The community of Chivhu’s Chambara area under Chief Nyoka is baffled with the existence of a Zimbabwean map seemingly curved on a boulder in the bush.
Many questions are beginning to be raised by the locals as to who curved that map and when; for what reason it was put there and if a person had curved it, what could have the motive been?
More surprising is the fact that it is the younger generation that has the knowledge of the existing map with the elderly only getting the interest upon being interviewed by this reporter.
This reporter took a sojourn to Manyene area visited the map area in Chambara and as sure as eggs are eggs, the map is neatly curved on a boulder with some suggesting that it was brought from somewhere and was stuck using some adhesive to the boulder and a closer look at it can confirm this theory.
But interviews with the elders in the area revealed that they did not even know of the existence of the map with those who grew up herding cattle in the area knowing the map and some saying it has been in existence since the 70s.
Mr. Rex Matova who is the Village Head of Matova Village who has stayed in the area for some time was also not aware of the map.
“I have not heard of that map. It’s actually my first time to hear it from you. I will have to visit the area to see it for myself,” he said.
Another elder in the area Mr. Mungofa Ruziye knows of the boulder but could not decipher the Zimbabwean map on it.
“We used to sit on it and didn’t know there was a Zimbabwean map on it. When we were born it was there,” said Mr Ruziye.
He also reckons that the area where the map is situated was believed to be sacred.
“Some people never want to reach that area saying the area because of its sacredness. Close to the area, there was a pool where a young boy was abducted by a mermaid, and most young men-children who go there get lost while herding cattle (chadzimira). I believe it’s a sacred area given what has happened in the past. It is only that people no longer care about their old habits or events as well as what surrounds them but they now care more about their welfare,” he said.
Mr. Virimayi Rudzuna of Mundandi Village has been in the area for quite some time but only hears children saying “mombe dzarasika kumap yeZimbabwe” (cattle got strayed where the Zimbabwean map is) but he admits he is still to visit the place.
Though the elders in the area are not in the know of the place, the younger generation has many interpretations to it.
“This could have been a mark left during the colonial era by the whites and might be used as a peg for some minerals or something of importance in the area. We might be sitting on diamonds here gentlemen,” said Trema Chinanayi, adding that his brothers and sisters had taken samples of the soil and stones in the area for tests in Namibia and Botswana though nothing of mineral value was detected in the samples.
Tremor Chinanayi who grew up in the area and is the person who accompanied this reporter to the map said he was moved by the fact that no one was taking any action on the map and when they gathered as a family one Christmas holiday they discussed about it.
“We drove to the area but got lost until we took one of the village boys who showed us the map. We again visited the place the next holiday and still, questions remained as to whether there was any progress on that discovery but to no avail. As a family we felt that the map might be a semblance of some important phenomenon,” said Chinanai.
He even tried to take the issue to the Museums and Monuments where he was also told that his discovery coincided with that of another spirit medium which talked of an African map in Mutoko. It is said the spirit medium also mentioned of the Zimbabwean map in Chivhu but could not mention the actual area.
“The story became more interesting and thought really the map was a semblance of something big.”
They (Museums and Monuments) wanted proof of a photo of the map so that they could visit the place unfortunately upon trying to download the photos from the phone, they were walloped by a computer virus and his efforts were then dampened but not forever as he was to take us to the ‘map’.
To other locals, the place is already acting as a tourist place.
One teacher at Zimondi Primary School in Chivhu, Mr. Amos Masona last year took his grade seven pupils to the ‘map’ after they had completed their Grade Seven Examinations just as an outing to appreciate what the area has.
Masona believes it was the work of Bushmen. This he says it is because of many rock paintings in the area, which are attributed to the Bushmen. But the question is, could the Bushmen have knowledge of the boundaries of our country or it was mere coincidence?
Other locals interviewed alleged the existence of a base camp during the war and suggested that the comrades could have curved the map during their pastime.
Despite many different explanations and theories by various people, the map still exists and something has to be done about it. For that reason, this reporter sought to find out from the custodians of such relics - Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe.
The Chief Curator at the Museums and Monuments, Dr. Kundishora Chipunza said as the Museums and Monuments, they had not heard of the said ‘map’.
He, however, furnished this magazine that there was a map of Africa discovered somewhere in Bikita and the place is now commonly referred to as dombo reAfrica. He said just like the Chivhu Map, he suspects it was the hand of nature.
“Nature is the best artist and we, therefore, suspect this map is the work of nature. If the stories we are getting are true about the Africa Map in Bikita, it is said to be in exact scale, but nobody had a hand on it except nature itself,” he said.
“We will definitely visit the place with a view of protecting it in its natural state because if it is not protected people tend to temper with it and it will no longer be natural.”
It is also their belief that many other natural characteristics around the country have not been reported or have been made known. The role of the Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe is to confirm them as national monuments. The locals should make sure these are reported about.
Dr. Chipunza said an exhibition on natural art or nature art was on cards and such displays would add value to the exhibition.
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