Kamativi

Kamativi is a small mining town in Matabeleland North province, Zimbabwe. Kamativi is also the name of a tin mine located at the town. The town exists because of the mine. The name Kamativi is derived from the word "mativi" which means "sides", "embankments" or "valleys", and the prefix "ka" - though not grammatically correct - may be therefore a diminutive for "little valleys".

History

In the years around 1800AD the local Nambia and Tonga people are believed to have used this region as a trade centre for salt and fish to the visiting Rozvi people from the North and Nguni people from the South, then later with the Portuguese missionaries.