Great Zimbabwe's Mambo Nemakonde and the Poison Test of Succession

Great Zimbabwe: The Lost African Kingdom of Stone — Fexingo History · Jun 5, 2026 · 8m · transcript

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore one of the most dramatic and controversial traditions of Great Zimbabwe: the poison test of selection known as mupfura, used to determine who would succeed the Mambo. They follow the story of Mambo Nemakonde, a claimant who refused the test and sparked a civil war in the 14th century. The episode delves into the role of the svikiro (spirit mediums) in the ritual, the use of the umhobe tree's poisonous bark, and the political machinations that surrounded the throne. Lucas explains how the test was both a religious ordeal and a…