Regalia associated with ATR

(Demystifying Chivanhu/Isintu/African
Tradition with Mbuya VaChinjanja Muroro)

The other day I was discussing with friends about jira reretso who thought it was material for vadzimu. As readers might know midzimu and mashave that possess mediums or are family guardian spirits own one or more pieces of materials (jira or machira). The most known is jira reretso. This material is red in colour with designs in black and white. Jira reRetso is not for mudzimu but it is for a shave called shave rekuvhima, or hombarume or spirit of the Hunter. This spirit is a family spirit which in most cases, does not possess the medium separately from the core mudzimu. The hunter spirit is a worker’s spirit and assists family members who do work that brings income. The material is commonly worn by n’angas. Unlike other materials that are bought for a specific mudzimu or shave and are kept in the custody of the medium or head of the family, the family spirit of the hunter can have as many pieces of material as any of the family members wish to buy and keep. In other words, one does not have to be a spirit medium to purchase and keep a retso. In Shona tradition it has always been important to thank the hunter when they have brought home their catch and indeed some totems have special praise poems (nhetembo) for thanking their hunters. Likewise, buying a retso would be a way to thank the family hunter so that if figuratively he was bringing home mice, he is motivated to bring a hare then an eland and so on. Retso is not the kind of material that is kept in a safe place but should be used as ordinary clothing such as wrap, head dress, handkerchief, towel, cravat or scarf. It should not remain new but fade over time.

Some people are afraid of retso because they  associate it with n’angas only. This is the friendliest material because it can be worn in the public domain. We have see musicians wearing it and there is nothing to be afraid of, where retso is concerned. Remember Mutirowafanza!

Unfortunately this material is also used in the construction of goblins since it is associated with work and income. Hombarume spirits are therefore slowly moving away from it, opting for the black and white spotted material called guru rehanga which is normally associated with female spirits.

– Mbuya VaChinjanja Muroro is a Development Practitioner with a passion for Cultural Heritage and can be reached at mbuyavachinjanjamuroro@gmail.com