The meaning of Chapungu

Voice: Roy Guthrie


The word "Chapungu" is the Shona word for the Bateleur eagle.
It's an eagle which still exists in Africa in many of the low lying
areas and we find it in Zimbabwe along the Zambezi valley and the
Limpopo valley.

For the Shona people it's a mythical bird, it's a protecting bird, it's
a spirit bird, it's a bird which the Shona revere and depict over and
over again in their sculptures. So, its a very important omen much
like the Native Americans revere the bald eagle in Africa and in
Zimbabwe we revere the Bateleur eagle, the Chapungu.