Zimbabwe is third most attacked country in the world because cybersecurity is a joke to us

Leonard Sengere Avatar
State agents using phones

Zimbabweans are the type of people who would laugh at you if they saw a top-end safe in your home housing just $7.53. If you can’t handle ridicule, don’t try to go to a bank to deposit $4.

We have a terrible attitude when it comes to security. We’ve convinced ourselves that we are too poor to be targeted by criminals. The logic goes, what kind of criminal would waste time trying to pickpocket a failed state (hyperbole) and its struggling companies and institutions?

Well, the criminals have given us an answer. They’re not about to pass up a quick buck.

If you were a pickpocket and saw a guy with a $5 note hanging out of his pocket, would you ignore that to focus on the lady you saw shove $500 into a handbag? You’d grab the $5 and then turn your attention to the handbag.

Ladies and gentlemen, Zimbabwe is that guy with the $5 note hanging out of his back pocket. Our lax cybersecurity attitudes have come to bite us where the sun doesn’t shine. The thieves are coming for that $5 note.

Zimbabwe is third most attacked country

Reports show that Zimbabwe is the third most attacked country in the world. Check Point Software Technologies released the Global Threat Index for July 2024, revealing this concerning information.

Check Point measures how well a country’s cybersecurity defenses match up against the cyber threats it faces. It also considers the number of attacks and the number of impacted organizations within each country.

The gap/metric (Normalised Risk Index, or NRI) is given as a percentage. The bigger the gap, the more dire the situation.

Zimbabwe has an NRI of 77%. Sheesh. We are sitting ducks here. That’s good for 3rd in the world and second in Africa. Ethiopia is doing internet completely wrong, coming in with an NRI of 100%.

Our neighbours fare better. Zambia is 63rd with an NRI of 40.5%, while South Africa is 59th with an NRI of 42%.

These are bad scores. It’s just that Zimbabwe and Ethiopia are doing much worse.

What threats?

What’s really going on in Zimbabwe? Check Point has a live cyber threat map that shows just how active cybercriminals are. On this very day, there have been over 10.6 million attacks globally.

Focusing on Zimbabwe, we find that in the last 30 days, these are the malware type trends and the percentage of affected organizations:

It makes for grim reading. It shows that 17.1% of organizations were affected by Botnet attacks.

Elsewhere in the report mentioned above, we find that Phorpiex, known for orchestrating large-scale spam campaigns, has been particularly active in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

It’s not just Check Point saying this, lest you think they were hired by economic saboteurs to smear the good name of Zimbabwe.

Interpol reports:

Worryingly, nearly half of the African countries surveyed reported ransomware attacks against their critical infrastructure between January 2023 and December 2023.

This includes attacks targeting government infrastructure, hospitals, financial institutions, and Internet service providers. To give a few examples, …. government institutions in Ethiopia, Senegal and Zimbabwe, and South African Internet service provider RSAWEB have all been subjected to ransomware attacks. Even the African Union faced a crippling attack from the BlackCat group (also known as ALPHV) against its internal network in 2023, …

Tiri kuitwa kanyama kanyama guys, they are picking us off one by one.

We can’t stay on this road

Much has been said about cybersecurity, and most of us have heard these things but never really considered that we were targets. I don’t believe we will see any change in our organizations’ resilience unless and until the general public finally takes cybersecurity seriously.

I cannot count how many IT guys I’ve spoken to who say there is little they can do about grown human beings still clicking on links from unknown senders in their emails.

Drop a flash drive on the ground, even a 2GB one, and someone’s father will plug it into their work computer to check if it works so they can take it home.

If we still can’t take cybersecurity 101 tips seriously, we’re in deep trouble.

This explains why, when we talked about Google advising users to disable 2G on their phones because criminals are exploiting it and using false base stations to spam and spread malware, a good number of people thought Google was merely trying to get us to buy new equipment.

It also explains why, when one of the biggest financial institutions in the country was hacked, we quickly moved on to the EPL coming back.

At this point, it looks like we will only take this seriously when we personally suffer losses. That’s the hardest way to learn the lesson.

Below are a number of articles that touch on basic cybersecurity tips:

67 comments

  1. D.K.

    The thief will steal the $5 without thinking or planning. To steal the $500 the thief will have to consider that the person could be carrying a firearm, or there may be guards or bodyguards accompanying the person. The thief also knows the risk of stealing from those with large sums as they may be having easy connections with the authorities, and their money can afford them to get lawyers or bouncers and even hitmen! They also know that a lot of people do not report thefts and muggings, and the police are not interested in the small issues.
    Localisation, which blinkers us to not think beyond the boarders is the biggest threat. This has resulted in in international ICT companies and Audit Firms relocating to other countries or closing locally. Even the education system which has been localised seems to produce people who do not know or not care about what goes on outside our borders. Some of the countries and foreign companies we have large contracts with leave a lot to be desired if one gets basic information about the countries and companies that is readily available on the internet.
    We have a computer society and an internet society in the country but, like SADC, only the membership may be benefitting as they seem to be making themselves exclusive by not letting others tell about what they do.

