Jaka ceremony revives community cohesion

BY STEVE EPHRAEM

As a summer sun rose over Mamutse village in Bikita, Zimbabwe, the calls of hornbills echoed from a nearby hill. Just a few hundred metres away, at Turugare homestead, a different kind of rhythm was about to begin.

On Saturday, August 23, 2025, a bolder (threshing floor) outside the home became the stage for a revitalised tradition. A cheerful crowd of over sixty people, holding long, whip-like sticks, gathered for a Jaka (threshing and winnowing) ceremony.

The participants were a mix of members of the local Mabheka Garden, villagers, and guests from partner organisations, event’s funders, the OAK Foundation as well as staff and beneficiaries from Earthlore Foundation, who had traveled from both Zimbabwe and South Africa.

After an address by Earthlore Foundation Curator Getrude Pswarayi-Jabson, the ceremony sprang to life. The air filled with the rhythmical beating of millet, accompanied by song and drum beats.

The intense Bikita heat was no match for the participants’ joyous mood, which recalled a time when African communities were traditionally close-knit. The group included enthusiastic teenage drummers, people in their twenties, and elders of retirement age all working together for a common purpose.

A key element of the Jaka ceremony is the drinking of traditional beer and the unique freedom it inspires. For this event only, no one takes offence or reprimands a participant who utters or sings rated words or songs.

Once the threshing was done, the women began winnowing to separate the chaff from the grain. This crucial step depends on a strong wind, which was in short supply that day.

Under the scorching sun, the villagers demonstrated endurance. It was only after midday that a meaningful wind arrived, allowing the winnowing to be completed thereafter.

After sharing lunch, the group retreated to the homestead for speeches. It is worth noting that the ceremony was held in conjunction with the Bikita Seed and Food Fair.

One beneficiary from South Africa, Masala Merium Netshilunzhe, urged communities to stay united.

“There is no home without a woman. Things are not always good in the home but the woman covers for the family. During difficult or easiness, during bad or good time, unity brings positive outcomes,” she said.

In her closing remarks, EarthLore Programme Facilitator Mashudu Takalani reflected that their work is driven by a deeper calling than just a job.

“Whenever I come here, I feel that this is not because of my work but what I have been chosen to do, and you as well, what you have been chosen to do. There is a spirit that drives us and we have to open space for that spirit to work with us. I am humble to see women working tirelessly in the ceremony that we had today,” she said.

As delegates and villagers departed, it was clear the Jaka celebration had achieved its goal of strengthening social cohesion. Reviving traditions like this one is key to passing down local knowledge and uniting communities for generations to come.