Ndiyani Wakavuraya? – Limited Edition Print

In Shona culture, kubvunzira (literally “to ask” or “to consult”) refers to the practice of consulting a diviner (n’anga) to determine the cause of a death, especially when the circumstances are not considered “natural.” Even when the cause of death seems obvious, say, an accident, illness, or old age, families may still seek spiritual confirmation. The diviner is asked to establish whether witchcraft, ancestral displeasure, or another hidden cause is involved, and often to identify a possible perpetrator. This practice is rooted in the Shona worldview, where death is rarely seen as purely random or natural; it usually has a social or spiritual dimension. A sudden or untimely death, for instance, might be explained as the work of a jealous relative, a broken taboo, or neglected ancestral rites. Kubvunzira helps the family situate the death within a moral and spiritual framework, and often serves to restore order, assign responsibility, or guide rituals of appeasement. It can also be highly charged socially: the diviner’s pronouncement may strain or even break family relationships if someone is identified as the cause. At the same time, it offers a way for the community to process grief, search for meaning, and reinforce cultural norms.