Soko · Monkey
Soko Vhudzijena is a Shona clan of the Soko totem, the monkey. Its men are greeted as Vhudzijena, the white-haired, and as Mukanya and Soko, and the detembo adds Makwiramiti, the tree climber, and Matangakugara. Its women are greeted as MaNcube, Mwenewazvo or Soko.
Eee, maita Shoko Vhudzijena Ewoi Soko, Makwiramiti, mahomu-homu Vanopona nekuba Vanamushamba negore Makumbo mana muswe weshanu Hekani Soko yangu yiyi Vakaera mutupo umwe nashe Vana Va Pfumojena
Vakabva Guruuswa Soko Mbire yaSvosve Vanobva Hwedza Vapfuri vemhangura Veku Matonjeni vanaisi vemvura Zvaitwa matarira vari mumabwe Mhanimani tonodya, svosve tichobovera Maita zvenyu rudzi rukuru Matangakugara Vakawana ushe neuchenjeri
Vakufamba hujeukidza kwandabva
Pagerwe rinongova jemedzanwa
Kugara hukwenya- kwenya
Vari mawere maramba kurimba
Vamazvikongonyadza kufamba hukanya
Zvibwezvitedza, zvinotedzera vari kure
Asi vari padyo vachitamba nazvo
Zvaitwa mukanya rudzi rusina chiramwa
Maita vari Makoromokwa, Mugarandaguta
Aiwa zvaonekwa Vhudzijena
Your mutupo and its detembo as an image for WhatsApp, your status or a post, carrying the Kwaunobva mark.
The Vhudzijena detembo speaks of standing. It calls the clan a great people (rudzi rukuru) and Matangakugara, the first to settle, says they share their totem with a chief (vakaera mutupo umwe nashe) and won their chieftaincy through wisdom (vakawana ushe neuchenjeri). It names them the children of Pfumojena, says they came from Guruuswa and from Hwedza, and calls them smiths of copper (vapfuri vemhangura) and rainmakers of Matonjeni.
It teases too. The monkey climbs trees (Makwiramiti), lives by taking (vanopona nekuba), and has four legs with its tail for a fifth (makumbo mana muswe weshanu). The poem closes by greeting the clan as Mukanya, at Makoromokwa and as Mugarandaguta, and ends on Vhudzijena.
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.
Soko Vhudzijena mutupo weSoko. Varume vanokudzwa seVhudzijena, Mukanya naSoko, vakadzi seMaNcube naMwenewazvo. Detembo ravo rinoti vakabva Guruuswa, vana vaPfumojena, vakaera mutupo umwe nashe. Rinovadaidza kuti vapfuri vemhangura uye vanaisi vemvura veku Matonjeni. Rinoti vakawana ushe neuchenjeri.
Vhudzi is hair and jena is white: the white-haired one. A study note on totems lists the name, spelt Bvudzijena, among the Soko praise names, each of which marks a sub-clan.
It says the clan shares its totem with a chief and won its chieftaincy through wisdom (vakawana ushe neuchenjeri). It also calls the clan smiths of copper and rainmakers of Matonjeni.
In Hwedza and Marondera, 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 Soko 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.
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Provisional Test ZimbabweZimbabwe VID test and Highway Code
DanhoZIMSEC O and A Level past papers
BhaibheriThe Shona Bible and its hymnals
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