Chief Bernard Marange: Blessed Are Those Who Plant Trees Under Whose Shade They Will Never Sit

A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they may never sit. The Greek Proverb was proven true on the 27^th of December 2023 when Environmental Buddies Zimbabwe Trust partnered with Chief Marange, an almost centurion to plant 40 trees at his household in Marange.

 

Born Muchisi Makungauta Marange on the 6^th of June 1933, to Lydia Muchingami of Muchingami Village and Chisvo Murwira Marange. He is from a big family with fourteen siblings, nine brothers and five sisters.  Just to add a bit of flare to his charm, he named himself Bernard, a name that has stuck.

 

Chief Bernard Marange was born and bred in Nharira Village in Marange Communal Area. He attended school at Mt Makomwe, up standard 4. He later went to further his studies at St Benedict’s Mission in Chiendambuya Makoni District- up to standard 6. He has worked as a Dispatch clerk at Lobels bakery in Bulawayo and acting chief and high court assessor for ten years.  Chief Bernard has 72 children in total from his nine wives, of which two of the wives are late.

 

I bet when you have such a big family, you will definitely need more trees.

On the 27^th of December 2022, Chief Marange and a number of his friends and age mates planted trees in whose shade they will never sit. This is an indication that he is interested about making the future generation grow up in a better country, climate and world.  He is truly a man of vision who sees into the future.

 

We are often motivated when are told the benefits they stand to get by working hard and making sacrifices daily. We are encouraged to invest in something, to be focused and to aim high. Truly, such sacrifices most times yield well in our lifetime. So, there’s nothing wrong with that.

 

However, the demands of our time require that we improve the reasons behind our motivation. We need to move beyond the profit we will make in our lifetime to the gains of future generations. And this is the case with Chief Bernard Marange.  A man who not only loves his immediate family but his whole community and Chiefdom, demonstrated by planting trees for them.

Wrapping up the event this is what the Chief had to say.

‘ am an old man and my days are numbered on this earth.  To everyone gathered here, I want to point out that we are always shouting tree protection slogans in vain. We say ‘pasi nevanotema miti, but the perpetrators are never brought to book. We see them walking freely while we watch our natural resources dwindle.

 

All the trees you see today are very important sources of medicines and we ought to protect them. They are rich in culture and are what makes us a community and a nation.

 

Parents, headmen and village heads, I want to encourage you to plant more trees.

Pasi netsika yekutema miti

Pasi ne nzara

Vasingazive, Ngavadzidziswe’.

 

The event ended on a good note when Chief Bernard Marange planted water berry/Mukute/Syzygium cordatum which is also the tree of the year.

 

Indeed love is not love till you give it away.