BY PRESTIGE MUNTANGA
ENGLAND-BASED Zimbabwean artist and author Titshabona “Tish” Malaba Ncube has launched a book titled The Malaba Clan: Heritage and Legacy, which reflects the historical memories of Zimbabwean culture.
The Malaba people came to south Zimbabwe in the first quarter of the 19th century.
They are of Venda origins and are associated with the Thobela Mbedzi Mwali shrine at Njelele.
Tish told Standard Style that the book depicts the Malaba clan and their impact on Zimbabwean communities.
“The book represents one of the indigenous autobiographical pieces that are increasingly becoming important as new modes through, which previously silenced voices are telling their histories and stories that are counter hegemonic to hegemonic histories from colonisers and dominant ethnicities,” he said.
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“Some people may be asking themselves questions like ‘so what?’ Why should I be interested in reading about the Malaba clan and their history? This is not only the history of the Malaba people. It is the history of Zimbabwe from the perspective of the Malaba people. It is a narrative that covers the Malaba people’s existence and contributions to societies they have lived with or in and influenced from as far as admissible data could be gathered.”
Malaba said the book also tells about the day-to-day livelihood of their clan.
“The account presents a picture of how the clan managed to influence and shape other peoples and communities, specifically through their extraordinary gift of rainmaking and knowledge of African medicines,” he said.
“It is here in this book a detail on the clan’s existence in vhuVenda and around the Matobo areas of Zimbabwe where they co-existed with the BaKalanga, the Matabele of King Mzilikazi and Lobengula and under the British South Africa Company (BSAC) colonial rule.”
He added: “Particular attention is paid on the Malaba clan and the establishment and sustained custodianship of the Njelele, a shrine located in the Mabweadziba site of the Matopos. The great influence of Mwalism and the Mwali religion in the region is deeply outlined in the book.”
Malaba said the book is co-authored by him and my other three brothers Dr Matiwaza, Admire and John after getting inspiration from their fathers.
“All being Malaba descendants. It is our father who inspired us to write this book. He never got tired of narrating to us the stories of the Malaba people, especially the history, heritage as a legacy. So, to honour that we decided to embark on this research using modern academic research tools.”