Nyamwezi People: Africa`S Bantu People Of The Luna As Well As Tanzania`S Bit Largest Ethnic Group

The Nyamwezi, or Wanyamwezi (Banyamwezi), are agro-fishery, skilful trading together with powerful Bantu-speaking ethnic grouping living principally inwards southward of Lake Victoria inwards west-central Tanzania. They are the descendants of the Bantu grouping inwards Tanzania whose sharp trader together with a celebrated warlord leader Mtyela Kasanda, amend known equally Mirambo, single-handedly formed the famous Nyamwezi Kingdom. The Nyamezi people's ancestral homeland is inwards parts of Tabora Region, Singida Region, Shinyanga Region together with Katavi Region.

              Nyamwezi people dancing to "Ndelule" traditional Nyamwezi music from Tanzania

This ancient warrior together with caravan porters (trading) people of Tanzania constitute the second-largest ethnic grouping out of over 120 ethnic groups inwards Tanzania. The Nyamwezi people have got unopen ethnic together with linguistic affinities amongst Sukuma people, Tanzania`s largest ethnic group. Smaller groups (Konongo, Galla, Sumbwa) were component division of Unyamwezi Kingdom together with are still oftentimes considered component division of the Nyamwezi people grouping past times the Nyamwezi.
The lift Nyamwezi is of Swahili origin, together with translates equally "people of the moon," they refer to their homeland equally Unyamwezi (the identify of Wanyamwezi) together with their linguistic communication equally Kinyamwezi, although many also verbalize Swahili or English.
Historically, at that spot have got been v tribal groups, all referring to themselves equally Wanyamwezi to outsiders: Kimbu, Konongo, Nyamwezi, Sukuma, together with Sumbwa, who were never united. It was solely inwards the 19th century that the name, Nyamwezi, could live found inwards literature; the term powerfulness include almost anyone from the western plateau. Travel taught them that others called them Nyamwezi, together with almost all men accepted the lift given to them past times the coastal people indicating that the Nyamwezi came from the west. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 century later, their terra firma is still called "Greater Unyamwezi", nigh 35,000 foursquare miles (91,000 km2) of rolling terra firma at an elevation of nigh 4,000 feet (1,200 m).
The Nyamwezi people were best known Bantu people inwards Tanzania amongst awesome together with unique tribal hairstyles that caught the attending of anthropologists that studied them.

                  Unique hairstyles of Nyamwezi people. Circa (Wanyamwezi). Circa 1860

Greetings are real of import inwards Nyamwezi society. One greets of import people past times bowing, clapping one's hands, together with averting one's gaze before a handshake. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 greeting amid unopen friends are less formal together with oftentimes contain some teasing together with joking.”
Today, the Nyamwezi have got a rich cultural heritage. Perhaps the most of import component division of their heritage is the emphasis on harmonious together with balanced social relations. Nyamwezi guild has historically placed a high value on tolerance. This has allowed many people from exterior Unyamwezi to alive peacefully inwards the surface area together with has allowed the Nyamwezi to alive throughout Tanzania.”

                                  Nyamwezi dancers
Location
Unyamwezi is located inwards the western plateau surface area of the Tanzanian provinces of Tabora together with Shinyanga. Much of the terra firma is covered past times a dry out woodland amongst strings of ridges together with granite outcroppings. Most of Unyamwezi is non considered prime number agricultural land. Water is oftentimes scarce.
Tanzanians of diverse ethnic groups alive inwards Unyamwezi. Also nowadays are Arabs equally good equally Asians whose ancestors came from Republic of Republic of India together with Pakistan. About thirty pct of the Nyamwezi alive together with piece of work exterior Unyamwezi, mainly inwards Tanzania's commercial together with agricultural centers. The Nyamwezi brand upwards nigh four pct of the Tanzanian population together with set out nigh 1.6 million.

