My name is Fungayi Chikowore, born in a village called Chikowore under the Chief Musana (Mukuwapasi, Madyirapazhe) in the district of Bindura. Currently this area is now known as Bindura South in Zimbabwe. I was privileged enough to have grown up partly in the village and Harare, specifically Glen Norah B. When I grew up it was still a virgin land, with everything in abundance. 
. Village life was so good and we were all very much a close knit family with one leader who was my grandfather, Stephen Chirimuuta Chikowore. My father is George Zvomuya Chikowore. My grand father was a great man by all standards and he forever represents all that I remember about us as a people before we lost our god given norms. In the village those days the Spirit Mediums ruled and everything was guided by them. As a people we are part of the VaShawasha Clan. Our great grandfather we claim Chinamora chieftainship through is Wafanenhombo who was Chinamaringa’s brother. Wafanenhombo had two sons Chikowore and Charumbira. I am from the Chikowore family. As I said, I grew up enjoying abundance of what nature provided but this is no more!! Sad that my children can not enjoy what I enjoyed, such is evolution. I am now hoping to write a story about where Chidziva left and try to fill in the jigsaw! We are currently sub-chiefs in the are of Musana which is under Chief Musana of the madyirapazhe, mukuwapasi people. We preside from Nyava to Denda/Msana Bazaar. we enjoy very good relationships with the Vagumbo people resident in Musana.
Chikowore had a son who was named Mhembere II after his grandfather Mhembere I. I am yet to confirm the other children of Mhembere II. Mhembere II had many children and one of them was Zvomuya who he had with his wife. Zvomuya had two sons name Mukurutangwa Born of a woman called Ndambi and Stephen Chirimuuta Born of a woman called Kabanda of Samanyanga totem with sister Sandura and Chipiringani. For the rest see the pictures to follow.
Mukurutangwa had four daughters namely Margaret who got married to Matemai and lived in Chikowore Village but husband later moved to Chikokonya in chinamora, Chamunga who got married to Matemai too by the surname Chiwanika from Domboshawa, Katarina who got married to Nehumbas in Mupandira by the surname Chikari. Because he had no son, Mukurutangwa is said to have developed a strong liking for his young brother’s son George Zvomuya and used to spend a lot of time with him while living in Chikowore Village whereas Stephen Chikowore had married Esther Masawi whose family lived near the Damusi area. Stephen Chikowore lived there nearer to his work place at Nyava where he was a tailor. It is claimed that George Zvomuya spent his holidays in Chikowore village and grew up very close to the grandsons of Mukurutangwa and eventually Mukurutangwa and Stephen Chirimuuta agreed to let George be Mukurutangwa’s son.
Stephen Chikowore had the following Children:
- Bernard Murungweni
- Elisha
- Derek
- Dennis
- Todd
- Barbara
- Tongayi
- Mufarira
- Fortunate
- Virimayi
- Maginet
- George Zvomuya
- Munyaradzi (First Wife)
- Fungayi
- George
- Angus
- Dephinie
- Tafadzwa Delroy
- Ethan Tadiwa
- Marcus
- Ashton
- Nhamoinesu
- Tatenda
- Kudakwashe
- Dean
- Angel
- Shamiso
- Stephen
- Daisy
- Diana
- Chakanetsa
- Godfrey (Left when he was young with his mum)
- Esther
- Brian
- Ropafadzo
- Mercy
- Garikayi
- Desire
- Primrose
- Gracious
- Clara
- Henry Chinyoka
- Milton
- Dudzai
- Getrude
- Angribert
- Thompson
- Sandra Digna (First Wife)
- Passmore
- Washington (Second wife)
- Edith
- Tangwa
- Allan
- Lilian
- Allen
- Constantine
- Donald
- Nancy
- Trevor
- Yvonne
- Clever
- Webster
- Katarina
- Christopher
- Memory
- Kudzai
- Shephered
- Kudakwashe Denford
interesting stuff. There is a story about a situation when a Chief was required and all Vashawasha who wanted to contend for the title gathered at a pool in a river. In the river they were required to find “gomarara remvura”. So all day men dived into the river but none could find it. Eventually a young man Dived and dissappeared underwater. When he came out with it they named him Chidziva and the place was called Dzivaresekwa. The pool of embarassment bcoz many were laughed at that day. Have you heard such a tale?
interesting….
For sure, do you have any contribution??
Funny enough i was told a story naTete vangu telling us about a similar story but this is in Chishawasha kwaMutimumwe. Asi they go on to say akatorwa nenjuzu..apparently this young man returned later on and became a medicine man…I wonder the authenticity of this tale as it seems to be wide spread…
So many of these stories where never written down and hence this action to try and collect as much as I can for the good of who we are and the future generations
Yes this is true, interesting enough the story is during the life span of Tete vangu. Saka that would make it around the early to mid 1950’s as she mentioned that she was a young girl.
