BOOK REVIEWS 235doubt what he says fits into the general picture of missions in the historyof Zimbabwe. Given the way the Lutherans are made to appear, theChurch whose missionaries were quick to take sides with the freedomfighters, one wishes Bhebhe spent more time on the religious factors inthe European background culture of the Swedes which distinguishedthem.University of Zimbabwe I. MUKONYORAAfrican Earthkeepers, Volume 1, Interfaith Mission in Earth-Care By M.L Daneel. Pretoria, University of South Africa, 1998.This is a remarkable book, about an attempt to save the environment bytraditional religious leaders in Masvingo District of Zimbabwe. A secondvolume is envisaged, which will focus on the role of independent churchesin the same endeavour.The author is central to the endeavour. Although he is descendedfrom White missionaries, he was brought up in Masvingo District and hasmaintained close links with the peoples of the district, recently throughmany years working with Independent Churches and helping them toestablish an organisation for co-operation between them and with otherchurches. Daneel describes the sadness he felt at noticing how the forestshe knew in his childhood had become depleted, and how he observed theland, denuded of trees, going to waste after the war for the independenceof Zimbabwe.The book begins with a brief account of the war, pointing to thedocumented roles of spirit mediums, of the cult of the High God Mwari,and of other traditional leaders. Traditional chiefs and spirit mediumslost influence immediately after the war as the new governing party tookover control. Daneel links the loss of respect for traditional religiousleaders and traditional religious values with indiscriminate ravaging offorests in the land.The author describes how three associated organizations wereestablished by religious leaders to focus on the natural environment, andto revive the woodlands by planting trees. The Association of ZimbabweanTraditional Ecologists involved traditional leaders; the Association ofAfrican Earthkeeping Churches involved independent churches; and theZimbabwean Institute of Religious Research and Ecological Conservationincorporated other churches. Using a narrative style that includes hisown involvement, the author describes how interest arose in these variousgroups and how the organizations developed. Included in his description236 BOOK REVIEWSis some account of rivalries and divisions that hindered the developmentof the movements.The book goes on to examine in some detail how ecology fits in totraditional religious values, and how traditional religious leadersencouraged a campaign of afforestation. "Earth-clothing" ceremonies toinitiate tree-planting derived their symbolism from two sources.One was the war for the liberation of Zimbabwe. Then as now, acommon enemy united people from different chiefdoms and differentspirit domains, to transform religious leadership from the local to anational level. This is illustrated by the involvement of ministers of thenational government. The movement was explicitly proclaimed a war ofthe trees. The spirit mediums and other leaders of the movement remindedpeople of their role in the war. This symbolism helped people to unitebehind their religious leaders, as they had done in the war of liberation.The second source of symbols is the traditional veneration ofancestors, who own the land and care for its fertility. Earth-clothingrituals followed the patterns of more ancient rituals in honour of thespirits of the land. In these, spirit mediums provide the link between theancestors and the living community. Daneel describes the involvement ofthe cult of Mwari, the High God, which supported the new ecologicalmovement. The book contains sections on traditional use of trees and thesymbolism surrounding them, and a section on wild animals, again payingattention to the relationship between traditional values and currentecological issues.The war of the trees has been effective in two principal ways. Itrevived the value of traditional sacred groves, which had been violated inrecent years. These provide reserves in which hunting is prohibited andtrees may not be cut down. The movement also gave a sacred characterto the planting of trees and the new woodlots created. It ensured maximumparticipation of the people in the programme of afforestation.The author makes clear his own interest and participation. ChapterFive indicates his wider initiatives in encouraging co-operation betweenWhite commercial game farmers and the local communities with respectto the utilisation of wildlife resources. This chapter also points toencouraging more general environmental awareness in schools andelsewhere. Always the campaign was linked to traditional values.In the final reflective chapter, the author speaks of his own homebackground at Morgenster Mission, which established his links with thePeople and their concerns. He speaks of the need to step back from thevalues of the enlightenment, and to pay attention to religious values,Miich have close links with our environment. The contents of the bookillustrate the role religion can play in material development. The authorreflects on aspects of Christian theology, arguing for areas of co-BOOK REVIEWS 237operation and understanding between Christianity and African traditionalreligions.The place of the book in academic literature Is problematic, which Isone of the things that makes it Interesting and valuable. It bridges thedisciplines of Religious Studies, Social Anthropology and Theology.Although it abounds in rich, descriptive detail, the book is not simply adescriptive account of the use of symbols, such as an anthropologistmight provide. The author was active in developing symbols from thepast to meet a new problematic situation. We see him taking on the roleof indigenous theologian. It is not always clear precisely how influentialhe was in developing the new religious symbolism. But this does notmatter: his links with, and commitment to, the people and country makeshim a participant in a way that anthropologists rarely achieve.This book should appeal to a wide readership. It is well written andwell presented with illustrations and an index. It provokes reflection onimportant religious and material issues that face many Africancommunities.University of Zimbabwe PROFESSOR M. F. C. BoURDILLON