Landscapes of Roora and death in modern society: Phenomenological reflections on the Kuroora guva custom among the Shona people of Buhera, Zimbabwe

Abstract

This article critically deals with the complexities that are inherent in the understanding of some rituals found in African traditional religion (ATR) as  practiced in Zimbabwe, specifically focusing on the Shona people of Buhera. Fieldwork and document analysis were used as data collection techniques to fully engage with the interpretive meaning and embodiment of the kuroora guva ritual within the contemporary society of Zimbabwe. The main thrust of the article, therefore, rests on kuroora guva, a ritualistic component of the ATR, which literally means marrying the grave or being involved in the practice of paying roora (bride price) for a dead wife.

Keywords: African traditional religion (ATR), Shona, kuroora guva, ritual, Chivanhu, roora, mukwasha, vatezvara, commodification.