Chisipite, colloquially known as Chisi is an affluent residential suburb in northeastern

Harare Harare (; formerly Salisbury ) is the capital and most populous city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of 940 km2 (371 mi2) and a population of 2.12 million in the 2012 census and an estimated 3.12 million in its metropolitan ...

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...

. It is bordered by Enterprise Road to the north and Eastern road to the east, and Greendale to the south to

Lewisam Lewisam (/ˈluːɪʃəm/) is an area in the northeastern suburbs of Harare, Zimbabwe. Together with more well known districts, such as Belgravia and adjoining Newlands, it forms part of the city's embassy row home to the British Ambassadors Res ...

to the west. Begun in the mid 20th century as a planned

garden suburb The garden city movement was a 20th century urban planning movement promoting satellite communities surrounding the central city and separated with greenbelts. These Garden Cities would contain proportionate areas of residences, industry, and ...

, it did not fully develop until after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. Centred on Hindhead Avenue, the suburb grew slowly with medium-sized houses on narrow but deep lots. It is commonly regarded as one of the most expensive and exclusive neighbourhoods in the city, home to

upper-middle-class In sociology, the upper middle class is the social group constituted by higher status members of the middle class. This is in contrast to the term ''lower middle class'', which is used for the group at the opposite end of the middle-class strat ...

families. Demographically, the neighbourhood has a diverse black and white population.

History

Chisipite was founded as part of a subdivision known as Rietfontein, developed by the Jenkinson family. The name, Chisipite, means “overflowing spring” in Shona, and an exaggerated

fountain A fountain, from the Latin "fons" (genitive "fontis"), meaning source or spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect. Fountains were ori ...

is the symbol of both the suburb and Chisipite Junior and Secondary schools. Robert Ballantyne, a potato farmer in nearby Ballantyne Park, represented Chisipite in parliament as part of the larger Highlands constituency from 1948-1953. He died while debating on the floor of the House of Assembly. Chisipite became an upper-income community in the postwar years, and until the 1980s its population was majority white and

anglophone Speakers of English are also known as Anglophones, and the countries where English is natively spoken by the majority of the population are termed the ''Anglosphere''. Over two billion people speak English , making English the largest language ...

. This began to change after the eighties, as black Zimbabweans gained access to better-paying careers. The suburb became popular and today the community is

ethnically diverse The term multiculturalism has a range of meanings within the contexts of sociology, political philosophy, and colloquial use. In sociology and in everyday usage, it is a synonym for " ethnic pluralism", with the two terms often used interchang ...

and also home to a significant

expat An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. In common usage, the term often refers to educated professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either ...

and Asian populations.

Character

In 2011, Pam Goulding real estate, named it the wealthiest housing market in Zimbabwe. Chisipite's shops, schools and recreational facilities are located on its northwestern periphery. Many of the residents belong to The Greendale and Newlands Golf Clubs,

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping ...

and recreational members clubs east and south of Chispite. The shopping district includes fashion stores, supermarkets, sporting goods stores, gift shops, bakeries, restaurants and coffee shops.

Architecture

Chisipite is composed primarily of single-family detached houses. Newer homes tend to be larger and more expensive than

postwar In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period ...

houses that dominate the southern and eastern edge of the suburb. Since 2010, parts of Chisipite have been redeveloped with larger houses many of which are owned by wealthy non-resident Zimbabweans.

Tourism

Chisipite along with nearby Newlands has developed into a hub for travel lodges,

bed and breakfast Bed and breakfast (typically shortened to B&B or BnB) is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast. Bed and breakfasts are often private family homes and typically have between four and eleven rooms, wit ...

s and

airbnb Airbnb, Inc. ( ), based in San Francisco, California, operates an online marketplace focused on short-term homestays and experiences. The company acts as a broker and charges a commission from each booking. The company was founded in 2008 b ...

properties, with many are scattered around residential and commercial areas. The tranquil suburban ambience combined with scenic views and a mild climate has made Chisipite a popular respite form the city centre for tourists, expats and non-resident Zimbabweans. There are various establishments offering accommodation, including

bed & breakfast Bed and breakfast (typically shortened to B&B or BnB) is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast. Bed and breakfasts are often private family homes and typically have between four and eleven rooms, wit ...

s, self-catering, lodges, backpackers and guest houses in the surrounding area. Activities include:

horse riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

, and golfing. Live music, restaurants and other amenities are centred around Enterprise Rd and Harare Drive.

Education

Chisipite is home to a number of

private school Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

s, offering both primary and secondary levels of education. * Chisipite Senior School - Hindhead Avenue * Oriel Boys' High School - 32 Hindhead Ave * Oriel Girls School - Harare Drive * Chisipite Junior School - 20 St. Aubin's Walk

References