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Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls, Ndebele Bracelets, & Sadza

Updated on December 10, 2014
iijuan12 profile image

I am a Christian. I was an 8th-grade American History teacher. I am currently a freelance writer, public speaker, & homeschooling mom of 10.

Victoria Falls (Mosi oa Tunya)
Victoria Falls (Mosi oa Tunya) | Source
Lunar Rainbow at Victoria Falls
Lunar Rainbow at Victoria Falls | Source

Want to know more about Zimbabwe? Are you a lover of travel, geography teacher, homeschooling or involved parent, student, or life-long learner? In an effort to make world geography more meaningful and memorable, I've compiled all you will need to locate Zimbabwe on a map, cook a Zimbabwean meal, watch YouTube clips on Zimbabwe, color the flag, create a Zimbabwean craft, read a great book about Zimbabwe, and more!

Please DO NOT copy this elsewhere without giving proper credit: http://iijuan12.hubpages.com/hub/z-is-for-zimbabwe

Map showing Zimbabwe's location
Map showing Zimbabwe's location | Source

Where is Zimbabwe?

Locate Zimbabwe on this map of the Africa. Use this map of Zimbabwe to label the capitol, Harare. Mark other relevant features (rivers, mountains, famous locations, etc.) if desired. If you'd like to spend a bit more time researching the country, you can add the language, currency, type of government, religion, and/or famous landmarks. Write them on the back of the map. You can easily find all this information at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimbabwe.

Source

Fun facts about Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe was ruled over by Mutapa Empire, renowned for its gold trade routes with Arabs, but the Mutapa Empire was destroyed by the Portuguese in the 17th century. In 1834, the Ndebele people arrived in Zimbabwe, making it a new empire, known as Matabeleland. In 1880s, the British arrived and the name Southern Rhodesia was adopted in 1898. In 1980, the country attained independence, along with a new name - Zimbabwe.

Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe are locally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, "the smoke that thunders," and they are the largest waterfalls in the world.

Mapungubwe, located in present-day Zimbabwe, was the largest ancient kingdom in the sub-continent, before it was abandoned in the fourteenth century.

Lake Kariba of Zimbabwe, constructed on River Zambezi, is one of the world's largest manmade lakes in the world.

(facts-about-zimbabwe)

Flag of Zimbabwe
Flag of Zimbabwe | Source

Zimbabwe's Flag

Print and color the flag of Zimbabwe and learn the history and meaning of it from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Zimbabwe.

Visit Zimbabwe on YouTube

Zimbabwean meal

Prepare and serve Sadza (cornmeal porridge), Zimbabwe Greens, Dovi (chicken stew), Rock Shandy (a lemon-lime soda pop like Sprite or 7-up), and Mbatata (sweet potato biscuits/cookies).

In rural areas food is served communally, so everyone eats from the same dishes. When eating using sadza, Zimbabweans clean their hands, then using their right hand, pinch off a chunk from the bowl and roll it into a ball in their palm. They dip the ball into "relish" (stew) and bite off a piece, then roll it again and continue the process. In urban areas, Zimbabweans use regular utensils and eat from individual plates. (foodbycountry.com.)

Sadza
Sadza

Sadza

The cornmeal-based dietary staple of Zimbabwe is the national dish. Sadza is to the Zimbabweans what rice is to the Chinese or pasta is to the Italians. "In fact, sadza re masikati, or 'sadza of the afternoon' simply means lunch. Sadza re manheru, or "sadza of the evening" means dinner. Sadza is made from cornmeal or maize and eaten with relish. 'Relish' can be any kind of vegetable stew, but nyama (meat) such as beef or chicken is common among families who can afford it. Sadza is cooked slowly until thick, like porridge."

Serving Size

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water
  • 2 1/2 cups cornmeal

Instructions

  1. Bring 3 cups of the water to a boil in a large pot. Combine 1 1/2 cups of the cornmeal with the remaining 1 cup water. Reduce heat to medium to low and add the cornmeal mixture to the boiling water, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5 minutes. Slowly adding the remaining 1 cup of cornmeal. When the mixture is very thick and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, transfer to a serving bowl or plate. Use a wooden spoon to shape the mixture into a round shape. You may use wet hands to help shape the sadza . Serve with stew. (This recipe & info came from cookeatshare.com.)
Cast your vote for Sadza (Cornmeal Porridge)
Zimbabwe Greens
Zimbabwe Greens

Zimbabwe Greens

Collard greens are not native to Zimbabwe, but are the most comparable to Zimbabwean greens.

