 Munyaradzi was the son of a "mhondoro", one of the traditional spiritual leaders of his community in Chipuriro (Sipolilo Tribal Trust land) about 30 km from Guruve, Mashonaland in the far north of what was, in 1931, Southern Rhodesia.He participated as a child in the traditional ceremonies such as the "bira", a type of funeral procession, and in hunting.A Shona speaker, Munyaradzi never attended school, and struggled with the English language throughout his life.