Sekuru Kaguvi (Kagubi, Kakubi), was a ''svikiro'' (

medium Medium may refer to: Science and technology Aviation *Medium bomber, a class of war plane *Tecma Medium, a French hang glider design Communication * Media (communication), tools used to store and deliver information or data * Medium of ...

), a traditionalist leader in pre-colonial Zimbabwe, and a leader in the

Shona Shona often refers to: * Shona people, a Southern African people * Shona language, a Bantu language spoken by Shona people today Shona may also refer to: * ''Shona'' (album), 1994 album by New Zealand singer Shona Laing * Shona (given name) * S ...

rebellion of 1896-1897 against

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

an rule, known as the

First Chimurenga The Second Matabele War, also known as the Matabeleland Rebellion or part of what is now known in Zimbabwe as the First ''Chimurenga'', was fought between 1896 and 1897 in the region later known as Southern Rhodesia, now modern-day Zimbabwe. ...

. The sobriquet "Kaguvi" was a designation given at times those who were said to speak for the traditional Shona supreme deity

Mwari Mwari also known as Musikavanhu, Musiki, Tenzi and Ishe, is the Supreme Creator deity according to Shona traditional religion. It is believed that Mwari is the author of all things and all life and all is in him. The majority of this deity's foll ...

. The name "Kaguvi" is normally associated with the man called Gumboreshumba (c.1870-1898), who claimed to speak for the original Kaguvi's spirit. Some Ndebele historians say that the form "Kaguvi" is the anglicised rendering of his name by Europeans, and that his real name was "Kakubi Ncube", although Kaguvi was not an ethnic Ndebele. In 1896 he coordinated together with Nehanda, to help in organising the opposition to colonial administration. He ensured that the Shona would rebel to support the uprising of the Ndebele people in the First

Chimurenga ''Chimurenga'' is a word in the Shona language. The Ndebele equivalent, though not as widely used since the majority of Zimbabweans are Shona speaking, is ''Umvukela'', meaning "revolutionary struggle" or uprising. In specific historical term ...

, although that conflict was already almost over by the time that the Shona joined in. Gumboreshumba was one of several people who claimed to be mediums of famous traditional spiritual personae during the First Chimurenga. Gumboreshumba (meaning: "lion's paw"), lived in Chikwaka's village by

Goromonzi Goromonzi is a rural community in East Mashonaland, Zimbabwe, southeast of the country's capital city of Harare., United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency The people are principally from the Shona tribe. The village serves as a tr ...

Hill, Zimbabwe. He had four wives, one of whom was Chief Mashonganyika's daughter. The other three wives were received from a headman named Gondo. It is alleged that Gumboreshumba Kaguvi was known as a source of good luck in hunting and that he was able to speak to trees and rocks. He was believed to be the spirit husband of the other great

''svikiro'', Nehanda. When the rebellion collapsed, he was charged with the murder of an African policeman called 'Charlie', whom he had accused of collaborating with the colonial authorities. Kaguvi was found guilty and hanged in 1898.

Notes

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Sources

*Rasmussen, R.K., and Rubert, S.C., 1990. ''Historical Dictionary of Zimbabwe'', Scarecrow Press.

External links

Life and Times of Sekuru Kaguvi
History of Zimbabwe