Introduction

In Zimbabwe, climate change has severe impacts despite the country’s minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. Erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and extreme weather have caused water shortages, crop failures, and livestock losses. In April 2024, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared an emergency after an El Niño–induced drought threatened millions with food insecurity. While physical impacts are well documented, less attention is given to how climate change affects traditional environmental and cultural practices. Rural communities such as the Ndau and Makonde, reliant on climate-sensitive livelihoods and limited infrastructure, have been forced to adapt or abandon traditions, reshaping their cultural and spiritual life.

The Importance of Traditional Practices in Post-Independence Zimbabwe

Post-independence, communal peasants and resettled farmers faced exclusion from formal education due to racial discrimination. Therefore, black Zimbabwean farmers typically relied upon traditional practices to understand the climate. These practices were often inherited from their parents and grandparents, through folklore and riddles. When formal education became accessible for black Zimbabweans, greater emphasis was placed on agricultural knowledge and practices rather than climate change. Therefore, farmers continued to engage with indigenous climate teachings rather than Western, scientific ones.

The Cultural Beliefs of the Ndau and Makonde People

The Ndau people and the Makonde people are two communities in Zimbabwe which share similar cultural beliefs. Both communities believe in the supreme god Mwari, who governs rainfall and crops. For the Ndau people, the Vadzimu, their tribal ancestors, work alongside Mwari to protect them from danger. The Masvikiro (spirit mediums) facilitate the communication between the community members and these ancestors. They also lead cultural practices that aim to mitigate problems posed by the climate. For example, rain-making ceremonies such as Doro remakoto, the practice of crying for rain, such as yekunofukura, and harvest ceremonies. Other cultural beliefs encourage community members to actively take care of the environment. For example, some spirit mediums have conservationist responsibilities and look after particular trees, working for the ancestral land guardians (Vadzimu wenyika). The religious tradition teaches that caring for the environment is necessary to maintain peace and harmony. The protection of the ancestral spirits shields the community from environmental disasters such as cyclones.

The Effect of Climate Change on Traditional Environmental Practices in Zimbabwe

Climate change is endangering cultural environmental practices in Zimbabwe. Practices such as rainmaking ceremonies and agricultural rituals are being increasingly discarded due to irregular rainfall patterns. Seasonal rituals, such as planting ceremonies, are also being affected as weather conditions force their timings to change, disrupting the community’s spiritual traditions. Some community members are completely rejecting traditional practices, with just over half continuing with harvest ceremonies in one survey. Others are beginning to hybridise their traditional practices with other agroecological teachings by planting mushrooms or adding fertilisers to their gardens.

Conclusion

In the discussion of climate change, its implications for traditional and cultural understandings of the environment must be explored alongside its ecological impacts. This will enable the development of culturally sensitive frameworks that consider both indigenous knowledge and scientific teachings, enabling a better response to the climate crisis that supports, rather than negates, local practices.