  2. Mimi

    The offensive tone and wording leaves much to be desired.
    Are you Zimbabwean?
    Why do you have so much self hate?

    And next time please use recognized sources with proven Cases.

    1. Anonymous

      This maybe true but the impact of the attacks is close to zero for example if someone from Zimbabwe download a software from pirate Bay even if the software has a malware it’s unlikely they will still anything coz most of these machines won’t have access to the internet plus most Zimbabweans do not really use computers for important things like storing personal information or mining cryptocurrency etc.

    2. King

      Self hate + Self love is one way to describe a Zimbo😆

      1. Concerned Guy

        😂😂 Well said

  3. Anonymous

    what about the extremely poor practice which seems to be widespread of having everyday users accounts at administrator level?? Worse is that service providers/ fiscal support people all want to install software that doesnt operate properly when not run as admin or needs admin approval to run in the first place. The whole practice of IT as a whole needs to be fixed as well as the poorly engineered software that is being installed. The fiscal software is the WORST

  4. Anonymous

    Maybe because we are top 3 country in piracy.
    Most people in Zimbabwe do not by music, Games or software it’s all piracy that’s why we always get attacked
    Imagine downloading a cracked windows software,cracked anti-virus software, cracked Call of Duty.

    1. Black Beard

      The internet is for porn and freemium. The most cracked software is probably also the best selling, what did call of duty make in revenues? It would compete against our GDP that we show off with.

      1. Anonymous

        me too!

        1. Black Beard

          Bho!

  5. Spellchecker

    * Croco

  6. Richard Lion Heart

    Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham, how is the exchequer account? As you know i’m currently seized with the Crusades.

    1. Saladin Saracen

      You need to go home to your people Richard.

      1. Robin Hood

        His brother has made out laws of us.

  7. Scorer

    How do you calculate strike rate in cricket?

  8. That guy Lee

    Following the stories 👏👏👏

  9. Augustus Ceasar

    There is a chill today Black Rifle Coffee company.

  10. Bot Blocker

    Piracy is one heck of an attack vector. Once I installed Lulu on my machine to monitor traffic, my eyes were opened to what life on the high seas has brought me! If I launch a program, Lulu will fill my screen with blocked connections from executables that disappear if you go to the directory and reappear at the next launch with a new random alphanumeric names. It’s no wonder bot farms are an issue 😕 I now have to do a ritual of switching off WiFi before launching the programs I might need for the day at once because if they see a connection at launch, they will call home!

    Lol, God, I have a small wish. I want to be rich enough to wipe my machine and reinstall nothing but OG software! Even the Affinity suite will do🙏🏾😬

  11. eh what

    what does your headline mean with “us” at the end of headline, please clarify? .. “Zimbabwe is third most attacked country in the world because cybersecurity is a joke us”?

    1. Anonymous

      It’s a generalised statement backed by data and anecdotal engagement here and on other forums. No need to take it personally or feel your national pride has been challenged. We have room to do better on this.

  12. what does the headline mean?

    headline “Zimbabwe is third most attacked country in the world because cybersecurity is a joke us” ?

  13. Curios George

    Aren’t light based data transfers harder to intercept and hack, eg. LIFI

    1. Lead Pursuit

      Falcon F4 (F16) lan party, dogfight, team furball, guns only. Server 127.0.0.1

      Putting in those flight hours on the Sim at home.

  14. African Stig – No Helmet – Just Headband

    Guys, don’t play with journalists. Remember Jeremy Clarkson on the BBC set, I don’t know the full story but the three monkeys went to Amazon. They have hands too, and they spend a lot of time exercising them…kkkk

    1. Stig

      Top Gear one of my favourite shows on TV was about the relationship between the presenters.

      Joey did his best to salvage it but it was never the same.

  15. Anonymous

    Hi.
    Just a bit off topic .
    Is the Pindula app still Zero Rated on Econet?
    If yes, can someone drop me the App link here !

    Thanks

  16. Joker6

    Hanzi ndinoda vakomana vakadzi vononetsa, ah Baba simbi yenyu iyi hameno henyu murikubasa.kkkkk

  17. Black Beard

    Do not get me started with $5million IAP fees before a company starts operating. Why are we surprised data is expensive compared to our neighbours? In RSA you don’t need all of that, they could be showing off, but they don’t. You show off presumably because the world revolves around your circle and head.

    1. Gen. Tongo

      War Vets a frank discussion. If you knew this would be the current state of affairs, would you have soldered on hungry, tired, traumatised. Or you would have back home to sleep?

      1. Cde. Mulutamuchapera

        I would go ask for my share.

