"Our Branches Are Broken:" Using the Tree Of Life Healing Methodology
with Victims of Gukurahundi in Matebeleland, Zimbabwe
Abstract
Between 1983 and 1987, an estimated 20,000 people from Matabeleland and parts of Midlands Province in
Zimbabwe were killed by government forces in an operation code-named Gukurahundi. Since that time, no
official apology, justice, reparations or any form of healing process has been offered by the government which
was responsible for these atrocities. Many people still suffer trauma from the events of this time. The overall
question that this research project sought to answer was whether a small group of survivors of Gukurahundi
could heal via participation over time in a group action research project directed at their healing.
This article assesses the effectiveness of the Tree of Life healing approach, which was one of the
methodologies tried during the course of the research with a small group of survivors of the 1980s atrocities.
We found that while the approach was very helpful to the participants, it was difficult to talk about “total
healing” due to the fact that the perpetrators are still in power. In addition, no effort had been made to even
acknowledge the harm done, and the participants still felt marginalized politically and economically, while the
perpetrators appeared to be care-free and enjoying life. Participants agreed that, given the circumstance, this
approach offered them a measure of relief and that it was still necessary to address healing holistically. It was
however acknowledged that some form of relief was better than a lifetime of painful memories even if systemic
change remains to be seen.
Keywords: trauma healing, violence, Gukurahundi, Zimbabwe, Participatory Action Research, Tree of Life
Author Bio(s)
Dumisani Ngwenya (DTech 2015) is a doctoral graduate from the Peacebuilding Programme at Durban
University of Technology and this article derives from his doctoral thesis. His research was supported by the
Canon Collins Educational Trust. He is Director of Grace to Heal in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, a faith-based NGO
dedicated to peacebuilding, reconciliation and healing.
This article is available in Peace and Conflict Studies: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/pcs/vol23/iss1/2