News / Local
Republic of Matebeleland flag - its true meaning
28 Nov 2012 at 01:33hrs | Views
A. The Red Colour
The Red stands for the blood of our heroic forefathers who fought many battles to create our great Nation and State and gallantly fought to resist colonialism during the later part of the ninenteeth century. It also represents all who died during the war in Rhodesia and those who were dastardly killed by the Zimbabwe government for refusing to recognise the Zimbabwe state as is currently constituted. Since 1980 up to date our people have suffered much humiliation, genocide, marginalisation and domination first by the British and now by Zimbabwe. Once more our people stand ready to claim their land and sovereignty and are ready to sacrifice for such a noble cause and establish the Republic of Matebeleland
B. The Shield, Spear and Knobkerrie
The Matebele state had a standing army that was well above ten thousand by mid ninenteeth century and all able bodied men above the age of eighteen years and single were conscripted into the army. The Army was made up of various battalions and spread throughout the state. It also had the intelligence unit which had separate command structure from that of the army. The weapons used were spears and knobkerries and the shield used for cover during the fight. It was later that guns were incorporated into the military arsenal of the army. The guns were part of the Rudd Concessions between the British Imperial agents and King Lobengula. It is worthy to note that the British forces led by Major - General Frederick Carrington failed to defeat the Matebeles during the Anglo-Matebele war of 1896 when the British imperial forces were fighting using the Henry-Martin rifles, maxim guns and machines guns while the Matebele fought using both the spear, knobkerrie and shield and some regiments fought using the Henry-Martin rifles. The shield, spear and knobkerrie stands for courage, stoicism and sacrifice to the Matebele people.
C. The Blue Colour
The Matebele people have the folklore that they descended from the skies and are children of the stars where there is peace and stability. It was and is still recognised that the sky is blue and we get our rains from above and that where there is no water there is no life. So the colour Blue stands for stabilitiy, peace, life and water whose combination projects progress and development.
D. The White Colour
When the white people arrived in Matebeleland, they were allowed by King Mzilikazi to marry black women and some married the Kings daughters and when King Lobengula sent his two envoys to meet Queen Victoria In London in 1888, Queen Victoria, gave the emissaries her necklace and photo to King Lobengula. That represented mutual trust, co-operation and desire to bridges between the two races. The white colour stands for white people including arabic and asiatic nationals and peace and we believe through mutual respect and co-operation we can build a better world where both black and white people including other races i.e Asiatic, Arabic etc can can live in harmony and share the, development, progress, stability and resources together. It is our intention to invite many white people to come and settle in our new Republic of Matebeleland and help to build our country and share the resources. We have a beautiful country that is rich in various natural resources. The white colour also represents peace, development and progress and its our belief that both black and white people in future Republic of Matebeleland will develop this state to be the future Singapore of Africa.
E. The Black Colour
The Black colour represents all people of colour who commit themselves to be citizens in our Republic. Black colour represents authority, fairness,equality and justice according to Matebele beliefs. So all ethnic groups found in Matebeleland including the Shona people who reside in Matebeleland and desire to make it their permanent home are entitled to be full citizens of the Republic and be entitled to equal opportunities and duties like any other ethnic group found in Matebeleland Republic. We are aware that not all Shonas hate Matebeles and not all Shonas like what President Mugabe is doing to the Matebeles. Furhermore we desire to live side by side in peace with the Republic of Zimbabwe as our neighbour and co-operating with each other in all areas of human endeavours and this would include all our neighbours in the region.
The Red stands for the blood of our heroic forefathers who fought many battles to create our great Nation and State and gallantly fought to resist colonialism during the later part of the ninenteeth century. It also represents all who died during the war in Rhodesia and those who were dastardly killed by the Zimbabwe government for refusing to recognise the Zimbabwe state as is currently constituted. Since 1980 up to date our people have suffered much humiliation, genocide, marginalisation and domination first by the British and now by Zimbabwe. Once more our people stand ready to claim their land and sovereignty and are ready to sacrifice for such a noble cause and establish the Republic of Matebeleland
B. The Shield, Spear and Knobkerrie
The Matebele state had a standing army that was well above ten thousand by mid ninenteeth century and all able bodied men above the age of eighteen years and single were conscripted into the army. The Army was made up of various battalions and spread throughout the state. It also had the intelligence unit which had separate command structure from that of the army. The weapons used were spears and knobkerries and the shield used for cover during the fight. It was later that guns were incorporated into the military arsenal of the army. The guns were part of the Rudd Concessions between the British Imperial agents and King Lobengula. It is worthy to note that the British forces led by Major - General Frederick Carrington failed to defeat the Matebeles during the Anglo-Matebele war of 1896 when the British imperial forces were fighting using the Henry-Martin rifles, maxim guns and machines guns while the Matebele fought using both the spear, knobkerrie and shield and some regiments fought using the Henry-Martin rifles. The shield, spear and knobkerrie stands for courage, stoicism and sacrifice to the Matebele people.
C. The Blue Colour
The Matebele people have the folklore that they descended from the skies and are children of the stars where there is peace and stability. It was and is still recognised that the sky is blue and we get our rains from above and that where there is no water there is no life. So the colour Blue stands for stabilitiy, peace, life and water whose combination projects progress and development.
D. The White Colour
When the white people arrived in Matebeleland, they were allowed by King Mzilikazi to marry black women and some married the Kings daughters and when King Lobengula sent his two envoys to meet Queen Victoria In London in 1888, Queen Victoria, gave the emissaries her necklace and photo to King Lobengula. That represented mutual trust, co-operation and desire to bridges between the two races. The white colour stands for white people including arabic and asiatic nationals and peace and we believe through mutual respect and co-operation we can build a better world where both black and white people including other races i.e Asiatic, Arabic etc can can live in harmony and share the, development, progress, stability and resources together. It is our intention to invite many white people to come and settle in our new Republic of Matebeleland and help to build our country and share the resources. We have a beautiful country that is rich in various natural resources. The white colour also represents peace, development and progress and its our belief that both black and white people in future Republic of Matebeleland will develop this state to be the future Singapore of Africa.
E. The Black Colour
The Black colour represents all people of colour who commit themselves to be citizens in our Republic. Black colour represents authority, fairness,equality and justice according to Matebele beliefs. So all ethnic groups found in Matebeleland including the Shona people who reside in Matebeleland and desire to make it their permanent home are entitled to be full citizens of the Republic and be entitled to equal opportunities and duties like any other ethnic group found in Matebeleland Republic. We are aware that not all Shonas hate Matebeles and not all Shonas like what President Mugabe is doing to the Matebeles. Furhermore we desire to live side by side in peace with the Republic of Zimbabwe as our neighbour and co-operating with each other in all areas of human endeavours and this would include all our neighbours in the region.
Source - Paul Siwela