      2. Cde. Teurairopa

        I would turn my plough back into a sword.

    2. Cde. Gaba Rinocheka

      I would sleep.

  18. Bugs Bunny

    I have a little joke with my self. Fis ting mi du wen mi wake up….check for bugs.

    Just found a bug on my phone adapter, ‘fe’ something. Took it off and we are charging again.

    Karate

  19. The Beekeeper

    Brand Ambassador is implied.

    I remember Dzizdai when you know who wanted to make you Brand Ambassador for the Bees.

    I would have loved the fact but unfortunately I didn’t see a contract or money exchanging hands. I would rather work for money than work for food.

  20. Data Tracker

    Most expensive data in the World.

    1. Zimbabwe

    1 hour 1200MB =$1 USD

    24 hours per day x 30 days a month = $720 per month limited internet.

    Total usage = 864 GB

    Average salary = X?

    Good luck downloading the X Plane world scenery.

    1. Cayman

      Munozotinetsa, only our children deserve to be online, they deserve it. Imimi you are poor you are fine, what do you even need internet for anyway.

  21. Paul the Apostle

    Today is a Sunday so I feel like preaching.

    God has given you one life. Yes one life. What are you going to use it for?

    To advance humanity
    To serve your country
    To serve your community
    To have fun
    To have you own fashion sense and not listen to other peoples cues

    Or are you going to use it;
    To murder people
    To gossip
    To slander
    To steal from widows and orphans
    To be jealous
    Depressed
    Be a tyrant

    You have one life, you are not coming back this is your moment.

    Are you going to use your life to remain in perpetual poverty?

    To be in perpetual fear.

    Or you are going to seize opportunities as they arise.

    One life.

    1. Paul the Apostle

      Who invented the concept of money, humans, no?

      Why then do you think by giving God $20 on Sunday service he is going to pay your back.

      The Lord loves a cheerful giver, not a giver expecting something in return.

      If you don’t study and listen to your teachers you will fail. No amount of prayer will save you from a U, but the Lord will appreciate your dedication to prayer, perhaps you should do theology instead, you clearly like it.

      It is insane to think God needs your money. God doesn’t need anything from you but your heart.

      The Rabi said the two greatest commandments are;

      1. Love the Lord your God
      2. Love you neighbour

      Very simple application of the law of Moses explained by a spirit inspired man.

      You cannot lobe your God if you kill innocent people, you cannot love your neigbour if you covet his belongings.

      1. Ecology Corps Scout Sniper

        Always ready and packed.

    2. Arnie

      A gentleman never tells.

  22. Terry Hunter 42 Royal Commando

    Happy Days.

    Kkkkk

  23. Terry Hunter 42 Royal Commando

    Happy Days

    Kkkk

  24. Trevor Noah, CEO, Cell and you will C

    You mustn’t be too serious.

    I’m very serious look at me.

    I’m serious on the radio

    I’m serious on TV

    I’m at Indabas

    I’m serious in the newspaper

    I now want to go to TikTok to be very serious

    I mean serious business always, look suit, look my watch its very expensive so I must a very serious and important person.

  25. Spellchecker

    * LOVE
    *UBER

  26. ‘Piratical Schemes and Contracts’: Pirate Articles and their Society, 1660-1730 Submitted by Edward Theophilus Fox to the University of Exeter as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Maritime History In May 2013

    Johnson’s portrayal of pirates in the first volume is one of muted neutrality,
    and the pirates are described as both ‘bold Adventurers’ and ‘Tyrant like’;
    ‘rogues’ who would torture a man until he revealed his valuables or in ‘justice’
    for his mistreatment of others. The pirates’ society is several times described
    as a ‘Commonwealth’, and frequent references are made to pirates voting on
    important matters.37 When it came to the matter of choosing a captain, it was
    argued
    That it was not of any great Signification who was dignify’d with Title; for
    really and in Truth, all good Governments had (like theirs) the supream
    Power lodged with the Community , who might doubtless depute and
    revoke as suited Interest or Humour. We are the Original of this claim
    [said one of the pirates].38
    The pirates of Johnson’s first volume, then, lived in a unique pioneering
    community in which each man was imbued with equal rights and rights of
    equality, was able to express his opinion through voting. Captains and other
    officers had no powers that were not vested in them, and liable to be taken
    away, by the rest of the community. Johnson may or may not have intended
    his portrayal of pirates to be seen in contrast to the mores of legitimate society
    in England, but if he did then the message was perhaps too subtle for his
    readers. In August, 1724, an article appeared in The Weekly Journal, or
    Saturday’s Post, a London newspaper published by Johnson candidate
    Nathaniel Mist, in the form of a (probably apocryphal) letter telling how a
    country gentleman and Justice of the Peace, upon being read the General
    History, flew into a rage over the ‘impudent Libel upon great Men’, perceiving
    the book to be a thinly veiled attack on the ruling elite.39

