Gushungo:The cultural icon
From out there in the plains of kwaZvimba Raised by those hands rugged through years of industry By an instructive, caring Mbuya Bona Learning the ways of truth, honesty, astuteness and love Family bonds to sustain and build Christened Gabriel! Bearer of glad tidings, mercy and blessings Your deep and solid spirituality that early to espouse Was it not those stories told by the fireside Maputi achiputika Asi unhu huchiumbwa nehudzamu hwetsika Pfungwa zvohudiki dzichidzorwa nenhoroondo dzinodakadza Dzimwe dzichifadza nekusekesa Madimikira nezvirungamutauro zvojekesa nyaya nehungwaru! The wisdom of the ages so richly imbued in you And your leadership ably extended to us That love for Africa Its people Its languages Its culture Its philosophy Fo sho we are as strong as we are proud of who we are We build our future in strengthening our culture That foundation, compact and resolute Your Ubuntu to consolidate What with the values of Pan-African solidarity you espoused Our true Africanness to champion The teacher, disciplinarian, father, Unifier of family and nation Shines in you as a sun Warming us through cultural development
Relentless against the historical imperial onslaught on the fibre of society You made culture central to our African rebirth Upholding the free expression and articulation of cultural norms You freed us from the scourge of Caucasian decadence Veiled as globalisation Threatening to corrode and relegate Our very knowledge and practice To pagan and superstitious innuendoes You have made our very thought, world view and scientific disposition Relevant and significant to our present sustainable development Gushungo Your hand has taught us to love and cherish the family Fidelity, faithfulness and fruitfulness of our relationships Embracing our differences with grace and tact Accepting expressive diversity with tolerance and trust Reclaiming our heritage To build a hope for posterity Usakhe ngokuxolisana lokuzwanana Uthando lobuntu olumnene Namhla sihalalisa ngawe Gushungo Wenze umAfrika wazithanda ngobuAfrika bakhe Wawakhulisa amasiko Namuhla Toyamba Tobulabula Tochilebeleka Tobowa Namuhla sidla sigwabe ngawe ngeqhayiya elikhulu Ngwenyama yatumbuluko Amhlope maphephethwa engaphandlwanga Ntabakayikhonjwa Oyikhombayo wosangana inhloko! Makorokoto Gushungo Nyanzvi munezvetsika neunhu wedu Heekani vagari vemachira Icho chatimbombo chikatyokera Heekani Gushungo Ndimi mune mutupo uri pakati pemakumbo Musati hutukwa mutupo ndowenyu Happy birthday Robert Gabriel Mugabe Epitome of an encultured education and learning Eloquent as you articulate the Afrocentric narrative Exquisite in your deportment Be it formal or casual The quintessence of gentility and class Gushungo A proud back man of culture standing on his two feet Supported by God and the spirits of just men made perfect Amhlope! Amatjena!