Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana

A Shona spiritual leader who led a resistance against British colonialism in Zimbabwe, becoming a symbol of African resistance

Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana (c.1862–1898) was a revered spirit medium and political leader among the Shona people of present-day Zimbabwe. Born as Charwe Nehanda, she became the earthly incarnation of the Nehanda spirit, a powerful ancestral deity. During the late 19th century, British colonial expansion into Mashonaland threatened traditional Shona ways of life. In 1896-1897, Nehanda joined the Chimurenga resistance movement against British rule, using her spiritual authority to mobilize communities. Though captured and executed by colonial authorities in 1898, her legacy endures as a symbol of African resistance. Her story is preserved in oral traditions and modern scholarship like British Museum archives and Zimbabwe Memory Project.

Her prophecy 'We will break the white man's neck' became a rallying cry. Despite her execution, her remains were hidden by followers, becoming a site of pilgrimage. Modern Zimbabweans honor her as a national hero, with statues in Harare and inclusion in school curricula. Her life exemplifies how spiritual leadership could challenge colonial power structures, inspiring figures like nationalist leader Joshua Nkomo. Scholar Maureenherence's work Reconstructing Nehanda explores her enduring cultural significance.