Imagining Post-2000 Zimbabwean Perceptions of Land and Notions on Identities in Catherine Buckle's African Tears: The Zin1babwe Land Invasions

Abstract

The novel African Tears: The Zimbabwe Land Invasions (2002a) describes the traumatic experiences that the author, Catherine Buckle, a white owner of Stow Commercial Farm near Marondera, faced during the early phase of the land invasions. The novel portrays Buckle's experiences while under siege and until she is forced to leave the farm by the war veterans. Her experiences are a result of the anti-imperialism campaign seeking to redefine perceptions of land and identities that were introduced by the Zimbabwean government after 2000. This article draws on postcolonial perspectives on imagined and national identities and discussions on the history and cultural significance of land in the formation of personal and social belonging and other identities in its examination of perceptions of land and identities in post-2000 Zimbabwe. I therefore examine the role played by Buckle's repre­sentations of her experiences in reflecting the nature of the land invasions and their impact on perceptions of the space of the farm and in the construction of national and social identity. This article also analyses the text's significance in shaping the image of post-2000 Zimbabwe's postcolonial condition and introducing new trends in the country's creative imaginings of the land.

Opsomming
African Tears: The Zimbabwe Land Invasions (2002a) is 'n roman waarin Catherine Buckle, die blanke eienaar van die kommersiele boerdery Stow naby Marondera, haar traumatiese belewenisse in die beginstadium van grondbesetting beskryf. Die roman beeld Buckle se ervarings onder beleg uit totdat sy die plaas onder dwang van oorlogsveterane moet verlaat. Haar wedervarings is die gevolg van die anti­imperialistiese veldtog van die Zimbabwe-regering na 2000 om persepsies van grond en van identiteit te herdefinieer. Hierdie artikel gaan uit van post-koloniale perspektiewe op verbeelde en nasionale identiteit en opvattings oor die geskied­kundige en kulturele belang van grond in die vorming van persoonlike, sosiale en ander identiteite, en ondersoek die persepsies van grond en identiteite in Zimbabwe na 2000. Derhalwe ondersoek ek veral die rol wat Buckle se weergawe van haar ervarings speel in die weerspieeling van die aard van die grondbesettings en die uitwerking daarvan op die persepsies van die plaasruimte en op die skep van nasionale en sosiale identiteit. Hierdie artikel ontleed ook die belang van die teks vir die beeldvorming van Zimbabwe se post-koloniale toestand na 2000 en die invoer van nuwe neigings in die land se kreatiewe verbeelding van grond.