Zimbabwe Artists Project

Two kudus are male and one is female.
This description was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.   (17” x 28”)

 

Here are a flying bird, a giraffe and a leopard.  You can find all of these animals if you happen to visit Zimbabwe today.
This description was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.  (18.5” x 26”)

 

Yellow-billed storks and a grey heron are in the water.  They are looking for fish.
This description was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.  (18.5” x 26”)

These kudus are animals found in Zimbabwe.  They look attractive to tourists.
This description was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.  (18.5” x 26”)

The kingfisher, the Heuglin’s robin and the two African jacama are all birds found in Zimbabwe.
This description was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.  (18” x 28”)

Hare had two friends.  Hare said to the two, “I want to cross the river.  If you carry me across I will give youa sack full of meat.”  The frog said, “I don’t want to.”  Crocodile said, “Yes, and give me the sack full of meat.” 
Crocodile carried hare across the river.  Now crocodile opened the sack and found it full of leaves.  Hare is a creative animal!
This story was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.   (16” x 29”)

A baobab tree is a very important tree.  We get fruits on it.  We use the fruits, leave and the bark.  From the powder of the fruits we make porridge or ice lollies, and we can even cook the leaves (which taste like okra).  People who have baobab tree in their home areas collect baobab fruits and sell them to other areas and go to Mbare Musika (the largest market in the capital city, Harare).
People in Harare buy them and cook ice lollies and sell them.  The ice lolly is the same as ice cream, but the taste is different.  When they cook them they take powder from baobab fruits and boil it.  After that they put milk, sugar and colourings.  They put them in small containers and put in deep freezer to make them freeze.  When they freeze, they sell them.

1.     Children are putting baobab fruits in the big baskets to carry.
2.     Children are going home to give their parents for selling.
This description was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.  (19” x 29”)

Baboons usually feed on wild fruits in winter, when summer is past.  One baboon is in a tree and two are under the same tree.  All of them are eating fruits from the tree.
This description was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.  (19.5” x 27.5”)

Tafadzwa and his mother are going to catch termites.  Now at the anthill they are catching them in the company of their neighbors Rudo and Tinoda.  Tafadzwa’s mother is now putting them on a stone to dry them up.  Later Tafadzwa’s father and Tinoda’s father are going for fishing (using termites as bait).  At the river they are fishing.This description was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.   (28″x33″)

This story was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.   (29” x 32”)

Mr. L. Makoni and his wife are busy opening the kraal.  They want to pull the scotchcart with oxen.  Mrs. Makoni is busy running to correct the other ox that is running away.This story was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.         (26″x36″)

A girl is sweeping the house while her parents are relaxing under a tree.  The boys went to the river for fishing.  When it was about dawn the boys returned with fish.  Mother is thanking them for the fish and a girl is carrying water for cooking.This description was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.   (28″x35″)

Most people in Zimbabwe’s rural areas practice farming to earn a living.  Mr. and Mrs. Moyo are going to the field.  The husband is carrying the baby on his back.  Later we see them weeding a field of tobacco.This story was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.    (24″x35″)

These are some animals called lesser antelopes – the suni, steenbok, oribi, klipspringer and the reedbuck.This description was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.      (30″x37″)

There are a flying bird, an ant bear, a tortoise, a secretary bird, a dancing baboon and a hunting lion.  All these animals can be found around Zimbabwe.This description was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.      (29″x35″)

The waterbuck, the kudu and the tsessebe are all animals found in the wild.This description was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.    (30″X36″)

1.    A monkey was playing and saw a snake under a big stone.  The snake asked for help.2.    Monkey felt sorry for the snake and removed the stone.3.    Snake then caught the monkey and wanted to eat him.4.    Hare arrived and was told the story.  They asked hare to referee.  Hare said he doesn’t understand the story and asked them to show exactly how it started.  Snake went under the rock to show him.  Hare said he understood now, and ordered that the snake be left like that.5.    Hare and monkey were very happy and they became best friends.  The monkey then invited hare home for supper and they went away together.This story was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.   (25″X36″)

    Granny Resi survives by selling clay pots.  She moulds clay pots, and after moulding them she allows them to dry.  Then she burns them to make them hard.  We can see her moulding and burning them.  Many women are coming to buy the clay pots.  Granny Resi is a self-reliant old woman.This story was handwritten by the artist and is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.  (29″x35″)

     The monkey wanted to cross the river, but because he could not swim he asked the crocodile to help him across.  The crocodile agreed to carry him on his back.       When they were in the center of the river the crocodile wanted to drown the monkey and said, “If you give me your heart I will not drown you.”  The monkey was quick to decide and said to the crocodile that he had left his heart at the bank of the river.  If the crocodile could take him back to the bank, he would collect his heart and give it to the crocodile.  The crocodile agreed.     When they had got to the river bank the monkey jumped into the tree and started shouting that he was not coming back to the river.This story was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.    (29″x37″)

