Akwaaba

The traditional Shona society of present-day Zimbabwe were primarily an agriculturally based society with a de-centralized political structure where the autonomous villages co-existed with one another to create a larger Shona nation. The traditional Shona education consisted of many elements that could certainly be useful in the education of AFrikan children, OUR way.


Shona children development various mental skills such as reasoning, critical thinking, creative thinking and many other types of higher-order thinking skills. From the ages ages 6 to 8 children regularly listen proverbs and stories from their elders (especially grandparents) and are often asked to explain their meanings. Not only does this reinforce comprehension and critical thinking but the moral codes of the community are reinforced also. Then children are required to solve puzzles given through certain tasks or stories told by elders.

True story: One of my graduate school professors, gave my class brainteasers to increase our understanding of "logic." I found out later when reading one a book of Afrikan folktales that one of the brainteasers used was just an American translation, in his it involved a dog cat and mouse and in the Afrikan (Kongo and Shona version <- I think it maybe a common teaser amongst the Bantu-speakers and certain West Afrikans as I have even seen an Igbo version), it involved a goat,frog? and yam.

Then the games played by Shona youth also stimulate creativity. Games and play have often been cited by scientist of diverse fields to be the number one learning tool of many species. Shona games not only stimulate creative thinking but also physical abilities and prowess and social adjustment. "Playing house" is a popular game amongst younger Shona children and it serves to instill the roles that will be played by the children as adults.

Imitation and role-playing of adult roles is very important of the learning process of the Shona child. Boys learn from their fathers on how to be men both morally and socially and vice versa for the girls. Both sexes learn during the toddler stages general mores and taboos from their grandparents but when they get older the parents and other younger elders play a more prominent role in the child's development. Boys learn how to farm, the quality of wood, how to build structures, animal husbandry etc. The boy learns through experience with farming his own small plot of land and one animal. The girls learn cooking skills, how to maintain a house, and how to raise children by caring for younger siblings or other children.

Both sexes learn about the specific qualities of the land and nature, such as plant life and animal life. They also learn about various domestic animals and how to feed rear and care for them. Furthermore they learn which animals are dangerous and which ones are not.


SE wo werE fi na wosankofa a yenkyi.

Akoneaba ne agoro
solarICE

"So many of those who consider themselves Afrikan centered spend so much time on themselves that they forget that the primary role of the adult in our tradition was to raise the children to improve the society for their children."- Mwalimu Baruti

***Daily Affirmation***

i must be a warrior. i must be an Afrikan father. i must be self-full. i must challenge myself daily to grow, to love my people in and through action. To reflect that love at all times. To be optimistic. To know that victory is in front of US.