Part of the Shangano walls that have mostly collapsed
The establishment of Shangano in the period about 1737 to about 1860.
The oral history of the area suggests that in the early 18th century Dende (one of the three sons of the Rozvi Changamire, i.e. King) broke away from his father to establish himself as an independent ruler in present day northwestern Zimbabwe. Dende’s actions are said to have infuriated the Rozvi Changamire who gave orders that his son be captured and killed. Dende’s actions in this period strongly suggest he felt in danger. He swiftly moved even farther away from his father, stopping briefly in several places and strengthening kingship ties through leaving behind sisters who married Tonga men. Three times he changed his name from Dende to Sawanga and finally Whange. Wange means to clear and make peace.
Picture of the Shangano shrine keeper.
Dende and his followers, a patrilineal people of the soko-monkey totem who were later known as the Nambya, entered the Leya territory via Lowere Gwayi, settting in the Bhale area between the Gwayi, Nyatuwe and Lukosi rivers. Here they assimilated some of the Leya who had not resisted their incorporation into the Nambya State. On top of a strategic hill named Shangano deriving from the Nambya word, SHANGANO, meaning to meet they built a stone walled enclosure which became the first capital city of the baNambya people.
The baNambya peope then moved from Shangano city to Bumbusi area in the upper Deka valley during the rerign of the fifth Whange, Shana (1834 to 1860).
The walls of Shangano ruins are built of a vast quantity of small sandstone rocks laid on top of each other to a height of of about four too five feet. Today most of the wall enclosure have mostly collapsed due to unprotection from the weather and wild animals.
Shangano enclosure wall still intact despite years of weathering and animal destruction.
Shangano is a cornerstone of the valuable cultural heritage of the Hwange area.