The History of the Shona Protest Song: A Preliminary Study

bibliographic database
Line

Periodical article

Title:	The History of the Shona Protest Song: A Preliminary Study
Author:	Kahari, G.P.
Year:	1981
Periodical:	Zambezia
Volume:	9
Issue:	2
Pages:	79-101
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Zimbabwe
Subjects:	Shona political songs Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Architecture and the Arts
External link:	https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/AJA03790622_634
Abstract:	The author has identified six types of traditional songs which act as the major framework around which the theme and the development of the protest song is centred. The analysis and interpretation is made in the light of the link between oral and literary traditions. The study is confined to that part of Zimbabwe - Mashonaland - which is best known to the author. Most of the songs used as examples come from Shona composers, the majority of whom support the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) led by the Prime Minister, Robert Gabriel Mugabe. In tracing the course of Southern Rhodesian colonial and imperial historical events and relating them to the development of the protest song, the author discerns four stages: 1) the period prior to 1890; 2) 1890-1945; 3) 1945-1964; 4) 1965-1980. The protest song proper ended with Independence for Zimbabwe on 18 April 1980. - Notes.