Serving Size

Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch washed collard greens
  • 1 large chopped tomato
  • 5 sliced green onions
  • 3 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Remove the tough stems and then shred the collard greens. Place in a saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the greens are crunchy-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Place a strainer or colander over a large bowl and drain the greens, reserving the cooking liquid in the bowl. Return the greens to the saucepan and add the tomato and onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 4 to 5 minutes. Combine the peanut butter with 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid reserved from the greens, then add to vegetables. Heat, stirring constantly, until greens have a creamy consistency, adding more reserved liquid or water if mixture seems too thick. Add salt to taste. (This recipe came from foodbycountry.com.)
Dovi (Zimbabwe Chicken Stew)
Dovi (Zimbabwe Chicken Stew)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ready in: 40 min
Yields: 6-8

Dovi (Zimbabwe Chicken Stew)

  • 2 medium diced onions
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 chopped green bell peppers
  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
  • 3 tomatoes (or more to taste)
  • 6 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 10 ounces frozen spinach (or 1/2 pound fresh)

Instructions

  1. Cook onions with butter on medium-high heat in a big stew pot until browned. Add garlic, salt and seasonings. Add the green peppers and chicken. And cook until chicken is no longer opaque. Add the tomatoes and mash to soften. Add about 1 1/2 cups water (or use broth if you like) and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add half the peanut butter to the pot, reduce heat, and continue to simmer about 5-10 minutes. Add the rest of the peanut butter and the spinach into the pot. Stir all together and simmer 5-10 minutes more. (This recipe came from http://www.food.com/recipe/dovi-zimbabwe-chicken-stew-426468 .)
Mbatata (Sweet Potato Biscuits/Cookies)
Mbatata (Sweet Potato Biscuits/Cookies)

Mbatata (Sweet Potato Biscuits/Cookies)

This recipe originated in Malawi, but these cookies are also eaten in Zimbabwe during tea time.

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ready in: 20 min
Yields: 60 cookies

Ingredients

  • COOKIES:
  • 10 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup finely grated raw sweet potato
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • GLAZE:
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1 -2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  1. Cream together butter and sugar. Blend in lemon zest, nutmeg, honey and egg. Fold in sweet potato. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and blend well. Arrange cookie dough by rounded teaspoons onto a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350F for 7 minutes. To make glaze, use a wooden spoon to combine all ingredients in glass container until smooth. Add more water by the drop until glaze is easy to spread on cooled cookies. (This recipe came from food.com.)

Read a book about Zimbabwe

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters (Reading Rainbow Books)
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters (Reading Rainbow Books)
This is a 32 page picture book cinderella-type folk tale from Zimbabwe.
 
Where Are You Going, Manyoni?
Where Are You Going, Manyoni?
This beautifully-illustrated 48 picture book tells of a girl as she walks to school in rural Zimbabwe.
 
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type=text

Make Ndebele-style bracelets

In 1834, the Ndebele people arrived in Zimbabwe, making it a new empire, known as Matabeleland. They were a branch of the Zulus who split from King Shaka under the leadership of Mzilikazi, a former general in Shaka's army. Today they are know for their beautiful beadwork. Create a Ndebele beaded bracelet by following the directions at www.ehow.com . If you have younger children or are short on time, simply glue beads (or dyed pasta) in a Ndebele design on paper.

Read a book about Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe In Pictures (Visual Geography Series)
Zimbabwe In Pictures (Visual Geography Series)
This 80 page book is full of gorgeous photographs that capture the sites and culture of Zimbabwe.
 
Count Your Way Through Zimbabwe
Count Your Way Through Zimbabwe
This 24 page picture book covers some basics about Zimbabwe in a fun manner that appeals to younger children.
 

Pray for the people of Zimbabwe

To find out about the religious nature of Zimbabwe and specific ways you can pray for the country, go to operationworld.com.

Where is Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe?

A
Harare, Zimbabwe:
Harare, Zimbabwe

get directions

Have you ever been to Zimbabwe?

See results

Zambia is currently the only other country that begins with the letter Z.

Ready to visit another country?

Tour bus in Paris
Tour bus in Paris | Source

Ready to visit another country?

Go to Around the World in 26 Letters to find links to all the countries we "visited." Each webpage features a menu, craft, books, video clips, worksheets, and more!

© 2011 Shannon

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