Whenwes - Comes from the fact that Rhodesians abroad tended to start all conversations with - ‘When we lived in Rhodesia…’
A lot of controversy surrounds the spelling. There is whenwees, when-wees , whenwe’s, whenwee’s and whenwe, which incredibly is actually in Wikipedia and hilariously considered a derogative word!
However, I believe the Bulawayo born artist Rose Martin, along with Lois Bodze, should lay claim to the correct spelling with the publication of the 1978 cartoon strip ‘The Whenwes of Rhodesia’.
Thanks to the internet, I tracked it down. Looking through it is jaw dropping. The subtle touches are brilliant. Whilst the world has moved on, a lot of what is depicted is still relevant today.
Unfortunately, there are a couple of tasteless references that were a mistake; most Rhodesians will spot the ones I mean. All of it is available to read here -
Copyright is anyone’s guess, but I would just love to get Rose to do some cartoons for me…
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