"Guns and Rain: Guerillas and Spirit Mediums in Zimbabwe" by David Lan

Paper Summary:

Review of Lan's book on Zimbabwe during the anti-Colonial struggle for independence (1966-1980). Focuses on the way in which African religion (Spirit Mediums) of the Shon people joined forces with the military. Transformation of guns/death to life-giving forces and independence through the Mediums. History of Zimbabwe. Government administration of the country.

From the Paper:

"David Lan's Guns and Rain: Guerillas and Spirit Mediums in Zimbabwe examines both the larger culture of this African nation and the particular ways certain cultural vectors came together during the anti-colonial struggle for independence that extended from 1966 to 1980 during which thousands of the country's peasants (who were living traditional lives in many ways set fundamentally apart from the formal political life and struggles of the urban population) joined with the pro-independence guerillas to provide both practical help and psychological support. This support was spearheaded throughout the country by hundreds of spirit mediums, the religious leaders of the Shona people.
It was through the support of these mediums, Lan makes clear, that the scale of the war expanded into a wide-scale act of..."

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