Introduction

In Zimbabwe we have national symbols. The national symbols include the national flag, the coat
of arms, the national, anthem and the Zimbabwe bird. The national symbols of Zimbabwe
represent the culture and unique identity of the country. The national symbols of Zimbabwe
represent the people, values, and characteristics of the nation. The write-up is going to examine
the significance of national symbols in Zimbabwe. Key terms national symbols and Zimbabwe
will be defined.

Definations of key terms

According to Kolsto (2018), a national symbol may be any object, sign, or emblem that carries
additional meaning and represents a cultural or political nation. National symbols are easily
recognized entities that are used as means to communicate the history and culture of a particular
nation. National Symbols can be a single entity, an easily reproduced item such as a nation's flag,
or something more intangible, such as a national anthem.

Hodgkinson (2019) refers to Zimbabwe as a landlocked country in Southern Africa, between the
Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-
west, Zambia to the north, and Mozambique to the east. Jin (2018) states that Zimbabwe is a
republic in southern Africa which is a former British colony which gained independence 1980.
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located on the African continent, precisely in the southern
part of the African continent. Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in the south-east of Africa.

Body

These symbols stand as a representation that manifests itself to the world not only to make sense
of the world around them, but also to identify a society, instill pride and unity in a nation's
population (Jin, 2018). In Zimbabwe, the most recognised symbols include the Zimbabwe Flag,
the Great Zimbabwe Bird, coat of arms, national anthem, the Eternal Independence flame and the
Flame Lily flower. National symbols are very important to national identity. The significance of
monuments and symbols is for us to remember the milestones of the story of our nation. The
main aim is uniting people through the creation of verbal, visual and iconic symbolism of the
national people. The national symbols promote patriotism and celebrated by the people.

A country’s symbols tell its story and play a crucial role in building pride and a sense of
belonging. According to Hodgkinson (2019), Zimbabwe’s national symbols are rich in heritage,
and tell the stories of the country’s abundant natural and cultural diversity. However, the
importance of national symbols can vary, depending on the strength, history, and political
environment of the nation. National symbols are often displayed at many major events, such as
sportingcontests where the National Anthem is sung before a match. Symbols like the Eternal
Independence Flame, are used to signify the importance of holidays and other days of
observation like Independence celebrations in Zimbabwe

One of the importance of national symbols is that it promotes oneness (Kolsto, 2016). They join
people of a particular nation together and strengthens their allegiance to the country. Monuments
and symbols highlight the history and culture of a nation. We can learn a lot about the history
and culture of a particular country through their national symbols. For example, theZimbabwe
national flag describes the history and the present day of the country in its colours and design.
The flag of Zimbabwe was accepted on 22 March 1980 and was first raised at the midnight on
17/18 April to mark Independence of the country.

National symbols teaches us about history and heritage Kaarsholm, 2019). The national flag of
Zimbabwe consists of seven even horizontal stripes of green, gold, red and black with a white
triangle containing a red five-pointed star with a Zimbabwe Bird. The present design was
adopted on 18 April 1980. The soapstone bird featured on the flag represents a statuette of a bird
found at the ruins of Great Zimbabwe. The bird symbolises the history of Zimbabwe; the red star
beneath it officially stands for the nation's aspirations but is commonly thought to symbolise
socialism, and the revolutionary struggle for freedom and peace. The design is based on the flag
of Zimbabwe's ruling party, the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front.

Officially, according to Kohl & Karumazondo (2017), the colours of the flag of Zimbabwe carry
political, regional, and cultural meanings. Green represents the agriculture and rural areas of
Zimbabwe. Yellow stands for the wealth of minerals in the country, predominantly gold. The red
symbolises the blood shed during the first and second Chimurenga (wars) in the "struggle for
independence". The black indicates the heritage, race and ethnicity of the black majority. The
white triangle is a symbol for peace. The golden bird, known as the "Great Zimbabwe Bird"
(Hungwe) is the national symbol of Zimbabwe and is most likely a representation of the African
fish eagle. It "exemplifies the strong bond that ancestral humans had with animals, nature and
spiritual guides" and it is treated with a high level of importance and respect. The red star
represents the nation's aspirations, taken to be socialism as promoted by the ruling Zimbabwe
African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), and whose party flag was used as the basis
for the flag of the nation.