Whenever there is an old and wise man (sekuru) in the village, big boys became very happy.  They want to visit sekuru because they are taught how to court girls and sustain marriages.  They organize a day when they can visit sekuru.
They go together so that they share ideas.  They bring presents for sekuru, mainly in the form of firewood and traditional beer.  Tendai is popping maputi (popcorn) for them to eat whilst in the discussion.  Rujeko, who is from the city, is amazed by the way things are done in the rural areas.  Tapiwa and Danisa, sitting on the bench are asking sekuru questions whilst the others listen.  Danisa has also brought his friend Rugare from the neighboring village so that he can listen to sekuru.  Nhamo and Ruka are offering sekuru presents they have brought.  They have brought traditionally brewed beer for sekuru.  Whilst giving sekuru the presents they kneel to show respect.
The elders in the village are happy by the action taken by the boys to return to their traditional ways.

This story was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.        (25” x 33.5”)

One day Fungai thought of visiting his friend Tapiwa.  Fungai arrived as his friend’s wife was shouting and their child Nyasha was crying with hunger.  Tapiwa’s wife was saying that it is better to go back to her family because her husband was a fool who did not even support his family.
1.     Fungai told his friend that nothing can come if you only sit in the sunshine.  “You must go and work for your family to be happy and to eat more food.”  Fungai then left his friend Tapiwa and went home.
2.     Tapiwa also left his home and went to the forest.
3.     Fungai thought to go back and see if his friend had done something for his family.  Unfortunately he saw him busy dancing without a shirt, shouting and ululating under a big cool shade tree.  Fungai was very angry.
4.     Fungai took his friend Tapiwa back to his home.
5.     Fungai sat down with his friend, giving him advice and ideas to start a garden, cultivating tomatoes and other vegetables to sell rather than spend his time playing under a big tree.

This story was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.  (26” x 35.5”)

In Africa there are many different types of wild animals.  Some of the most interesting are the springbok, zebra, jackal, baboon hyena and giraffe.
The springbok (top right) is springing up in the air.  It springs up for joy or as a sign to show that danger is near.  The zebra (below the springbok) is one of the most beautiful animals.  It is running and jumping around to show it is happy.  The jackal (top left) is looking for a playmate.  The baboon is sitting enjoying a wild fruits.  I has a taste for people’s crops and sometimes steals chickens or young goats.  The baboon is respected since some spirit mediums are possessed by spirits from baboons.
The hyena (bottom right) is also respected by spirit mediums because it has the ability to dream where it may find a meal to eat.  It is laughing because it is happy and well fed.  The giraffe (bottom left) is one of the tallest animals.  It is a very friendly animal.  The two young giraffes are rubbing their horns to show friendliness.
This story was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.    (29” x 34”)
 

 

     These are respected animals in the Zimbabwean bush.  Many tourists come to see the big three.  They are the rhino, the leopard and the lion.     The rhino is the less vicious of the three because it does not feed on flesh.  However, when it becomes angry it can give a deadly blow with its horn.  Its skin is used for many purposes, and its horn is used for jewelry as well as for ritual purposes in Asia.  Because of that it is nearly extinct.     A roar from a lion or leopard will leave other animals fearing for their lives.  The leopard is also feared for its speed.  It has the ability to follow its prey even into the tree.  It has a beautiful colored skin which is favored by spirit mediums in Zimbabwe.The lion attacks its prey with such speed.  But in traditional culture it is believed that its viciousness is humbled when it encounters a person who is possessed by an ancestral spirit.  Even in the midst of the forest it lowers its head to show respect.  Even in today’s life, some people say, “Sekuru maswera sei” (Good afternoon, uncle) while fearing to say the lion’s name.This story was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.     (28″x33″)

The baboon invited the hare and his family to a party at his home, since they were friends.  On the day of the party, hare and his family went to the party.  When they got there the baboon said that the hare must climb into the tree because the food was to be eaten there.  The hare’s family said they could not climb the tree, but the baboons would not come down until they finished eating and drinking.Then one day the hare also invited the baboon.  We can see the hare’s family going to invite them.  The hare’s family is now at the party.  When the baboons arrived at the party, the hare said they had already washed their hands, so the baboons should go and wash their hands at the river.  When they came back, the hare said their hands were not clean, so he sent them back to wash their hands again.  Their hands would not be clean – as they walked on all four legs – until the hares had finished eating.The other hare was beating a drum.  The hare reminded the baboon of what they had done and that the hare was now getting back at the baboon.
This story was handwritten by the artist.  The original is tucked into a pocket at the back of the painting.    (30″x37″)