Winnowing basket, a whisk and wooden spoon

Winnowing basket, a whisk and wooden spoon

These objects belong to Mai Thandiwe (Florence). In her own words:

Zimbabwe winnowing basket
Musero yekuZimbabwe

This winnowing basket I was given by my mother in 1995 after she bought it from a basket artisan who lived in Chivi our neighbouring village. 

Mai vangu vakandipa musero iwoyu apo vakamutenga kumunhu wairuka misero waigara kune imwe nzvimbo inonzi yekwa Chivi.

Uses of winnowing baskets in Zimbabwe homes
Musero iwoyo zvaunoshanndisiwa mumisha dzemu Zimbabwe.

For winnowing grain like millet, rappoko and sorghum.

Kurudza mhunga, rukweza ne mapfunde.

For separating groundnuts, beans and groundnuts shells.

Kupepeta nzungu, nyimo nemapfunde.

 

For separating bran from millet, maize, rappoko and sorghum. 
To spread fresh vegetables in it so that it can be used to dry the different types of vegetables.

Kushandisiwa kufusha mirivo iyo inonzi mufusha.

However nowadays, this object I tend to either use it as a decorative item or as fruit basket in my home in Oxford.

Asi ini iwoyi musero nditomuyita dhekoresheni kana kuisa mafurutsu.

 

Zimbabwe whisk and wooden spoon

Musika ne mugoti zvazvinoshandisiwa mukicheni ye muZimbabwe

Uses of a cooking whisk and wooden spoon in Zimbabwe kitchen

In 2023 my elder daughter  Thandiwe went home to Zimbabwe to do her PhD field research about Zimbabwe archaeology/meet up with some of our family members. Then while she was in Zimbabwe she also bought these two items mentioned above (see photography). 

Gore ra2023 mwana wangu  Thandiwe akaenda kuZimbabwe kunoita zvekudzidza kwake kwe PHD yeakiyologi nekunosangana ne dzimwe hama dzedu. Zvino ari ikoko akanditengera musika nemugoti uyo uri pampuikicha.

Whisk and a wooden spoon are the most important tools in our Zimbabwe tradition of cooking, without them no food especially our staple diet cooked with maize meal flour cannot be successfully cooked and served or let alone joyously eaten with a variety of slow cooking meat stews and vegetables. 

Ichokwadi kuti mustika dzedu dzekuZimbabwe kuti ubike sadza rakanaka chaizvo unofanirwa kuva nemusika nemugoti mumba mako. Iro sazda racho richizodyiwa nenyama kana murivo.

NB: Sentences in italics are translated in Shona my mother tongue.

Written by Mai Thandiwe (Florence)
Year/Gore 2024

Mai Thandiwe (Florence) also shared this poem, which she wrote in 2013 to thank her mother for everything she has done.

Written by Mai Thandiwe (Florence)
Year 2013

2013-2024

Mai Thandiwe / Florence

Museum of Oxford

Text copyright: Mai Thandiwe / Florence
Photos copyright: Museum of Oxford and Mai Thandiwe/Florence

Shona, English