Gonarezhou Conservation Trust
Connecting culture to conservation and tourism and creating a circular economy in
Gonarezhou National Park and surrounding ecosystem, South-Eastern Zimbabwe
Empowering local communities through connecting their
culture to sustainable low-impact tourism
Masasanya can be roughly translated to “a place far away in the bush” in the local Shangaan vernacular. The concept of the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust's manangas is not only to offer a camp built in a style that has the lightest of footprints, but one which also celebrates local culture and the communities living adjacent to Gonarezhou National Park. Masasani Mananga was the first mananga to be built in the Gonarezhou National Park – it was the beginning of an exciting new journey towards merging conservation, tourism and communities within the wider Gonarezhou ecosystem.
The mananga structures are inspired by similar local Shangaan homes. The ones built by the GCT Trust are built using reclaimed materials and traditional techniques that are combined with comfortable and quality furnishings and fittings to ensure a truly unique and memorable experience. Each camp is built by local community members and artisans who are then trained and employed as camp attendants, bringing the vision full circle by directly connecting conservation, tourism and communities.
Beauty Chihlangu (left) and Margaret Chauke (right) work together as camp attendants at Msasani Mananga. They are also part of a team of women who construct these beautiful lodges every year.
Beauty Chihlangu (above left) learned to make the traditional Shangaan style floors and walls when she was a child. “If my mother did our home I would take my own mud and help her. We learnt these skills at our village. If you need a basket, you can make it with your own hands. With natural resources. If you need money you can go in the field, in the bush, find those natural resources for free and make your basket and go and sell it and have your own money. We go to town in the urban areas – they use them for vegetables, some people [use them] for decoration.”
“We learnt [hospitality] at Makonde. We were trained by Mrs Davies. But this work (the walls and floors) is the work that we used to do in our homes, it’s natural for us. We see people getting excited and happy when they realise [what it is]. We are happy because all our life we didn’t think that the things we were doing – mud work, can be special for somebody. I didn’t think that I could get a job through mud, through crocheting mats and doormats.
My life before was very different because I found it difficult for me and my children, it was hard for me to get money for my children to go to school – but now it’s easy. I can pay school fees for my children and can get better food and clothes for them. I’m a single mother – I have one girl – Beyonce – she is eleven – and twins – they are seven. Their names are Despite and Delight.
In the village they are now admiring my life. Even in my home I am now putting more effort – I’m decorating my house, making everything look smart – I’m making my home look like this Mananga one here. So my home is much more beautiful than others – some mothers are now copying from me – they are starting to paint their houses, they’re making nice floors, some come and ask me to show them how to do floors and other things… Now they see these things are important – you can get jobs through this mud. So now they are busy doing their houses and making their murals.”
