chivanhu

dombo that's a street name for chlorpromazine in the Republic of Zimbabwe. It's used to treat people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and acute psychosis but is widely abused by some Zimbos for recreational purposes, especially in poor high-density areas. Oftentimes, people confuse dombo...

kudhakwa foshoro this is a serious level of intoxication beyond your average intake so much that you end up simultaneously throwing up (kuzvirutsira) whilst defecating on yourself (kuzvisetera or kuzvimamira) without any sense of self-awareness about neither what's going on nor your...

bhrugwa or bhrukwa, bhurugwa, bhurukwa, bhurugwe, or bhurugu are all general terms referring to undergarments, underwear, or knickers worn to cover the genitalia area and sometimes to seductively expose it — with contemporary crotchless designs whose secondary purpose is to allow for easy...

kuchestirwa means to be given a good opportunity by someone you know personally or by someone that knows someone who also knows someone of great importance in the grand scheme of things. Note: there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting extra help from people in your circle. However, it...

ngeyi uchiramba Definition: explain why you are refusing or why are you in denial? Note: this catchphrase is often used by Panganai Java (aka Passion Java or Prophet Twabam). Sometimes members belonging to the ZANU-PF political party in the Republic of Zimbabwe use this catchphrase too as a...

kufira pakati pemakumbo sengoma Definition: a tendency to obsessively engage in lovemaking due to an intense desire for coitus so much that a day does not feel complete without getting off several times. This quote is derived from how a drum player will tilt and aggressively squeeze the body...

koperai moyo is a pejorative phrase that means a clout chaser, charlatan, plagiarist, or copycat. Note: Copying or plagiarizing someone else's work is wrong. However, since some people's entire livelihood is driven by psychopathic greed and a lack of empathy thereof, they can't help but...

kungwavha-ngwavha means toing and froing from one hustle to another as a means to secure a sustainable grind (i.e., source of income). Related terms Synonyms Kujingirisa Kujoinhidza Kusota madhiri Kukiya-kiya (or kukiyakiya)

n'anga haizvirape (or n'anga haizvirapi) Literal meaning: a sangoma ("traditional healer") can't diagnose and heal themself. Contextual meaning: when an authoritative person whose role is to enforce the law gets caught up in corruption, or supposedly if they commit a heinous crime, it makes...

chi zhing-zhong this means Chinese language and it doesn't matter what dialect it is whether it's Mandarin, Cantonese, or whatever. Chi zhing-zhong is sometimes loosely used in reference to Oriental culture just like how the word Chivheti is used in the context of Occidental culture. However...

or homwe means a medium (a living person) for either mhondoro or mudzimu (a spirit of a deceased person). Note: To keep things simple and without being too verbose just think of svikiro as someone who is possessed by a late influential ancestor of the same tribe or someone closely related to...

murombo munhu haavigwe asina kufa Literal translation: a pauper is a human being, they shouldn't be buried alive for being poor. What it means: every single person regardless of their socioeconomic status should be treated without any form of discrimination; neither should they be constantly...

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...

kupereka Definition: this is a cultural practice that is normally done to send off a newly married woman to her husband's home after an official roora ceremony has taken place. kusungira Definition: this is when a married woman who is pregnant for the first time is temporarily brought back...

Vamwe vanhu vedzimwe nyika vanonwa mukaka wengamera ("camel's milk") nekuti vanoti ivo une mabhenefiti ehutano anosanganisira se kudzivirira gomarara, chirwere cheshuga, uye chirwere chemwoyo.

From a spiritual perspective, what's the main difference between njuzu yechirume ("merman") and njuzu yechikadzi ("mermaid") particularly in the context of Chivanhu?

tsikamutanda means a witch-hunter or a traditional exorcist. They are usually paid by people to catch zvikwambo or zvidhoma. However, some (but not all) of these traditional exorcists are bogus because they will covertly plant their stuff (for example, a snake) at someone's house and then...

shavi (or shave) this is a foreign or alien spirit (mweya wemutorwa) that is not associated with your clan's tutelary spirit (mhondoro) or the spirit of your ancestor (mudzimu). By the way, be mindful that there is a difference between mhondoro and mudzimu. Note: The plural form for either...

How do varoyi and n'anga go about making zvikwambo?

Suppose someone gets a goblin (chikwambo) because they want kuromba so that they make tonnes of money. Now after some time, they change their mind and decide they no longer need it. How do they deal with that issue, can they literary just kill it and go back to normalcy?