Wikijunior:Ancient Civilizations/Munhumutapa

What Countries Did They Live In?

The Munhumutapa people lived in the south east coasts of Africa in the area of the modern countries of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The Kingdom of Mutapa Empire (Shona: Wene we Mutapa; Portuguese: Monomotapa) was a medieval kingdom (c. 1450-1629) which stretched between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers of Southern Africa in the modern states of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Its founders are culturally and politically related to the builders who constructed Great Zimbabwe.

What did their buildings look like?

The buildings were built between the eleventh to fifteenth centuries, and are the oldest remains in the South of Africa. It is believed that 18,000 people lived in Great Zimbabwe, the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe. The ruins that have survived until today are built entirely of stone and we think the architecture was like that to protect from other people. Because of their great ability to construct such a great city, now Great Zimbabwe is a National Monument.

What did they eat?

They ate Sadza, and Nyama. The meat from cattle, and game.

What did they wear?

All of the Mutapa Empire people commonly wore the same loosely woven cotton cloths, called machiras, they also wore horn-like headgear as an adornment, being made of their own hair turned back in a strange manner.

What did they believe?

They believed in Mwari, and the Mhondoro. They used animal totems as well.