    37 For example, Johnson, General History, pp. 117, 139, 145
    38 Johnson, General History, p. 194
    39 The Weekly Journal, or Saturday’s Post, 29/8/1724

  27. Piratical Schemes and Contracts’: Pirate Articles and their Society, 1660-1730 Submitted by Edward Theophilus Fox to the University of Exeter as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Maritime History In May 2013

    The model of pirate society, first put forward by Dow and Edmonds, but most
    deeply explored and illustrated by Rediker, has largely been accepted by
    historians whose primary focus has not necessarily been the social order of
    pirates, but upon whose work that social order has had some bearing. The
    two most recent studies of the groups of pirates who infested the Indian
    Ocean and the Caribbean respectively in the seventeenth and eighteenth
    centuries, have each borne hints of Rediker’s pirate social order in their titles:
    Jan Rogozinski’s Honor Among Thieves: Captain Kidd, Henry Every, and the
    Pirate Democracy in the Indian Ocean, and The Republic of Pirates, by Colin
    Woodard. Both books, in fact, are less about democracy and republicanism in
    the pirates’ social order than about the narrative history of piracy in particular
    regions, but nonetheless the egalitarian and democratic nature of pirate
    society espoused by Rediker et al influenced the way Rogozinski and
    Woodard perceived and understood the pirates’ activities. Woodard described
    Caribbean piracy of the eighteenth century as ‘resistance, a maritime revolt
    that shook the very foundations of the newly formed British Empire… fuelling
    the democratic sentiments that would later drive the American revolution. At
    its centre was a pirate republic, a zone of freedom in the midst of an
    authoritarian age’, and it was this quest for ‘freedom’ and democracy that
    drove Woodard’s pirates.79 On the other side of the world, in the Indian
    Ocean, Rogozinski’s pirates ‘created a way of life totally unlike anything back
    home or on other vessels’, leading ultimately to ‘absolute democracy’.80 For
    Rogozinski, the pirates’ democratic and egalitarian society was not
    necessarily what drove men to piracy, but was what enabled pirates to
    operate successfully for years on end, as lone crews and in consortship, at
    sea and ashore in their settlement at St. Mary’s Island, Madagascar.

  28. Piratical Schemes and Contracts’: Pirate Articles and their Society, 1660-1730 Submitted by Edward Theophilus Fox to the University of Exeter as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Maritime History In May 2013

    I have treated clothing as a personal necessity because seamen must be
    clothed, the ‘simple exercise of keeping warm is indeed one of the basic
    needs of the human species,’485 and although a seaman ‘has the least
    Occasion of any Man living for [a wife], for he has everything made and
    dress’d to his own Hand; and he that cannot be his own Laundress, is no
    Sailor’,486 worn-out clothing had to be replaced from somewhere. However,
    clothing might, in some cases, also be considered a tradable commodity.
    Popular consumerism swept through England during the early modern
    period, centring first on appropriate apparel. Attractive clothing was the
    article of choice among the middling and labouring classes: this held true
    as much for shoppers in the marts around the kingdom, as it did for
    thieves working in town and country.487
    Clothing played an important role as a signifier of status, it ‘was the apparent
    making of the man or woman – by all public calculations at any rate’.488 The
    great desire across all classes for a good wardrobe gave rise to a flourishing
    market for second-hand clothes,489 which, although well supplied by legitimate
    means, also gave rise to a flourishing trade in stolen clothes. ‘Clothing was
    the most sought-after, and at the same time, the most easily disposable
    commodity in this period’.490 For seamen, the cost of new clothing can be
    ascertained from the numerous contracts awarded throughout the
    seventeenth and eighteenth centuries by the Admiralty to clothing suppliers to
    supply the ‘slop’ clothing to ships’ pursers for eventual resale to the seamen
    who manned the ships of the navy. The slop contracts specified not only the
    type of clothing to be offered and the materials to be used in its construction,
    but also the retail value of each item, from neckcloths at 5d and stockings at
    3s each, to kersey waistcoats at 7s and broadcloth breeches at 12s, with the
    most expensive item being broadcloth coats, which sold for £1

