Violence & Memory: One Hundred Years In The "Dark Forests" Of Matabeleland

In this important contribution to the historiography of Zimbabwe, the authors explore the history of the northwest corner of the country over the course of a century. The analysis ranges from the occupation of the area by Matabele immigrants, to the rise of nationalist feeling and conflicts with the Rhodesian government, to the repression of the area's inhabitants by the government forces of Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. Based on extensive archival research and numerous interviews, "Violence and Memory" provides a much needed corrective to much of the post-independence historical writing that has focused on Mashonaland.