The Second Great Zimbabwe—Cultural & Historical Journal. Published: 14 April 2026, By Tete Getty—Founder, Tete Getty House & TGRI
The Zimbabwe Bird has come home.
After more than a century of separation, the final soapstone bird — one of the iconic eight carved from the sacred stone of Great Zimbabwe — has been formally repatriated. The handover ceremony, hosted by South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, marked the completion of a long journey of restitution. The birds are now complete. The circle is complete.
This is more than the return of an artefact. It is a profound teachable moment in our shared history — a moment when dignity is restored, past wounds acknowledged, and the spirit of Ubuntu shines through the actions of dear neighbours.
As I write these words, something on my personal bucket list for Zimbabwe has been crossed off. The ancestors must be smiling. May they be pleased. Dignity has been restored in the spirit of Ubuntu and healing.
The Zimbabwe Bird: Symbol of Sovereignty and Identity
The Zimbabwe birds are not mere decorations. Carved from soapstone in the 13th–15th centuries at Great Zimbabwe, they stood atop the towering stone walls of the ancient city, representing power, spirituality, and the link between the living and the ancestors. Each bird is unique, yet together they embodied the soul of a civilisation that traded gold and ivory across the Indian Ocean long before European arrival.
During the colonial era, these sacred objects were systematically looted. The Rhodesian Ancient Ruins Company (formed in 1895 under the influence of Cecil Rhodes) and private treasure-hunters plundered sites across the country. At Danamombe (also known as Dhlodhlo or Danangombe), a major Rozvi capital in the Midlands, the company and associated prospectors — including American adventurer Frederick Russell Burnham — removed over 18 kg of gold artefacts from elite graves in 1893, with further looting continuing into the late 1890s. Pottery, beads, and other cultural items were discarded or destroyed, while gold was melted down for profit. The company operated until around 1900, when criticism finally led to protective legislation.
The Zimbabwe birds themselves were taken from Great Zimbabwe and scattered to museums in South Africa, Germany, and elsewhere. One by one they have returned. The final bird’s homecoming closes the circle.
A Fellow Researcher’s message and the Rozvi Renaissance
Just a few days ago, a fellow researcher reached out to me highlighting the Danamombe looting — the Rhodesian Ancient Ruins Ltd’s operations at the site in 1895–1897. That conversation reignited a fire I have carried for years.
As a daughter of the Rozvi, I lead the Rozvi Renaissance not out of anger, but with power and grace. The Heartlands — Great Zimbabwe, Danamombe, Khami, Naletale, and the many stone cities of our ancestors — are the jewels of our legacy. Restoring them is not about revenge. It is about dignity. It is about ensuring that the next generation grows up knowing the full, unapologetic story of African achievement and resilience.
The return of the Zimbabwe bird is the perfect symbol of this work. It teaches us that history can be corrected, that stolen dignity can be reclaimed, and that neighbours who choose Ubuntu over possession can help heal old wounds.
“The birds are complete. The circle is complete. May our ancestors be pleased.”
A Teachable Moment for All of Us
This moment is not only for Zimbabwe. It is a lesson for the world: Cultural heritage belongs to the people who created it.
Restitution is not charity — it is justice.
Healing past wounds requires both the return of objects and the restoration of dignity.
In the spirit of Ubuntu, South Africa’s decision to return the final bird shows what is possible when former colonial powers and neighbours choose generosity over possession. It sets a powerful example for other institutions still holding African artefacts.
I wish the same grace and justice for the relics looted from Danamombe and other Rozvi sites. The gold, the carvings, the sacred objects taken by the Rhodesian Ancient Ruins Ltd in the 1890s must one day return to the Heartlands. The circle is not yet fully closed.
Tete Getty Perspective
From the depths of my soul, I say: thank you.
To our dear neighbours in South Africa who made this return possible — thank you for choosing Ubuntu over ownership. To the ancestors whose spirits guarded these birds for centuries — thank you for watching over us. To the young people of Zimbabwe who will now see the complete set of birds at home — may this fill you with pride and purpose.
The return of the Zimbabwe bird is a teachable moment that reminds us: history does not have to be a story of permanent loss. With courage, persistence, and the spirit of Ubuntu, we can restore what was taken and rebuild what was broken.The birds are home.
The circle is complete.
May our ancestors be pleased.
Tete Getty, Founder, Tete Getty House & TGRI United Kingdom | April 2026
The Second Great Zimbabwe Hall of Excellence Honouring those who restore dignity, heal wounds, and complete the circle.
This article is part of the ongoing cultural and historical series at TeteGetty.com, dedicated to the Rozvi Renaissance and the restoration of the Heartlands
Leave a Reply