Beta · Termite
Beta Ishwa is a Shona clan of the Beta totem, the flying termite, known in Shona as ishwa. Its men are greeted as Dhliwayo and its women as MaDhliwayo. The detembo also praises the clan as Ishwa, Beta, Mutore, Mandemwa, Chikukwa and Saungweme, and thanks the termites for bringing the rain.
Aiwa tafara, Ishwa Dhliwayo, matifadza Maita vari Chimanimani Vakabve Mbire Maita Mutore Makapotera Makoni muchidarika Mutasa Maita basa Aiwa tafarisisa, Beta Mandemwa, zvaonekwa Zvaitwa Chikukwa Saungweme, vanonyuka mumwena wechuru Vakakombwa nemajuru Wanei rangove bishi bishi remasoja enyu Kuwumba imba yenyu Imba yemuchenje unotapira-tapira Kukwikwidzana nehuchi hunotapira Pamainza ndimi vhu Chenyu chipako chiri pasi pevhu Munobuda mumwena parukungurima Bhururukei kwaita rima Muchinyuka muchidzere Mune rufaro rwuzere Maita Ishwa Maita Dhliwayo Kubhururuka ndirwo rwenyu rumbo Makaramba kupiripitika kweshiri yabatwa neurimbo Vemanhenga asingatane kugwishwa kumusana Maita vanopunyuka mumwena Maneta munogadaira nedumbu Kukwezha nhumbu Beta maita maita
Ishwa maita Matiunzira mvura yeMatonjeni Nhasi zvakwati nayei nayei Enyu mapapiro faranukei Bhururukei Bhururukei Ewo Beta, zvaonekwa Ishwa maita Tafara nezvamaita izvi.
Your mutupo and its detembo as an image for WhatsApp, your status or a post, carrying the Kwaunobva mark.
The detembo greets the clan as Ishwa and Dhliwayo, thanks them as those who are at Chimanimani, and says they came from Mbire. It tells that they settled in Makoni's country after passing on beyond Mutasa's, and calls them Mutore, Mandemwa, Chikukwa and Saungweme.
Most of the poem follows the flying termite itself. It rises out of the hole in the anthill, surrounded by the soldier termites (majuru) who busily build its house, comes out at dusk and takes to the air once it is dark. Flying is called its song. It does not flap about like a bird caught in birdlime, its wings soon come away from its back, and when it tires it settles on its belly.
The poem closes on rain. It thanks the termites for bringing the rain of Matonjeni, says that today it has rained and rained, and calls on them to spread their wings and fly. Duramazwi reChiShona defines Beta as the totem of people who hold the flying termite sacred (vanoyera ishwa).
Those who carry a totem do not eat its animal. Some families keep away from one part of it only, such as the heart, and the old belief holds that a person who breaks the rule loses their teeth.
The praise names are for every day, not only for ceremonies: a person is greeted by them, thanked with them, and a wife praises her husband with his.
Beta Ishwa mutupo weBeta, ishwa. Varume vanokudzwa seDhliwayo, vakadzi seMaDhliwayo. Detembo ravo rinoti vakabva Mbire, vari Chimanimani, uye vakapotera Makoni vachidarika Mutasa. Rinorondedzera ishwa dzichibuda mumwena wechuru dzakakombwa nemajuru, dzichibhururuka kwaita rima. Rinodzitenda nokuunza mvura yeMatonjeni.
Beta is the flying termite, ishwa. Duramazwi reChiShona defines Beta as the totem of people who hold the ishwa sacred, and a study note on totems lists beta, the termites, among the Shona totems.
It thanks the flying termites for bringing the rain of Matonjeni, says that today it has rained and rained, and calls on them to spread their wings and fly.
Men are greeted as Dhliwayo and women as MaDhliwayo. The detembo also calls the clan Ishwa, Beta, Mutore, Mandemwa, Chikukwa and Saungweme.
In Chimanimani, though families carrying it live all over Zimbabwe and beyond.
Traditionally, people of the same mutupo and chidawo do not marry: they are counted as one family. Between different Beta clans some families allow it, often after a ceremony that cuts the kinship (kucheka ukama).
Pick your totem and clan once. The app greets you by your praise name after that.
Made in Zimbabwe by Invalcre (Pvt) Limited. Free, and they work offline.
Provisional Test ZimbabweZimbabwe VID test and Highway Code
DanhoZIMSEC O and A Level past papers
BhaibheriThe Shona Bible and its hymnals
DenheZimbabwe's public record
