Highfield, affectionately known as “Fiyo,” is a living archive of the Zimbabwean soul. A few of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle heroes call this community, which is the second-oldest township in Harare, established in the 1930s, home.
While most youth experience the liberation struggle through the yellowed pages of textbooks, for the “ghetto yuts” (youths) of Highfield, that history is written into the very pavement they walk on.
Today, as Zimbabwe turns 46, Crooked Lanes joins the Highfield community to reflect on the living histories that continue to shape the present.
In Fiyo, history is not dead; it is a “living statue”, a constant of what transpired over four decades ago, stories that still shape the identity of a generation born long after the guns fell silent, famously known as “The Born Free” generation.
Fun fact: Highfield, Harare, acted as a pivotal hub in Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle, serving as a centre for nationalist politics, clandestine recruitment, and civilian support for ZANLA and ZPRA forces.
Walking through Highfield is like navigating a gallery of monumental significance. The houses here aren’t just brick and mortar; they are landmarks of defiance. For the modern youths in Highfield, the liberation heroes are more than political figures; they are the original “hustlers” who beat the ultimate system. There is a profound connection between the struggle of the 1960s and the modern struggle for economic survival.
One youth reflects on their community heroes:
“They taught us how to stand our ground,” says a youth near the Highfield Library across the Mushandirapamwe Hotel.
“When we look at the old houses, we don’t just see the past. We see that greatness can come from these small rooms.”
The story of Highfield is an ongoing dialogue. The youth do not view the liberation heroes as distant deities, but as neighbours who “made it” against impossible odds. This proximity prevents history from becoming a relic of the past.
A born-free, Tapiwana Mayo, said history and place are in one accord, that is, Highfield.
” You cannot just pick a place and say it is a historical place, but also our motivating place. Breathtaking, seeing the former late President Mugabe’s house with bullet holes shows me that the struggle is real, ” she said.
For the youth living in the shadow of the greats, the suburb is a constant reminder that they are walking on sacred ground.
Some of the Liberation Heroes Who Are Associated with Highfield
- Robert Mugabe
- Joshua Nkomo
- Enos Nkala
- Leopold Takawira
- Josiah Chinamano (resided in Highfield with his wife, Ruth Chinamano)
