Convergence Of Religions: Connecting With God In Zimbabwe’s Mountains
HARARE. Zimbabwe — Mountains form part of the breathtaking scenery and wildlife sanctuaries of Zimbabwe. They are also historically connected to the lives in nearby communities that call this place home. Pre-independence, most locals used hills and mountains to worship ancestors, believing that the spirit of the departed lives in the cool places of the mountains.
A change in religion and use of places has increased over the past four decades. In fact, mountains have been used by different religions to connect with God.
Located 30 kilometers (18 miles) outside Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, is a peri-urban sprawling area known as Domboshava. The settlement is known because of its rocky mountains, a range of granite rocks. Mawanga Mountain in the area is the most popular spot, with its large cave. It serves as a sacred site for worship and pilgrimage, emphasizing the historical and spiritual significance of mountains in various religious practices.
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With mountains in Zimbabwe associated with traditional African beliefs and the Apostolic Christian sects who form the majority. Apostolic sects — Christian denominations that originated from Pentecostalism in the early 19th century — have roots in the African tradition, at least the majority of them. In search of spiritual connection with God, Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian churches are scaling these mountains, too.
A local theology scholar, Charles Pembe, said some independent African churches are no longer denouncing the use of heritage sites for religious beliefs and practices.
“Instead, several Christians now come either individually or in small groups to perform their prayers at the mountains,” he said. “We have heard a lot of pilgrims saying they have met God on a personal level in these mountains compared to church buildings where they congregate every Sunday and other weekdays. It is subjective though.”
Churches across Zimbabwe of various denominations climb mountains to seek God and find spiritual uplifting. Most pilgrims frequently pray for the mountains all night long, or they climb early in the morning and remain until the evening. The Domboshava Mountains see a flurry of activity, mostly from Friday through Sunday. Religious communities travel to these mountains from throughout the African country.
“Domboshava's vast rocky mountains have enough room to hold hundreds of pilgrims. Of late each church has informally selected their pace, making it possible for churches to pray separately,” Pembe added.
Various pilgrims use the mountains for prayers and for conducting healing sessions. This reflects a broader trend of associating mountains with miracles and spiritual encounters across many cultures and faiths.
Zimbabwe today is shared by a diverse populace exposed to different religions and religious ways during their upbringings such as African Traditional Religion, Christianity and Islam, among several others. Conflicts between Christian religious groups and African traditionalists who claim total authority over the site are not always visible, but they do exist.
“In Zimbabwean society, the two most common religions are Christianity and African traditional religion. It's interesting to see that the management of many Zimbabwean cultural sites has prioritized the resources' monumentality over their spiritual significance,” said Ratidzo Matarure, a local traditional leader.
Domboshava is a heritage site that both locals and tourists can visit. Those sites are controlled by the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe. Despite that, the organization does not easily grant permission for prayers and other religious activities. In Domboshava, for example, Christians have been left to oversee and organize vigils and other activities.
Conservative and traditional churches, like the United Methodist Church, have a rich history of mountain prayer dating back decades.
Although mountain climbing is a demanding and painful experience, pilgrims claim that it produces fruitful results. One of the pilgrims who has visited the mountains several times said the visits were not in vain and that her life has been changed since she started the praying in the mountains.
“I come here to pray for different issues,” Tanaka Chiendambuya said. “The visits have greatly changed my life and impacted my faith in God. I have seen a change in my family and obtained many blessings.”
As thousands climb these mountains each year, those with resources have always been known to travel to Egypt, climbing Mount Sinai in Israel and various sites from the Bible located in Turkey.
“Most churches base the idea of connecting with God in mountains on the Bible, where Jesus looked for a place to serve and connect with God,” Pembe said. “From that vantage point, many people pray on mountains.”
Calvin Manika is an award-winning international journalist based in Zimbabwe.