The Motherland

Landlocked in southern Africa, Zimbabwe is a country known for its natural beauty and diverse landscapes. No matter what direction you find yourself heading, you can find yourself met with spectacular views, such as large flowing waterfalls, savanna plains, or mountains in the eastern highlands. The wildlife of Zimbabwe is just as diverse and rich as the landscape with 350+ species of mammals, 500+ bird species, and 131 fish species. Zimbabwe has become a popular destination for wildlifetourism due to these factors. However not many people realize the country is facing an ongoing deforestation issue due to modern-day political instability. Zimbabwe has become increasingly more modernized throughout the years, resulting in a decrease of outsider knowledge on the traditional cultural groups that call this place home.

Traditional Zimbabwean cultures have strong values regarding all aspects of life, but especially when it comes to the environment and wildlife. The Ndau people, for example, strongly believe that continuity of social, religious, and economic aspects of life can be sustained by living in harmony with the environment itself. Traditional cultural beliefs play an important role in nature preservation and maintaining the balance between mankind and natural resources.