Trans-generational trauma and tribal conflict among AmaNdebele and VaShona Pentecostal clergy

Abstract

BACKGROUND : This article explores the intersection of trans-generational trauma and tribal conflict among AmaNdebele and VaShona Pentecostal clergy in Zimbabwe, rooted in the historical context of the 19th-century AmaNdebele invasions of Mashonaland and the 1983–1987 Gukurahundi massacres. Through an intersectional framework, the study investigates how ethnicity, spirituality and historical memory shape identities and how unresolved collective trauma influences the spiritual, social and political dynamics within faith communities, despite Pentecostalism’s emphasis on healing, reconciliation and unity. OBJECTIVES : This article looks at Zimbabwean’s template of trans-generational trauma and tribal conflict within some Pentecostal clergy. METHOD : The study employed a qualitative approach using case studies of the ‘AmaNdebele and VaShona clergy’ lived experiences within the Pentecostal movement based in Bulawayo and Harare. RESULTS : There is an existential reality of tribal conflict within some Pentecostal churches, undergirded by leadership appointments and clergy deployments, often reflected by tribal affiliations rather than merit. Liturgical practices, including language use in services, were shaped by the dominant tribe or language within a congregation. There is no structured pastoral care approach to address tribal conflicts within the Pentecostal community. CONCLUSION : The study identified key themes, such as historical trauma, trans-generational trauma transmission and the need for justice, peace and reconciliation. CONTRIBUTION : This research contributes to the discourse on Pentecostal pastoral care by adopting an interpretive narrative framework by amplifying the voices of ‘AmaNdebele and VaShona clergy’ who experienced tribal conflict.