Paper 2 · Specimen D 2026 · Heritage, Taboos and Totems
Before a courtship could proceed, families checked that the couple did not share the same totem mainly because
Asharing a totem means the two families cannot afford the same amount of roora
Bsharing a totem marks a common clan ancestry, and marrying within it counts as incest
Csharing a totem is required by law before any marriage may be registered
Dsharing a totem guarantees the marriage will produce no children at all
Explanation
A totem (mutupo) identifies clan descent, so two people of the same totem are treated as belonging to one extended family; marrying within it is avoided as a form of incest, which is one of the reasons totems are checked before courtship goes ahead.
Derived from ZIMSEC Family and Religious Studies 4047/2, Specimen Paper (a third specimen booklet, distinct from the two already held), Q1