Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana

Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana

Date of Birth: Circa 1840

Country: Zimbabwe (Southern Rhodesia)

Colonisers Fought Against: United Kingdom

Lead Group: Zezuru Shona people

War/Rebellion: First Chimurenga

Years of War/Rebellion: 1896-1897

Punishment Given: Captured and executed by the British South Africa Company [2][3][4].

Nature of Death: Execution by hanging

Date of Death: 1898

Heroic Significance: Mbuya Nehanda is revered as a national heroine in Zimbabwe for her role as a spiritual leader and resistance figure during the First Chimurenga. As a spirit medium, she inspired and led the Shona people in their revolt against British colonial rule. Her execution made her a martyr, and her legacy has been commemorated through statues, songs, novels, and other cultural artifacts. Nehanda's name and spirit continue to symbolize resistance and the struggle for independence in Zimbabwe, particularly during the Second Chimurenga [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14].

Citations: [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimurenga [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nehanda_Charwe_Nyakasikana [3] http://www.bulawayo1872.com/history/nehandambuya.htm [4] https://www.amnesty.org.zw/2021/10/ten-reasons-to-abolish-the-death-penalty/ [5] https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/mbuya-nehanda-c-1840-1898/ [6] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/zimbabwe-unveils-statue-anti-colonial-leader-mbuya-nehanda-180977835/ [7] https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/may/26/anger-in-zimbabwe-at-nehanda-statue-amid-collapsing-economy [8] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-63171981 [9] https://www.returningheritage.com/where-is-the-skull-of-mbuya-nehanda [10] https://www.herald.co.zw/african-story-retold-by-africans/ [11] https://www.zim.gov.zw/index.php/en/my-government/provinces/mashonaland-east/9-uncategorised/461-history-of-zimbabwe-2?showall=1 [12] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Matabele_War [13] https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-local-byo-210297.html [14] https://www.pindula.co.zw/Mbuya_Nehanda/