*Political Organisation of Great Zimbabwe*
- The king was the head of the state.
- Kingship was hereditary.
- The king was the commander in chief of the army.
- The king was the judicial leader.
- The king was the chief judge.
- The king led at all religious ceremonies.
- The king was the chief distributer of land.
- The king was helped to rule by a council of elders called Dare in Shona.
- The districts were under district chiefs.
- Provinces were under provincial chiefs.
- The chiefs were appointed by the king.
- The posts of chiefs were hereditary.
- Subjects paid tribute to the king to show loyalty.
- They raided other states for grain, cattle and
chiefs. the like.
- There were also important officials apart from the king in the state such as the Queen mother,
King’s sons in law, army commanders, spirit mediums, royal doctor, district and provincial.
*Social groups within the Great Zimbabwe state*
- Farmers -Soldiers
- Stone masons -Miners
- Potters -Gatherers
- Traders -Herbalists
- Sculptors -Hunters
- Blacksmiths -Fishermen
- Spirit mediums -War captives [slaves]
*Other Madzimbabwe*
- Naletale -Khami
- Munekwani -Ruanga
- Nhunguza -Tsindi
- Chipadze
*Social Organisation of Great Zimbabwe*
- The society was patrilineal.
- Ownership of cattle was a status symbol.
- The practiced polygamy.
- There was sexual division of labour.
- They practised kuronzera [loaning of cattle].
- They paid lobola to their in-laws in form of cattle.
- They celebrated the birth of a new child.
- They celebrated the coming of a new daughter-in-law.
- They practised the nhimbe system.
- Incest and bestiality were taboos.
- They believed in God, Mwari [Musikavanhu].
- They believed in spirit mediums [Masvikiro] and ancestral spirits [Vadzimu].
- They also believed in national spirit mediums [Mhondoro].
- The king was chosen by spirit mediums.
- They practised ceremonies like rain making ceremonies [Mukwerera / Mutoro].
- The king led at all religious ceremonies of national importance.
- They believed that spirits lived in thick forests, pools and thick forests.
- They believed in witchcraft.
*Religion*
- They believed in the existence of a God called Mwari
- They worshipped their God through the ancestors
- Appeasing the deity was done through beer brewing, singing and dancing
- They observed religious ceremonies
- Spirit mediums were responsible for solving succession disputes
- They also believed in witchcraft and avenging spirits
-The king presided over religious ceremonies
- They also recognised the existence of shavi spirit as well as Mhondoros
- Disobeying Mwari would invite calamities
- Mwari was consulted in times of disasters
*Importance of religion in the political system of Great Zimbabwe*
- Religion unified people.
- Rain making ceremonies brought people together.
- The common belief in God unified people.
- The king commanded universal respect since his position was a divine one.
- Spirit mediums appointed the kings.
- Spirit mediums stayed at the royal court providing advice and guidance to the king.
*Economic Organisation of Great Zimbabwe*
-They traded both among themselves and with foreigners.
- They gathered wild fruits, roots, berries, vegetables, wild honey, mushroom and insects.
- They raided other states for grain, cattle and women.
- All subjects paid tribute to the king in form of grain, cattle, goats, sheep, labour, girls, boys, gold,
ivory, tools, and precious skins.
- They kept animals like cattle goats and sheep.
- They grew crops like sorghum, millet, rapoko, melons, pumpkins, beans, cowpeas and gourds.
- They hunted animals for meat, ivory and hides [skins].
- They caught fish to supplement their diet.
- They mined minerals like gold, copper and iron.
- They did art and craft, that is,
a] Pottery. Women made different types of pots for domestic use.
b] Basketry. They made different types of baskets like the winnowing basket.
c] Blacksmithing. They made iron tools like hoes, axes, mattocks and swords.
d] Weaving. They wove cotton into cloth.
e] Stone carving
f] Wood carving
g] Leather work
h] Drum making
i] Jewellery making
j] Building in stone
*Uses of cattle*
- Payment of lobola [bride price] -Symbol of wealth
- Loaning- for political influence -For trade
- Payment of tribute -For ritual ceremonies
- For food, milk, meat and fat -For transport
- For skins [mates, clothes and blankets] -For making shields
- For making drums -Provision of manure
- Cow dung applied on floors -Draught power
- Sacrifice -Ropes
- Strops from skins -Sandals
- Payment of fines -In the blast furnace
- Paying avenging spirits
- Crafts practised by the people of Great Zimbabwe
*Agricultural activities of the people of Great Zimbabwe*
- They cultivated crops like millet, sorghum and gourds for food and brewing of beer.
- Cultivation was done by hand using hoes.
- They practised shifting cultivation.
- Cultivation was mainly done by women.
- They also reared domestic animals like cattle, goats and sheep for meat and milk.
- It was the task of men to herd cattle.
- They practised the transhumance system.
- Cattle were normally slaughtered at ritual ceremonies like bira and rain making ceremonies.
- They practised loaning of cattle.
- They used the slash and burn system of cultivation.
*Trading Activities of the people of Great Zimbabwe*
- The people of Great Zimbabwe traded both internally and externally.
- Locally, they traded among themselves.
- They exchanged local products, such as iron tools, pottery, baskets, cattle and grain.
- Externally, they traded with foreigners like Arabs, Swahili, Indians, Chinese, Portuguese, Persians
- They exported ivory, gold, baskets, ostrich feathers, grain, livestock, iron tools, precious animal
skins and the like.
- They imported glass beads, Chinese bowls, cloth, soapstone bowls, bangles, mirrors, spirits, wires,
copper chains, candles and the like.
- Sofala was the main port of trade.
- Traders paid tribute to the king. The king controlled and protected trade routes.