  29. Hallo Hallo ZINGSA

    1.5.2 Technology Development
    Conclusions
    The Reference Mission was developed
    assuming advances in certain technology
    areas thought to be necessary to send people
    to Mars for a reasonable investment in time
    and resources. The Reference Mission is not
    intended to lock in these assumed
    technologies. The purpose of identifying
    technologies at this time is to characterize
    those areas that can either significantly reduce
    the required mass or cost of the program or
    significantly reduce its risks (for example, in
    the area of fire safety). Alternative means of
    satisfying these requirements may be
    identified and, if promising, should be
    supported. The alternatives could be the
    result of a dual use development, spin off
    from other programs, or a fortunate “spill
    over” from some unexpected area.
    At this particular stage in developing
    human exploration missions to Mars, it is
    difficult to do more than speculate about spin
    off and spill over technologies that could
    result from or be useful to this endeavor.
    However, identifying dual uses for some of
    the assumed technologies can be started now
    and, to a certain degree, may be required for
    such a program to progress. In the current
    political environment, investment in
    technology is seen as a means of improving
    the general quality of life for people on Earth,
    and multiple use of technologies is
    emphasized to obtain the best return on the
    resources invested in their development. The
    following is a list of twelve technologies
    which are important to space transportation,
    humans living in space or on a planetary
    surface, or the utilization of extraterrestrial
    resources.
    Resource Utilization
    •Extraterrestrial mining techniques
    •Resource extraction process and
    chemistry
    •Material preparation and handling in
    reduced gravity
    •Extraterrestrial manufacturing
    Transportation and Propulsion
    •Advanced chemical systems that provide
    high performance and are compatible
    with the resources available on the Moon
    and Mars
    •Nuclear propulsion to enable short trip
    times to Mars
    •Aerocapture/aerobraking at the Earth
    and at Mars for propulsive efficiency
    and reusable systems
    •Lightweight/advanced structures
    • Reduced-g combustors

    Cryogenic Fluid Management
    •Long-term (years) storage in space
    •Lightweight and high efficiency
    cryogenic liquefaction
    •Zero g and microgravity acquisition,
    transfer, and gauging
    EVA Systems
    •Lightweight, reserviceable, and
    maintainable suit and PLSS
    •Durable, lightweight, high mobility suits
    and gloves
    Regenerative Life Support Systems
    •Contamination and particle control
    •Loop closure
    •Introduction of locally produced
    consumables
    •Food production
    •Trash and waste collection and
    processing
    •High efficiency and lighter weight active
    thermal control systems
    Surface Habitation and Construction
    •Lightweight structures
    •Seal materials and mechanisms
    •Construction techniques using local
    materials
    Human Health and Performance
    •Zero-g adaptation and countermeasures
    •Human factors
    •Health care at remote locations
    •Radiation protection in transit and on
    surface
    Power Generation and Storage
    •Long life, lighter weight, and less costly
    regenerative fuel cells
    •Surface nuclear power of the order of
    100kw
    •High efficiency solar arrays
    Teleoperations/Telerobotics
    •Remote operations with long time delays
    •Fine control manipulators to support
    wide range of surface activities
    •Telepresence sensors and displays
    Planetary Rovers
    •Long range (hundreds of km) rovers
    •Motor lubricants (long-term use)
    •Dust control
    •High efficiency lightweight power
    generation and storage
    Advanced Operations
    •Automated systems control
    •Systems management and scheduling
    •Simulations and training at remote
    locations
    Fire Safety
    •Fire prevention
    •Fire detection
    •Fire suppression

    Some of these technologies (such as
    nuclear thermal propulsion, Mars surface
    space suits, and in situ resource extraction), at
    the system level, are unique to the Reference
    Mission or to human space exploration in
    general. It is likely that NASA or cooperating
    international partners will have to bear the
    burden for support of this research and
    development. The Reference Mission, as it is
    described here, will fail if these systems are
    not advanced to a usable state. Other areas,
    such as medical countermeasures, closed-loop
    life support systems, autonomous operations
    systems, surface power systems, and surface
    mobility, may be of more general interest and
    may provide opportunities for government
    and industry to develop shared programs. In
    still other areas, such as long-lived electronics
    and materials research, where the underlying
    research will probably be done by industry to
    address general problems of technology
    development, NASA or the international
    partners should focus on infusing that
    technology. The exchange of information
    should be continuous between NASA and the
    commercial sector particularly concerning the
    needs of future missions, so that industry can
    incorporate research into its privately funded
    programs where it is justified. In all areas,
    subsystem or component technologies may be
    developed by industry to meet commercial
    requirements, and the Mars Program will
    need to have processes that allow the element
    designers to use the most advanced
    capabilities available.
    Recommendations
    •Establish a Mars Program Office
    (discussed further under International
    Participation and Management and
    Organization) early in the process (now,
    probably) at a low level to lay the
    foundation for technology requirements
    to be undertaken by NASA or other
    government agencies with similar
    requirements. Formal organizational
    agreements should exist between these
    offices if the technology development is
    not formally assigned to the Program
    Office.
    •Rank technology investments according
    to their return to the Program, as either
    cost or risk reductions.
    •Prior to initiation of the Reference
    Mission, take critical technologies to a
    demonstration stage. NASA should
    ensure that experimental work in
    support of the Reference Mission is
    incorporated into the International Space
    Station program at the earliest
    reasonable time.
    •Create a database (in the Program Office)
    of available technologies that can be
    used in design studies, and track the
    progress of these technologies. The
    database should include domestic and
    international capabilities.

