Cleanliness and Culture: Why Some Countries Embrace Cleanliness While Others Tolerate Trash

 

The Shona, "Maswina," and the Question of Filth

The term "Maswina" (or Amasvina) is a real derogatory slur used primarily by Ndebele speakers in Zimbabwe to refer to the Shona people. It derives from the Shona word "svina" or "tsvina," meaning dirt, filth, or something dirty. Historically, Ndebele raiders and rulers applied it to the Shona groups they dominated or fought, portraying them as unclean or inferior — sometimes linked to perceptions of how Shona communities lived, hid food in caves during raids, or handled entrails when butchering animals. Over time, colonial observers and settlers adapted variations of the term into "Mashona," which became the broad label for the Shona ethnic cluster. While some Shona dismiss it as mere tribal rivalry from the 19th-century Matabele era, the slur persists in ethnic tensions and carries the explicit accusation of dirtiness. It is not a neutral descriptor but an insult rooted in inter-group contempt, similar to many ethnic put-downs worldwide. Whether the stereotype had any basis in observable hygiene differences at the time is debatable, but the label stuck as a weapon in Shona-Ndebele relations.

Harare vs Bulawayo: A Tale of Two Cities

The term "Maswina" — meaning “the dirty ones” — is a longstanding Ndebele slur directed at the Shona people. Derived from the Shona word for dirt or filth, it was originally used during the 19th-century Matabele raids to portray the Shona as unclean and inferior. What began as ethnic insult has, unfortunately, become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy in modern Zimbabwe. Large parts of Shona-dominated urban areas have developed a visible reputation for poor public hygiene and disorder, keeping the old stereotype alive.
This contrast is most obvious when comparing Zimbabwe’s two major cities. Bulawayo, the traditional Ndebele heartland, is widely perceived as cleaner, more orderly, and better maintained than Harare. Streets appear better kept, garbage is collected more consistently, and the general atmosphere reflects greater civic discipline. Harare, by contrast, often struggles with litter, overflowing drains, and unkempt public spaces.
Nowhere is this more striking than in Mbare, one of Harare’s oldest and most crowded high-density suburbs. Mbare resembles a chaotic sea of filth: huge rotting piles of uncollected garbage tower beside markets, plastic bags cling to every fence and tree, open sewers overflow with waste and sewage, and the notorious Mbare Musika bus terminus is a muddy, stench-filled nightmare of discarded packaging, rotting produce, urine, and smoke from burning rubbish. Flies swarm in thick clouds while residents navigate through layers of trash that have become a permanent part of the landscape. The difference between Mbare and cleaner parts of Bulawayo is vivid and embarrassing.

Sweaty Armpits, Roll-On, and Zimbabwean StereotypesA recurring stereotype, especially in South Africa, the UK, and online discussions involving Zimbabweans (particularly men), concerns strong body odor and sweaty armpits. Hot climate, physical labor, diet, and — crucially — lower consistent use of effective antiperspirants and deodorants play a role. Many Zimbabweans rely on basic bathing and cheap "roll-on" products that often fail against heavy perspiration in humid conditions, leading to complaints about "that smell" in shared spaces, minibus taxis, or among diaspora communities. Social media in SA and Zim frequently jokes or vents about it, with some admitting that strong body odor remains a noticeable issue compared to groups that treat clinical-strength antiperspirants as essential. This ties back to broader hygiene patterns: personal cleanliness varies widely, but public enforcement and cultural emphasis on masking odor lag in parts of Zimbabwe and similar hot-climate African societies. It's not universal, but the reputation exists for a reason and fuels banter or discrimination abroad.Why Some Cultures Stay Filthy While Others Prize CleanlinessCleanliness outcomes differ sharply across societies, and the differences are cultural, not merely economic or "third world" destiny. Japan stands out for near-obsessive public and personal order: streets remain spotless with almost no litter, students clean their own classrooms, and Shinto-influenced values treat purity and avoidance of pollution (kegare) as near-sacred. Social conformity, shame at dirtying shared spaces, rigorous waste segregation, and early education reinforce this. Many Arab Gulf states (UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia post-oil wealth) maintain gleaming modern cities through strict enforcement, high standards for public spaces, and cultural/religious emphasis on ritual purity and personal grooming. Singapore combines heavy fines with civic discipline to stay ultra-clean.
In contrast, much of sub-Saharan Africa and parts of India show higher rates of littering, open defecation (historically), plastic pollution choking streets and rivers, and casual dumping of garbage. Public spaces are often treated as someone else's problem — the government's, the municipality's, or the "sweeper caste's." In India, homes and private temples may be kept scrupulously clean while streets overflow with waste, reflecting a sharp private/public divide. In many African urban and rural areas, rapid population growth, weak institutions, and weaker social norms around collective responsibility produce visible filth: heaps of uncollected trash, plastic bags in bushes, and polluted water sources. Poverty and poor infrastructure worsen it, but culture drives persistence — the habit of "I'll throw it here, nature or others will handle it." Hot climates accelerate smells and bacterial growth, but disciplined cultures overcome this through habits and enforcement. Wealth helps (Gulf states), yet Japan achieved cleanliness long before becoming rich, proving values and discipline matter more than GDP. Low-trust, high-corruption environments where "not my backyard" rules make filth self-reinforcing.

Putting to Bed the "Africans Live in Harmony with Nature" MythThe romantic idea that traditional Africans lived in perfect ecological harmony with nature is largely a Western projection and noble savage myth. In reality, many African societies cleared land for shifting agriculture, hunted wildlife heavily, set bush fires, and contributed to deforestation and soil degradation long before colonialism. Today, visible evidence contradicts the myth: plastic pollution blankets roadsides and waterways from Harare to Lagos, open dumping is commonplace, and marine litter studies show Africa becoming a growing hotspot due to poor waste management. Rapid urbanization without matching civic habits turns cities into trash heaps. Shona taboos once promoted some water-source protection and hygiene, and community health campaigns in Zimbabwe have improved latrine use, but these are exceptions amid wider patterns of littering and environmental neglect. Japan and the Gulf show that high-density human societies can maintain cleanliness and order when culture demands it. Africans, like any group, are not magically attuned to "nature" — humans everywhere exploit resources, and without strong norms, institutions, and personal discipline, the result is often visible mess, not pristine wilderness. Blaming colonialism or poverty indefinitely ignores successful counter-examples and excuses failure to build better habits.The evidence is plain: cleanliness is not genetic or climatic fate. It reflects priorities, shame mechanisms, education, enforcement, and whether people view public space as a shared responsibility or an infinite dump. Some cultures built systems that reward order; others tolerate (or even normalize) disorder. Pretending otherwise helps no one.

Solutions for Third World Filth

Breaking this cycle demands more than complaints or excuses. Practical and proven solutions include constant surveillance, strict enforcement, and early education. Singapore uses extensive surveillance cameras (including video analytics in public hotspots and even urine detection systems in lifts) combined with heavy fines starting at S$300 for littering, escalating sharply for repeat offenders, and has achieved remarkable cleanliness. Japan relies heavily on cultural education, with schoolchildren spending time every day cleaning their own classrooms and school grounds to instill personal responsibility and respect for shared spaces from a young age. Countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei have successfully used caning (corporal punishment) as a strong deterrent for vandalism, littering-related offences, and other public disorder crimes. Heavy daily fines, dedicated clean-up crews that remove waste promptly, and rigorous teaching of cleanliness both at school and at home are essential. Without building real social shame around dirtying public areas and enforcing consistent standards, third-world filth will continue to define many communities.