ZT Journal · Issue No. 02 · MAY 2026
Ndebele and Shona: Understanding Zimbabwe’s Two Great Cultures
Zimbabwe is home to two distinct cultural traditions. The Shona-speaking majority and the Ndebele-speaking people of Matabeleland have different histories, art forms, and relationships with the land. Understanding both transforms your experience of the country.
From the founder
Issue No. 02 · May 2026
Welcome to the May issue. The dust has settled, the bush is opening up, and Zimbabwe is moving into its strongest months. Inside this issue: a longer piece on Mana Pools as the river drops; a Q2 update on the Presidential Elephants count; a practical brief on the May–October open-season window; and a short piece from Suku on why Matobo’s rock art still holds up at thirteen thousand years.
If a Zimbabwe trip is somewhere on your horizon, the easiest first step is a short note. I will reply, personally, within twenty-four hours.
— Josh, Bulawayo
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Culture & Heritage
Cecil Rhodes and the Matobo Hills: A Complicated Legacy
Rhodes chose to be buried in the Matobo Hills because he believed it was the most beautiful place in the world. His grave is still there. The story of how it got there is more complicated than any guidebook will tell you.
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“Every email here is answered personally — within twenty-four hours.” — Josh, Bulawayo