestors.
“In this activity, one school or another will have three children working together to cook either at an open fireplace or using any traditional method. This cooking is not judged based on taste only, but also on how it is served, its presentation, and whether the food reflects our cultural heritage.
“The cooking may take place in the afternoon and will not involve modern utensils or ingredients like cooking oil unless it is part of traditional methods. The competitions are intended to encourage and teach,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa said the programme was launched on the 4th of February 2025 in Harare, with two groups of children, and following the resounding success, it was agreed that competitions should continue in schools, then move to district levels, then on to the ten provinces of the country.
“Here in Manicaland, children participating in the competitions are speaking Shona, Ndau, and Chibarwe, using their hands to express the challenges they face, and from what we are seeing and hearing, it shows that no one is being left behind.
“This is very encouraging, as it helps children to maintain and develop good character. As the elders said: ‘A dove comes from a clean nest.’ Let me emphasise this matter by saying what the elders said: ‘Know where you come from.”
Turning to parents, the First Lady, who is championing the Afrikana Family Humanism Programme, urged them to uphold Ubuntu while making sure the family setup is intact.
“Parents of this area, let us sometimes remind our children so that our children preserve our culture, and know who they are, and where they come from.
‘‘This is a good thing.
“The Word of God says: ‘If something good is done for you, wouldn’t you be happy?’” she said.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza said the children competing in the Zviperengo Quiz and Gastronomy came from all the seven districts of the province.
Minister Mugadza said the province boasts four prominent indigenous languages, and he was delighted that the quiz show competitions covered them.
Ndau, popularly spoken in Chipinge and Chimanimani districts, Barwe language in Mutasa and Nyanga districts, Sign Language and Shona in all districts.
“By committing youths with the local languages and preparing food found in our districts, the competition is enhancing the knowledge of our heritage among primary learners, and thereby practising the current education curriculum, which also emphasises the need for hunhu,” she said.
Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister, Honourable Angeline Gata said as a ministry they are always receiving support from the First Lady through various initiatives including the schools feeding scheme, menstrual hygiene programmes, among several others.
Chief Mutasa lauded Dr Mnangagwa for being an inspiration to both the young and the old, saying her teachings have interwoven some of the once broken marriages.
“We thank you, First Lady, for interacting with the right age group that needs to know its culture and traditions,” he said.
Charmed by the First Lady’s programme, Chief Mutasa even proposed that his district hold an annual event for such.
“Let us continue to follow the good teachings from the First Lady that if you are a Zimbabwean, do things the Zimbabwean way, being proud of who you are,” he said.
Among those who walked away with prizes in the Zviperengo segment in the Ndau category were Mwanyisa and Ngaone primary schools, who were tied, while Tsvingwe Primary School scooped the Barwe language gong.
As for Gastronomy, schools that competed included Chishakwe Primary School in Mutare District, which prepared sadza rezviyo, mutakura, hifiridzi, mufushwa wemuboora, chimukuyu chetsuro, matikiti and hanga.
The other school was Buhera Village Primary in Buhera District, which prepared mufushwa wenyeve une dovi, hifiridzi, mufushwa wehohwa une dovi, sadza rezviyo, majuru and nzungu.
Christina Primary School in Chipinge District prepared sadza remungoza (zviyo), manhanga (matikiti), mufushwa webangara (nyeve), magogoya, huku yechindau (road runner) and makukuzumbu (tumatimati tudiki).
Hartzel Central Primary School in Mutasa District also prepared tsunga inedovi, sadza renjera (zviyo), derere rine muboora, hafiridzi and madima (mbambaira).
As Manicaland waved goodbye to the First Lady, one thing was certain the spirit of cultural heritage had been rekindled and it is burning brightly.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Deputy Minister, Honourable Tongai Mnangagwa, Manicaland Province legislators and traditional chiefs were among the guests.
The programme, which launched earlier this year in Harare, is being rolled out in all the 10 provinces, and Manicaland marks the second leg of this unprecedented journey.
