mhondoro
means a tutelary spirit of a dead prominent ancestor (or a progenitor) that gets to be hosted by a svikiro (i.e., a living person who plays the role of being a medium by bridging the gap between people who are still alive and those who have passed on).
mudzimu
means the spirit of a dead ancestor in your family e.g. your great-grandparent or your great-great-great whatever; however, this should not be misconstrued with a "foreign spirit" aka shavi or shave e.g., njuzu, etc.
Note: The difference between mhondoro and mudzimu is that the latter is mostly concerned about the welfare of its immediate family whilst the former being more pre-eminent is concerned about the welfare of the entire tribe who share the totem (mutupo) of the same lineage.
Conclusion
Below are other related terms you may come across:| chiShona | English |
|---|---|
| Midzimu yemusha | Ancestral family spirits |
| Midzimu yedunhu | Ancestral district spirits |
| Midzimu yedzinza | Tribal spirits |
