The furthest we can go back in the Matyatya line of the Family Tree is to WAKABIKWA, one of Norah’s great-great-great-grandmothers. She had a daughter, SHIRI, who married BOZWA. (At that time, prior to the arrival of Europeans into the country, people were identified by a given name and a "totem".) Their totem was "mhofu" (the eland).

Bozwa and Shiri were members of the Shona tribe. The Shona shared that part of Africa, which lay between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers, with the more warlike Ndebele tribe. The Ndebele were an offshoot of the Zulu nation (founded by Shaka) and had been led northwards across the Limpopo by their own king Mzilikazi.

On one such occasion a marauding band of the Ndebele ("madzviti" in Shona) attacked the village. The three brothers ran away to save their own families. Matyatya’s wife and children were kidnapped by the Ndebele and were never seen again.

Some time later while hunting in the Chivu area of Zimbabwe, Matyatya was challenged by local villagers to kill an eland. When his hunt proved successful the villagers in thanks gave him a bride.
This woman was MANDICHERA.

The Children of Matyatya and Mandichera

• Jeffries

• Sophia

• Chakundwa

• CHIBARINYA (LANCELOT) MATYATYA

  Chibarinya was also called Lancelot and was known by the "varoora" (sisters-in-law) as "R.T." for short. He was a master farmer and lived in the Mahungwe district of Rusape. He had a substantial herd of cattle which gave him the means to practice polygamy. In Shona custom, a man wishing to take a wife must be able to pay "lobola" or "roora" (bride price) to the father of his intended bride. Lancelot was able to take three wives - Marian Musande (1901-1998), AGNES NDADZIRA (died 1989) (See NDADZIRA Family) and Grace.

  Chibarinya died on 18/1/1983 and is buried in Masvosva, Rusape. His grave is marked R. Matyatya.

The Children of Chibarinya (Lancelot) Matyatya and Agnes Ndadzira

1. Abishy

   Abishy's first job was as a golf caddy. He later worked in the engineering department of Central African Airways, which became Air Zimbabwe in 1980 after the country gained its Independence. He died in 1995.

2. Christopher

   
   Christopher's first job was also as a golf caddy. He then moved into catering, working in a number of restaurants in Salisbury (now called Harare). His last job was as a chef in the canteen of Old Mutual. He married Anna Mukonomuwi, sister of Pelagia and Sophia (see below) in 1972.

   Christopher and Anna's children include Peter, Taurai, Herbert, Masimba, Memory, Shepherd, George, Caroline and Talent. Masimba is a talented musician (a talent which obviously runs in the family - see below) and has produced a CD entitled "TSIUDZO" with his band, the Dandemutande Mbira Crew.

   In 1978 in the course of the "Chimurenga" (Liberation Struggle), Christopher and Anna's eldest daughter, Dorothy, was killed by Rhodesian Army Forces during a firefight with "vakomana" in the vicinity of Chideu village.
   

3. Justin (K.L.)

   
   
   Justin worked initially for Nairobi Air Services (NAS), based in Salisbury Airport. It is said that he was the first African to be appointed a Catering Officer in the (then) Southern Rhodesia. (This photograph was taken in June, 1962 at which time he had already been working for NAS for ten years.) He later became a supervisor in Affretair.

   He subsequently trained in France as a butcher and worked as a manager in Koala Butcheries. In later years he ran his own butcheries in conjunction with his sister, Rosewinter. He died in 1997 from diabetes.
   

4. Diana

   Diana married Chandaiengerwa and lives in Headlands. They have two children.

5. DENNIS, born 1938

   Although born of Lancelot and Agnes, Dennis was raised for many years by his mother's sister, Norah. He maintained a very close relationship with her until she passed away in February, 2000. Dennis was born in Mahungwe, Rusape but in 1967 moved with his five brothers and his mother, Agnes, to a new home in Chideu, Wedza. They lived there for over ten years until the "Chimurenga" erupted on their doorsteps. The entire family then moved on to their current home in Chifamba village.

   
   He worked for Central African Airways from 1958 to 1968 initially as a porter and later as a baggage handler. In 1968 he moved to Van Ziel & Robertson Advertising, working first as a messenger and then as a scooter rider. The company was subsequently taken over by Michael Hogg, Young & Rubicom. By the time of his retirement due to ill-health in 1995, Dennis was employed as a clerk. During this period he also appeared (in a part-time capacity) in a number of TV and Press advertisements - Old Mutual, Barclay's Bank, Colgate, Palmolive.
   

   In his younger days, Dennis was an accomplished player of the "mbira" (thumb piano). His younger brother, Onismo, was also a talented musician and their music was much in demand for weddings and funerals. At one time he was also quite politically active but he now lives in retirement in Chifamba village, Makwarimba, Wedza. He maintains a keen interest in local community affairs and is currently a committee member for both the local hospital in St. Annes, Goto and St. Peter's School, Makwarimba. He is also very heavily involved in the local parish of the Catholic church.

   Dennis married PELAGIA MUKONOMUWI (See MUKONOMUWI Family) in November, 1962. They have 9 surviving children:-

   • Agnes, married Abel Gonamombe from Masvingo. Abel is a Chief Prison Officer, currently Officer-in-Charge, Harare Remand Prison. They have three children, Tapiwa, Tawanda and Patience.
   • Diana, married Joshua Masvosve, a neighbour of the Matyatya family in Chifamba village. Joshua was my "munyai" (the messenger who brought news to the Matyatya family that I wished to marry Norah) and works in Hunyani Corro Products, Harare. They have three children, Roy, Gerald and Nixon.
   • NORAH, married me and has been living in Dublin since November, 1991.
     We have two children, Colm Kudzai and Nóra Tatenda.
   • Godwin
   • Abel
   • Abigail, married Tererai Ndonga from Masvingo. He a mechanic with ZUPCO (Zimbabwe United Passenger Company). They have one child, a boy, named Tanaka.
   • Getrude (Wadzanai)
   • Owen
   • Florence.
   • Another child, Emmanuel, died when just a few days old.

6. Perpetua, married Njike and lives in Headlands. They have c. 11 children.

7. Josephine, married Petros Branga. They have 9 children and live in Mashatise (just across the valley from Dennis's "musha").

8. Sarah, married Samuel Mahuwe. They have 7 children and live in Masvosva - the original home area.

9. Francis

   Worked initially for a company called "Scottish Jewellery" and later for "Africa Cameras". He is now self-employed and works in the felling and marketing of timber.

10. Rosewinter, married Gandiwa. Died 1994.

11. Onismo

    Youngest brother of Dennis and his mbira playing-partner. He worked for a time as a barman at Cranborne Air Force Base. Onismo married Sophia Mukonomuwi, sister of Pelagia and Anna, in 1976. He died after a long illness in June, 2002.