    1. Space Boy

      Dazzle us guys, inspired the youth to look to Space.

      Table 3-26 Key Elements of Lower-Cost Programs
      • Use government to define only requirements
      • Keep requirements fixed; once requirements are stated, only relax them; never add new
      ones
      • Place product responsibility in a competitive private sector
      • Specify end results (performance) of products, not how to achieve the results
      • Minimize government involvement (small program office)
      • Ensure that all technologies are proven prior to the end of competition
      • Use the private sector reporting reporting system: reduce or eliminate specific
      government reports
      • Don’t start a program until cost estimate and budget availability match
      • Reduce development time: any program development can be accomplished in 3 to 4
      years once uncertainties are resolved
      • Force people off development programs when development is complete
      • Incentivize the contractor to keep costs low (as opposed to CPAF, CPFF, or NASA)
      • Use goegraphic proximity of contractor organizations when possible
      • Use the major prime contractor as the integrating contractor

  30. Night Vision Movie Studio

    Reference: National Woman’s History Musuem

    Pocahontas Live Movie ‘Soldier of Fortune’

    Spy, Diplomat, Entrepeneur, Medicine Woman

    Born

    • A powerful alliance of about 30 Algonquian-
    speaking groups and petty chiefdoms in
    Tidewater Virginia
    • Their economy was based on agriculture and
    foraging (land was very important!)
    • Powhatan tribes lived in villages on creeks and
    rivers that fed into the Chesapeake Bay
    • Men hunted and foraged for food while
    women were responsible for planting and
    harvesting corn and vegetables

    Pocahontas’ actual birthdate is unknown, but most
    historians agree she was born between 1595-1597
    • Pocahontas is described as a favorite daughter of
    Wahunsenaca (powerful chief of the Powhatans
    who united over 30 tribes under himself)– his
    “delight and darling,” according to the colonist
    Captain Ralph Hamor
    • Not much is known about Pocahontas’ mother, but
    she was one of about 100 wives that Wahunsenaca
    had. It is believed that she died while giving birth to
    Pocahontas

    • At birth, she was formally named Amonute, not
    Pocahontas.
    • “Pocahontas” is actually a childhood nick name that
    means “playful” or “mischievous.”
    • Her informal, personal name was Matoaka, which
    means “white (or snow) feather.”
    • John Smith called her Nonpareil, which means “to
    have no equal” in French, because of her “wit and
    spirit.”
    • Pocahontas was born into the Powhattan Alliance
    (Mattaponi/Pamunkey tribes). The English called it
    the Powhattan Alliance, but to its members it was
    called Tsenacommacah.

    Early Life

    As a young girl, Pocahontas would have worn little to no clothing
    and had her hair shaven except for a small section in the back that
    was grown out long and usually braided.
    The shaven parts were probably bristly most of the time as the
    Powhatan Indians used mussel shells for shaving. In winter, she
    could have worn a deerskin mantle (not everyone could afford one).
    As she grew, she would have been taught women’s work; which was
    separate from men’s work, but both were equally taxing and equally
    important as both benefited all Powhatan society

    Special Duties

    In 1603 Pocahontas was given her Dream-Vision: she was by the water
    and ships came like white birds out of the water and strange people
    poured out of them. Her own people started to disappear. When she
    saw a big pile of heaped shells on the shore, she walked closer to them
    but then saw they were bones not shells.
    • She left to go to Werocomoco (it was common to return to their
    mother’s village for Wahunsenaca’s children) to train to become a
    Beloved Woman (a medicine woman). She was trained in “reading the
    land” and in the ways of the medewewin (medicine dance). She was
    involved in the manito aki (ceremonial / spirit world)
    • Some Historians think since she was named Matoaka (which means
    “white/snow feather”) and white feathers always signify a Beloved
    Woman (medicine woman) that she might have had that “calling” since
    birth.

    Change Arrives

    In 1607 a crew of 100 men of the Virginia Company of London came to
    the Tsenacommacah. They called it James Towne in honor of King
    James I.
    • The crew fought over social class. John Smith actually arrived to James
    Towne in shackles because he did not get along with another
    gentleman on the journey. Many of the men felt that “rooting in the
    ground” was beneath their dignity and they did not want to do the
    necessary labor to survive in the swamp. They suffered greatly from
    disease, dirty drinking water, famine, and depended on help from the
    Native Americans.
    • Pocahontas frequently delivered messages and goods on behalf of her
    father. John Smith would spend time with her to learn Algonquian.
    • In 1608 Matoaka/Pocahontas becomes a spiritual guide to Nantaquod
    (John Smith)—this is after the infamous incident and ceremony that
    they are both known best for now.