Can i have time with you boss, online… email me on fnchinyani@gmail.com…
Talent,
This could be true as most of our history is based on oral. This journal I found is the only material I have and tend to rely as most of what is said in here is echoed by many others within vaShawasha and neighbouring chieftainships such as Seke, Makoni, Chivero Zvimba and Chiweshe
Great stuff!
I always wondered who tingini’s was. you provided me with very important infomation. Do you think tingini was influenced to.a certain extent by events during the mufecani?
Mukanya remember it actually is said Tingini once lived in South Africa where he taught Amazulu how to smelt and make Spears!! So it is possible
May you kindly contact, I have a confidential enquiry!
You contact me!!
We are also vashawasha but i know just a little bit about my deep deep roots how can someone assist me on this cause..My father used to talk of Dzama,Chinamaringa,Dzadagu,Munemo,Mhembere Kahari—–who lived in Musana Area somewhere in Mupandira,so we are connected somehow
Zebron Chawaipira
I am from Mupandira, kwaChikowore, we are the subchieftain their under Musana Mukuwapasi madyirapazhe
Can you find out who was jim chawaipira he was our sekuru, ask some of your elders he use to play mbira dze njari,he used to go to Denda pa Chikomo Pachakuronda apo pa cross tichienda kwa shumba kudenda just after Mutanaurwa school.Anyhow in Musana vaigara pa Mhembere with someone by the name Kahari Mhembere,this one was his brothers son. so please as vakuru they might have an idea because i understand vari muimba yeu mambo but we have no track sevazukuru.
I come from this area and I know the Mhemberes and all but never heard of that name!! Will find out mukanya
If you know anyone from Musana by the name Kahari from the father Mhembere now kwa sara vazukuru ne vana they must also get hold of me ini i am from Chakuronda village Chinamora along the dust road to Denda Township.Tichibva Kwamusana
Do you have a personal email were we can share a dialogue? @ Zebron Chawaipira
The idea of this website is to help connect the Vashawasha. If we go private then many people will miss and thats what I am trying to avoid.
@Fungayi, I am sorry i wanted to establish some variables and not to waste peoples time in the process. I wanted to find out if the area paDenda he is referring to is in Domboshawa? If so this is the region vaSekuru vangu lived after they was forcibly removed from Chishawasha before the missionary was established.
Kwamusana papi?
My personal email is zchawaipira@yahoo.co.uk yes again Denda is in Chinamora area just after the turn off Chabwino store the first township is called Denda so it is in in Chief Chinamora Area.If you know the Mhemberes please ask them about this old man called Jim Chawaipira.
Well to be honest we are very close to the Mhemberes. I will find out for you anklet you know.
Can someone tell me about the relationship between the Gumbo Madyirapazhe of Masvingo and the Madyirapazhe of Musana
Sorry for being late in responding to your question. The Madyirapazhe, Mukuwapasi, Gumbo, are originally from Musana and some of them emigrated to Gutu. This as far as I am told.
Interesting Stuff Fungayi! never thought there was someone with this info out there. iwe ingati uri hama yangu. ndiri wekwa Madondo. my sekuru was John Tinarwo. ndinobva kwa Musana. maybe you can give me nhoroondo yavo and vamwe!
Vari mhuri yaChinamora here? Mukaverenga pane narration yaChidziva you may get an idea kuti mafamilues acho akamira sei? I will check for you and just keep checking
this should be the work of the books, let it laid down for the history of our forfathers in our land, it cant go down without sign of legarcy our my forfather Gibbon Takaruza Makahamadze would say that!
What a big family
Yes you are welcome soko if you are a clan member
Yes very big family
ini ndiri soko Munangatire tateguru Chinamora tichibatana tichiti chirumuta mutimumwe munangatire chawasarira chikwenengere
Zvakanaka as long as mawonawo kuti pamunobatana nevamwe ndepapi.
Just stumbled on this while researching the 12 generations of vaeragumbo! I’m a daughter of Josiah Muchapondwa- I would love to read your book -any idea where I can get it here in Cape Town?
Hi, please email me on wafanenhombo@gmail.com
Makadii Mukuwapasi, tinotenda nekupinda mudare redu aSahwira Musana
Interesting stuff mukanya. I have some interesting history of the clan we can share. I am B Z Mavedzenge an independent agricultural researchers ( you can Google ).
If you have any written history, please email me and I will publish here for the good of everyone. Please let us share as we stand to lose otherwise.
Madzimukanya please fill me in.if there is a whatsapp group ndipinzeiwo number is 0783871432