Zvinhu zvirikufaya [things are going on well]: A Zimbabwean internet meme and Diaspora discourse

Abstract

This paper examines one of Zimbabwe’s popular internet memes that has gone viral on social media.  The meme is a discourse in which Zimbabweans throughout the diaspora and those in Zimbabwe claim that things are going on well in their lives through videos posted on the internet.  Zimbabweans who have migrated to other countries use the internet to corroborate the claim that wherever they are life is comfortable. They are constantly posting varied videos of testimonies expressing good life on a special Facebook page named “Zvirikufaya”.  Some fascinating aspects emerge from the videos as they mostly display materialistic markers of opulence to support the claim that zvinhu zvirikufaya [things are going on well]. The postings wrestle to dispel certain (mis)conceptions that the majority of Zimbabweans in and outside the country are suffering.  The meme gives key insights about Zimbabweans in the diaspora and those who remained at home using the internet to keep connected. It also creates spaces for Zimbabweans in different spatial zones to exchange ideas about the country and its culture.  This discourse between diasporans and those who remained in the country opens a window into the way Zimbabweans are living around the world.