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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

MEMBERS of the Foreign Military Attachees Association (FMAA) made up of defence forces attached to Zimbabwe on Saturday paid a courtesy call on Chief Shana of Jambezi in Hwange, to learn about local cultural practices and cement relations.

FMAA is made up of 25 member states, some of them being Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia from Africa; China, Russia, France, United States and United Kingdom.

Mozambique is the Dean of Attachees deputised by Zambia.

On Saturday Colonel Tapiwa Maburuse from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces led the delegation which comprised Botswana, China, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, UK, US and Zimbabwe to Jambezi where they were treated to captivating traditional dance, music and food while interacting with locals.

The delegation was welcomed by a team of the Chief’s advisors known as gota in the local Nambya language.

They were led to the Chief’s court where Chief Shana narrated some of the Nambya cultural practices and how he conducts traditional court trials.

Some of the Defence Attachees were accompanied by their wives and children.

The idea was to expose them to the local security and socio-economic environment.

Col Maburuse said they chose Chief Shana’s chiefdom because he chairs the Matabeleland North Provincial Chiefs’ Council.

“We brought visitors as ZDF and we want them to learn our traditional way of life. They have seen our industry and security and now we are here so they learn the local culture. They have to know that while we are soldiers, we come from and relate to our communities.

“When we came here in Matabeleland North we decided that we showcase our culture so that our visitors understand our values. This is important for us as security so that we don’t forget where we came from and continue working with the community,” said Col Maburuse.

He said such interaction will also have a bearing on tourism since Victoria Falls is the country’s tourism capital and the Defence Attachees might come back with their families and be able to interact with locals during their visit.

Chief Shana, who assumed the throne in 1984, said the visit was an honour for his community.

“Today is a big day as we are visited by people from different cultures. We would want to thank the Commander of Defence Forces for recognising us and I encourage my entire community to welcome our visitors with open hands because Government has given us an honour,” he said.

He said Zimbabwe recognises different cultures and languages as enshrined in the constitution.

Chief Shana said communities either side of Zambezi River in Zambia and Zimbabwe have many things in common as they lived as a single community before colonialisation.

Giving vote of thanks, Colonel Pethias Ndoka of Malawi Defence Forces said they had learnt how traditional courts are conducted and how the village is organised. 

“The traditional activities we witnessed here were not meant to entertain us only but also have a special message to us visitors and to the subjects themselves. We have leant that no one can come and develop a community, it’s up to us as a community,” he said. — @ncubeleon