The Zimbabwe national coat of arms is a symbol which denotes our independence in the form of
a heraldic achievement (Kaarsholm, 2019). While a national flag is usually used by the
population at large and is flown outside and on ships, a national coat of arms is normally
considered a symbol of the government or (especially in monarchies) the head of state personally
and tends to be used in print, on armorial ware, and as a wall decoration in official buildings. The
royal arms of a monarchy, which may be identical to the national arms, are sometimes described
as arms of dominion or arms of sovereignty. An important use for national coats of arms is as the
main symbol on the covers of passports, the document used internationally to prove the
citizenship of a person. Another use for national coats of arms is as a symbol on coins of the
associated state for general circulation. For a symbol to be called a "national coat of arms", it
should follow the rules of heraldry. If it does not, then the symbol is not formally a coat of arms
but rather a national emblem. However, many unheraldic national emblems are colloquially
called national coats of arms anyway, because they are used for the same purposes as national
coats of arms.

On the coat of arms, the Kudu in the natural colours display a harmonious blend of black, white
and brown which may be taken to symbolize the unity of purpose of the various ethnic groups
which comprise the people of this country. The Earth mound bears the plants which gives food
and clothing to the people. The motto reminds us of our need to maintain the desire for national
unity and the will to work, in order to preserve freedom which we enjoy today. The green shield
represents the fertility of our soil while the blue and white wavy lines symbolize the water which
brings prosperity. Great Zimbabwe stands for the historical heritage of the nation. Katsamudanga
(2015) posits that the Riffle and Hoe symbolises the transition from war to peace. The wreath
which is formed of twisted gold and green silk represents the mining and agricultural enterprise
which protects our national economy. The Star is the ancient symbol of hope for the future
tinctured red to remind us of the suffering of all our people and the need to avoid any recurrence
of that suffering. The star bears the Great Zimbabwe bird which has become our distinctive
national emblem. The stone-carved Zimbabwe Bird is a national emblem of Zimbabwe,
appearing on the national flags and coats of arms of Zimbabwe, as well as on banknotes and
coins such as the Zimbabwean dollar. The famous soapstone bird carvings stood on walls and
monoliths of the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe built, it is believed, sometime between the 12th
and 15th centuries by ancestors of the Shona.

National symbols spread patriotism in citizens. According to Murwira (2016), Zimbabwe's

national anthem is a patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history,
traditions and struggles of the people of Zimbabwe used by the government of Zimbabwe as the
official national song. Blessed be the Land of Zimbabwe (Shona: "Simudzai Mureza wedu
WeZimbabwe"; Ndebele: "Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe") is the national anthem of
Zimbabwe. The national anthem was introduced in March 1994 after a nation-wide competition
to replace "Ishe Komborera Africa" with a distinctly Zimbabwean song. The winning entry was a
song written by Professor Solomon Mutswairo and composed by Fred Changundega. It has been
translated into all three of the main languages of Zimbabwe. The national Anthem is played to
students each day at the start of school as an exercise in patriotism
Conclusion

In conclusion, national symbols are of Great significance to the people. National symbols portray
patriotism of the citizens. The give a nation a unique identity. Citizens learn about their history
and their sovereignty through national symbols. Symbols can be used to instill pride and unity in
a nation's population.

References

Hodgkinson D (2019) Nationalists with no nation: Oral history, ZANU(PF) and the meanings of
Rhodesian student activism in Zimbabwe. Harare: University of Zimbabwe

Hubbard P (2019) The Zimbabwe birds: Interpretation and symbolism. Harare: University of
Zimbabwe

Jin B (2018) Culture and History. New York: Palgrave Macmillan

Kaarsholm P (2019) The past as battlefield in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe. Capetown: SAGE
Books.

Katsamudanga S, (2015) Introduction: Zimbabwean archaeology in the post-independence era.

Harare: Sapes Books

Kohl PL & Karumazondo, B. (2017) Introduction: Selective remembrances: The construction,

commemoration, and consecration of national pasts. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press

Kohl PL (2022) Nationalism: Construction of Nations and Reconstructions Past. Retrieved from
https:www.cia.gov.zw

Kolsto P (2016) National symbols as signs of unity and division. New York: Wiley and Sons
Publishers

Murwira A (2016) The San in Zimbabwe: Livelihoods, Land and Human Rights. Copenhagen:
International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA).