Grand farewell for Chief Nemakonde . . . leaves behind 9 wives, 27 children
IT was almost 100 not out for Chief Nemakonde, Mr Wilson Mhende, of Makonde District in Mashonaland West Province, who died on January 19, four months before his 100th birthday.
But while he just missed turning 100 years of age, this year was the centenary year for Chief Nemakonde, who was born on May 15, 1924.
His was a life well-lived as he left behind a chiefly harem of nine wives, 29 children, 57 grandchildren and a large number of great grandchildren.
The chief succumbed to kidney-related complications.
The chief had 29 children, 15 boys and 14 girls who gave him 57 grandchildren and an unknown number of great-grandchildren.
Chiefs have been known to have many wives, but not all of them believe in that practice.
At his funeral on Tuesday, Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Marian Chombo left mourners in stitches when she said Chief Nemakonde was a real chief as compared to Chief Chundu, who “like a pigeon” had only one wife.
“The late Chief Nemakonde has left behind nine wives, 15 boys and 14 girls who gave him 57 grandchildren,” she said.
“Now this is a real chief and I was telling Chief Chundu jokingly that he is not a real chief because he only has one wife.”
Polygamy is steeped in tradition and Chiefs have their reasons for marrying many wives and having a lot of children.
Indeed, polygamy was the chink in the armour of a chief. It was the art of preservation, the key to continuity. Without it, chiefdoms crumbled.
Chief Ngezi, chairperson of the Chiefs Council in Mashonaland West, said chiefs built armies to defend their territories through having many children.
“Chiefs in ancient times had to fight to defend or establish a chiefdom and one way of doing it was to build armies that protected the kingdom. Polygamy helped chiefs build large armies by having many children to defend the chiefdom,” said Chief Ngezi.
Chief Ngezi, who has two wives, said he had wanted to have a single one, but had to get another one to bear him a male child to lead his chiefly house, this is because female children rarely take the reins after their fathers die.
But how did the Chiefs manage to keep the family intact and avoid any quarrelling?
“The key to having a successful polygamous relationship is to be open with your partner. Get their consent first before establishing anything,” he said.
It also entails paying a beast to the wife as a way of respecting her and the family for bringing in another wife.
A chief, he said, established the hub of the family with the first wife called Nzanga in Shona where the other wives come to build their houses.
He said the wives were the foundation upon which the family rested. The Nzanga represented the number of wives who formed their households.
These are then used to represent the number of households that can lay claim to the chieftainship. This is usually done on a rotational basis.
After the chief dies or is removed, the next household in line, Nzanga sponsors the next acting chief for around two years while the next substantive chief from the next Nzanga is being selected.
A family that sponsors an acting chief is ineligible to provide the next substantive chief.
Chief Nemakonde was from the Nyamudanwa household and took the reins on September 7, 1985, following the death of Simon Kapfeka.
The Nyamudanwa and the Nyamupfeka-Muzavazi rotate in taking the reins under the Nemakonde chieftainship, which is one of the largest by area, stretching from their boundary with Guruve to Zvimba, Gokwe and Hurungwe.
Chiefs Chireya and Neuso in Gokwe were birthed from the Nemakonde chieftainship.
“Chief Nemakonde ruled over a huge area to the extent that some chiefdoms such as Chireya and Neuso came from Nemakonde, even though they are Vahera,” said Chief Ngezi.
Chiefs, he said, would consult spirit mediums in Chief Nemakonde’s area. He was also instrumental in rainmaking ceremonies in Mashonaland West province. The Nzanga is called Tsaka in other areas.
Among Chief Nemakonde’s remaining wives is a 20-year-old woman whom he married recently.
One of the wives said the late chief was very loving and ensured that none of his wives felt deprived of love and attention.
“We were comfortable around him. He made sure he provided for the family. I did not feel hurt when he brought another wife because we spoke about it first and he did the traditional rites that also informed my family of his desire to have another wife,” she said while requesting anonymity as the family was still in mourning.
Chief Nemakonde was the longest-serving chief in Mashonaland West, naturally positioning him as a fountain of wisdom from which other chiefs drew.
Chief Chundu said all newly installed chiefs sought advice from the late Chief Nemakonde.
“When we came in as chiefs we had to seek advice from Chief Nemakonde as he was our senior, having been chief for 39 years,” he said.
He was installed as chief on September 7, 1985 by the late President Mugabe.
The chieftainship was bastardised by the colonial settlers to Chief Magonde.
He took over from Simon Kapfeka who had died.
The late chief was a key pillar in the preservation of the Korekore culture after inspiring the setting up of Korekore Cultural Village in Alaska, working with other stakeholders including then Tourism Minister Prisca Mupfumira and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.
It remains one of the key cultural landscapes in Makonde designed to showcase and preserve the Kore Kore culture.
As an ardent proponent of development, Chief Nemakonde also known as Chief Makonde or Magonde touched the lives of people under him by helping construct Mupata, Gandawasvika in ward 11 and Magogi clinic in ward 13.
◆ Full report on www.herald.co.zw