    In 1609 over 500 more colonists arrived in Jamestown, (this
    time including men, women, and children). The Powhatans
    could see that the colonists did not intend to only stay for a
    short while, as first promised.
    • Many of the settlers died of disease, starvation, and in
    skirmishes. Pocahontas warned John Smith of one of the
    attacks before they took place.
    • John Smith was injured in a gun powder accident and had
    to return to England in 1609. Pocahontas was told that he
    died. In his absence, Jamestown suffered a Starving Time.
    • In 1610, there were less than 70 colonists who had survived
    the Starving Time

    Womanhood

    • The years 1609-1610 would be important ones for Pocahontas. She would be
    about fourteen, which was adulthood and marriageable age.
    • She began to dress like a Powhatan woman, wearing a deerskin apron and a
    leather mantle in winter, since she was of high status. She might also wear
    one-shouldered fringed deerskin dresses and start decorating her skin with
    tattoos. When she traveled in the woods, she would have worn leggings and a
    breechclout to protect against scratches, as they could become easily infected.
    She would have also grown her hair out and worn it in a variety of ways: loose,
    braided into one plait with bangs, or, once married, cut short the same length
    all around.
    • In 1610, Pocahontas married Kocoum, whom Englishman William Strachey
    described as a “private captain,“ which implies he had command over some
    men. The fact that he was not a chief, and not high in status, suggests that
    Pocahontas may have married for love. Although Pocahontas was the favorite
    daughter of the paramount chief, she still had the freedom to choose whom
    she married, as did other women in Powhatan society.

    • In 1613, Pocahontas was kidnapped by Captain Samuel Argall.
    He forced her relatives to trick her onto his ship The Treasure
    and had Kocoum killed. Captain Argall used Pocahontas as a
    noble hostage for ransom. He demanded corn, the return of
    some prisoners and stolen items, as well as a peace treaty.
    • Pocahontas’ father tried to negotiate, but Captain Argall moved
    Pocahontas to the Henrico settlement (near present day
    Richmond). This is where Pocahontas met Jon Rolfe.
    • Pocahontas started a strict religious conversion to Christianity
    and was baptized with another new name: Rebecca.
    • Rebecca, may have been a symbolic gesture to Rebecca of the
    Book of Genesis who, as the mother of Jacob and Esau, was the
    mother of two “nations”, or distinct peoples, which suits
    Pocahontas’ narrative.

    Becoming Lady Rebecca

    After a year of captivity, Sir Thomas Dale
    took Pocahontas and 150 armed men to
    Powhatan, and demanded a ransom.
    • A skirmish occurred, and Englishmen
    burned villages and killed Indian men.
    • It is during this event that Pocahontas told
    her father that she wished to marry Rolfe.
    • John Rolfe also asked for permission to
    marry Pocahontas from his governor. In his
    request he explained that he felt he would
    be saving her soul.
    • Both the Powhatans and British governors
    gave them permission to marry. They
    married on April 5th
    , 1614.

    Peace

    • The marriage was viewed by all as a peace-
    making event—the “Peace of Pocahontas.”
    • Rolfe also helped save the Virginia colony by
    promoting tobacco cultivation, and was
    likely aided in some part by his wife.
    • Pocahontas bore a son named Thomas and,
    in 1616, the Rolfes traveled to England.
    • While in England, Pocahontas dressed in the
    Elizabethan style pictured in her famous
    portrait. She was considered an Indian
    princess by the English, she was granted an
    audience with King James I and the royal
    family.

    England

    Pocahontas became of symbol of Indian religious conversion (one of the goals of the Virginia Company).
    • The company decided to bring Pocahontas to England in 1616 as a symbol of the tamed New World “savage.” She
    toured the country with about a dozen other indigenous Virginians.
    • Although Pocahontas was not a princess in the context of Powhatan culture, the Virginia Company nevertheless
    presented her as a princess to the English public.
    • While some considered her a curiosity rather than a princess, Pocahontas was treated well in London. She attended a
    masque where she sat near King James I and Queen Anne.
    This presentation was prepared by Andrea-Bernadette Pratt for the use of the National Women’s History Museum
    Pocahontas in england
    Image Source: http://blog.godreports.com/2017/08/the-faith-of-
    pocahontas-and-her-untimely-death-after-being-called-as-a-missionary/
    • Eventually, the Rolfe family moved to rural Brentford, where Pocahontas would
    again encounter Captain John Smith.
    • She was so overcome with emotion that she could not speak and turned away
    from him. Upon gaining her composure, Pocahontas reprimanded Smith for the
    manner in which he had treated her father and her people. She reminded him
    how Powhatan had welcomed him. She became angry and reminded him how
    he had not been afraid to threaten every one of her people—except her. She
    said the settlers had reported Smith had died after his accident, but that
    Powhatan had suspected otherwise as “your countrymen will lie much.”

