Aaron Gono
In August 2024, that was the first time in 600 years the people of Chirumanzu, witnessed their famous pool drying up.
Gonawapotera was popularised through prolific writer Mordecai Hamutyinei’s Shona novel called ” Gonawapotera.”
It’s more like a horror movie when reading it. Hamutyinei was a master story teller and we always thought that’s how they make ends meet.
Gonawapotera pool, from my own analysis l can say it resembles or it’s a twin pool of Mupfure River. They never dried up, in all the devastating past droughts in Zimbabwe. And why now Gonawapotera has succumbed to nature. Many myths are raised and de-mystified, although some are not easily debunked or quashed away.
The residents of Chaka, Chirumanzu who rely on tapped water from Chivavarira Zinwa water pump station experienced a dry spell on their taps for two weeks from 04/11/24 to 17/11/24. Although now Zinwa is trying to pump the water, you can easily deduce from the pressure which low lying areas are getting the water. Their natural reservoir has given up. The famous Gonawapotera pool needs resuscitation.
The history of major water sources drying up began in the 1990s. Lower and Upper Ncema in Esigodini, in Matebeleland was known for this phenomenon. Matebeleland always receive less rains as it lies in region 5. Then came Pungwe river in Manicaland. And came Mazoe river in Mashonaland Central, and now it’s Shashe river (Gonawapotera), in the Midlands.
Pungwe river and Mazoe dam dried up when the world was starting to realize the effects of the ozone layer depreciation. Mazoe dam lies in region 2 which receives more than 1000mm of rainfall annually. When it dried up, fingers were pointed at artisanal miners and new farmers who cultivated near river banks. And it was solved like that. Pungwe river in Mutare also dried up and the same Mazoe dam causes were cited.
And now its Gonawapotera pool in Shashe river, which in August 2024 forced the flood gates of dams in Drierfontein Mission to top the river. And came November 2024, Shashe river (Gonawapotera) has dried up again. What must be done traditionally to mitigate these experiences? Some elders in Chirumhanzu blame the traditional leaders of not paying heed to their traditional roles.
In the late 1970s and 80s, in Gutu it was rare for the tribesmen to return home with their spirit mediums ( masvikiro) after asking for rains from the dead and God, to come home whilst dry. Shortly after the mediums ask for the rains you would notice the sky being abruptly covered with cumulonimbus clouds. And you would know that the lizards in kopjes were going to get some fresh baths and frogs would start crocking.
We knew that a new season has just begun. Nowadays headmen and kraal heads are reminded to perform these rituals. Yes climate change is there and why Mupfure river has enough water and Shashe river is a replica of the Sahara desert? Some clansmen of the Mhazi totem blame the Mwazha churches which now monopolize the Gonawapotera pool. Both factions of Mwazha are camped on opposite side of Shashe River.
Some are even now getting deeper in the mysterious Chivavarira kopje seeking fine divine power? The kopje is the resting place of the oldest generations of the Mhazi dynasty. Now it belongs to the Mwazha factions; so who is to blame? Council officials from both Gutu and Chirumanzu districts who just parcel out land regardless of the historical heritage of the area are also taking the flak.
If in urban areas certain old buildings are reserved as heritage; why disregarding and neglecting your own traditions and customs? Council employees need to be taught to respect certain places which make our history. The extravagance of randomly issuing stands must stop.
And why do we have a high accident rate from Shashe river to Nyamatikiti river. Ordinary people also point this to the dark world; which they also accuse of drying up Gonawapotera and causing accidents daily at Chaka and thereabouts. They allege that people who sought riches and divine powers have used Gonawapotera pool as their springboard; causing the mermaids to get angry and seek revenge.
Now the source of water for the people of Chaka is gone, causing them to go back to the drawing board again. Chiefs, Headmen and Women and Kraal Heads do the right thing, Gonawapotera needs you! You know what needs to be done there. It dismays me witnessing traditional leaders fighting to get the chance to eat not to lead. Please we are lost sheep and we need shepherds. Our traditional leaders do the right thing and stop behaving like the Pharisees and Sadducees.
“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath”? “Don’t just say to each other ; We are the descendants of Abraham.”
