She Shouted From The Spirit Realm, Praying Someone Would Hear Her
“Open your ears to the ancestors and you will understand the language of spirits.” – African Proverb. She shouted from the spirit realm, praying someone would hear her. War was on the horizon, but her people would be slaughtered if she couldn’t get her message to them!
There was once a Shona princess named Nyamhita who was deeply connected to her ancestors. One day, she had a tragic accident and died! But according to legend, even death couldn’t silence her.
In the spirit world Nyamhita shouted until Mwari, the Shona’s supreme being, came to her aid. Her spirit grew stronger until Mwari requested she become a Mhondoro – a spiritual guide who sends messages to the living.
With this new responsibility, Nyamhita adopted a new name.
Renamed Nehanda, she tried delivering spiritual messages to Shona women – but she struggled. Many Shona women, distracted by daily demands, stopped listening for messages from the spirit world.
There was one woman specifically Nehanda needed to reach.
In the late 1800s, Nehanda sent a warning to a woman named Charwe. Charwe, who regularly took time to listen to spirit guides, received Nehanda’s message – white colonizers were heading towards Zimbabwe.
Upon their arrival, Charwe organized the Shona people to fight for their liberation. Eventually losing, Charwe was captured and hanged for refusing to conform to Christianity, but her legacy inspired other rebellions against British colonialism for over a century.
Like Charwe and Nehanda, we must pay attention to messages from our ancestors. When was the last time you paused to listen to them?
Maybe the answers you’re seeking are already in front of you.
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