    Honours

    In July 2006, on the 400th anniversary of Jamestown’s
    founding, a delegation of Virginia Native Americans
    visited her grave and held a private ceremony to reclaim
    their native daughter back into her heritage.
    This presentation was prepared by Andrea-Bernadette Pratt for the use of the National Women’s History Museum
    Modern honors for pocahontas
    Virginia Indians dance at Cobham Hall near
    Gravesend, England, during a welcome ceremony
    Friday, part of celebrations marking the 400th
    anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia.
    (Associated Press/The Spokesman-Review

    This statue of Pocahontas, by
    William Partridge, has stood at
    Historic Jamestowne since 1922.
    Her hands and arms are
    burnished gold from visitors
    touching them for almost 100
    years.

    1. Rotten Tomatoes

      Disney is for historians;)

  31. Anonymous

    Tibvire

    1. Radio Tracker

      ZiFM stand what gwan. TK, Miss Red, Pozzo, Abisha Palmer and all.

    2. Holy Holy Holy, 10 Degrees of Heaven

      Musha mukadzi tinozvibvidza.

      Kunyepa uko, uri Daisy ndiri Tuku

  32. Turf Busy Signal

    Sir you love horse so you are going to miss the horse ride.

  33. Bryan

    There is also other reasons. Most sites don’t have SSL. Or if they do aren’t valid so it flags most sites when trying to open. Secondly, the domain registrar, run by mango is terrible. The security around that entity is shocking. Owning a Zimbabwean domain is risky, unless you use global dns providers like cloudflare to secure your websites. Local technologies are a huge risk

  34. Chief Hwenje

    Musangano kuma Cell C

    1. Dakota Fanning

      Oh my God! I totally love Chief Hwenje.

  35. Apostle Paul

    There is a Pastor in SA with a vulgar sounding name…kkkkk

  36. Mbida D – Dziripo Mhepo

    So not let other people use your laptop or connect their phones unless they are trusted.

    I found someone copying 5 GB of documents from my Laptop, hanzi Mukoma murikuda ma movie here.

    Zviripamba pano

  37. Inkomo Lads

    These Cyber security thieves gnaw at you slowly.

    They infect your chargers, phones and laptops. Almost like a challenge, catch us if you can. Sorry I have no time for side shows.

    They also ask for cooking oil at take half the bottle after accusing you of misusing money to buy lots of food.

    Its a game to them, until bodies start pulling up, execute with extreme prejudice.

    1. Grim Reaper AKA Ngozi

      Let’s bring them to the table too, its only fair.

      1. Hwinza

        Kudenga kune ngirozi. August is a time to get of Cyber Security thieves.

        * dem!

  38. Murenga

    I notice how most cyber security thieves use 1960s tactics. Still effective, they just reveal who you are.

    In the spirit world we have a name for you.

  39. Spellchecker

    *YouTube

  40. NASA Handbook

    At NASA, “systems engineering” is defined as a
    methodical, multi-disciplinary approach for the
    design, realization, technical management, opera-
    tions, and retirement of a system. A “system” is the
    combination of elements that function together
    to produce the capability required to meet a need.
    The elements include all hardware, software, equip-
    ment, facilities, personnel, processes, and procedures
    needed for this purpose; that is, all things required to
    produce system-level results. The results include sys-
    tem-level qualities, properties, characteristics, func-
    tions, behavior, and performance. The value added by
    the system as a whole, beyond that contributed inde-
    pendently by the parts, is primarily created by the
    relationship among the parts; that is, how they are
    interconnected.1
    It is a way of looking at the “big pic-
    ture” when making technical decisions. It is a way of
    achieving stakeholder functional, physical, and oper-
    ational performance requirements in the intended
    use environment over the planned life of the system
    within cost, schedule, and other constraints. It is a
    methodology that supports the containment of the
    life cycle cost of a system. In other words, systems
    engineering is a logical way of thinking.
    1 Eberhardt Rechtin, Systems Architecting of Organizations:
    Why Eagles Can’t Swim.
    Systems engineering is the art and science of devel-
    oping an operable system capable of meeting require-
    ments within often opposed constraints. Systems
    engineering is a holistic, integrative discipline,
    wherein the contributions of structural engineers,
    electrical engineers, mechanism designers, power
    engineers, human factors engineers, and many more
    disciplines are evaluated and balanced, one against
    another, to produce a coherent whole that is not dom-
    inated by the perspective of a single discipline.2
    Systems engineering seeks a safe and balanced design
    in the face of opposing interests and multiple, some-
    times conflicting constraints. The systems engineer
    should develop the skill for identifying and focusing
    efforts on assessments to optimize the overall design
    and not favor one system/subsystem at the expense
    of another while constantly validating that the goals
    of the operational system will be met. The art is in
    knowing when and where to probe. Personnel with
    these skills are usually tagged as “systems engineers.”
    They may have other titles—lead systems engineer,
    2 Comments on systems engineering throughout Chapter 2.0
    are extracted from the speech “System Engineering and the
    Two Cultures of Engineering” by Michael D. Griffin, NASA
    Administrator

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