Myths (Creation)
 “The Nyamwezi people of Tanzania inwards East Africa worship Mulungu equally the god who created all things together with who watches over the earth. Although he created the world, Mulungu is a real distant god amongst no personal human relationship amongst living beings. According to legend, Mulungu i time lived on earth. He left together with went to alive inwards sky because some people laid burn to the landscape, causing destruction together with killing many other people. Unable to climb the tree that linked sky together with earth, Mulungu asked Spider to assist him go upwards to the sky. Spider climbed up, spun a thread, together with allow i halt of the thread autumn to earth. Mulungu followed the thread upwards to heaven.”


Language
Nyamwezi verbalize Kinyamwezi, a western Bantu linguistic communication belonging to the larger Niger-Congo linguistic communication phylum. The dialects inlude Galaganza, Mweri (Kiya, Konongo, Sumbwa), Nyanyembe, Takama (Garaganza). Lexical similarity: 84% amongst Sukuma [suk], 61% amongst Sumbwa [suw], 56% amongst Nilamba [nim]. it has a dialectical continuum amongst Sukuma.

History

Nyamwezi are component division of the Bantu people that introduced Iron technology to East Africa during the Great Bantu migration from West Africa. According to oral tradition, the Nyamwezi are thought to have got settled inwards westward key Tanzania (their nowadays location) some fourth dimension inwards the 17th century. They were i time fisherman together with nomadic farmers due to the wretched soil character of the area. Their travels made them professional person traders, together with past times 1800 they were taking caravans to the coast to merchandise inwards Katanga copper, wax, salt, ivory, together with slaves. Arabian together with Indian slave together with ivory traders reached the Nyamwezi past times 1825. They also started to teach guns, together with flora regular armies, amongst intra-tribal wars together with some conflicts amongst Arabs on the coast throughout the 19th century. They could live considered an acquisitive society, oftentimes defendant of thinking of zippo but how to earn money.

                               Nyamwezi warriors. Circa 1914

The Nyamwezi had long been a settled agricultural together with cattle-owning people, arriving on the western plateau inwards the 16th century, together with originally living inwards a mosaic of small-scale together with independent chiefdoms tardily carved out past times ruling dynasties which according to a Catholic missionary may have got numbered over 150, each amongst its ain councilors, elders, together with courtroom slaves. In the 19th century, they were already recognized equally large slave-owners together with were famous for their herds. While cattle were of import they were non oftentimes component division of normal life, their entire aid oftentimes existence left inwards the hands of professional person herdsmen, the immigrant Tutsi.

In the early on 1800 at that spot were a set out of Nyamwezi kingdoms, such equally Unyanyembe, Ulyankhulu together with Urambo. Unyanyembe was perchance the most powerful, since it controlled the trading metropolis of Tabora, together with had unopen connections amongst the Arabs of Zanzibar, through the Arab community of Tabora. When Mnywasele inherited the throne of Unyanyembe 1858, the Arabs helped him expel his competitor Mkasiwa, who went into exile inwards Ulyankhulu. When Mnywasele after tried to increment his command over the Unyamyembe trader community, these allied amongst Mkasiwa, which led to a greater conflict betwixt Unyanyembe together with Ulyankhulu inwards 1860. The outcome of the conflict was that Mkasiwa gained the throne of Unyamyembe. In 1871 Unyanyembe was involved inwards some other war, this fourth dimension against Urambo, which at this fourth dimension was ruled past times the slaver together with ivory trader known equally Mirambo. 1873 the Urambo forces blockaded the ivory merchandise from Tabora resulting inwards the toll of ivory ascent globally. The state of war lasted until Mirambo's expiry inwards 1884.

In the 19th century, settlements were described equally typically large, compact, together with fortified for defence amongst potent wooden stockades, oftentimes inwards high inaccessible rocky places. When the Germans finally imposed peace, the population did non forthwith disperse, but slowly, over a fifty-year period, the modern blueprint of scattered settlements emerged.

Mirambo (ca.1840--1884), famous Nyamwezi`s Kingdom founder, trader together with celebrated warlord

High German colonists controlling Tanzania from the belatedly 19th century (calling it High German East Africa), found the Nyamwezi heavily involved inwards merchandise relations amongst the Arabs together with the isle of Zanzibar, dominating equally traders together with porters since 1850. (While Iliffe lists a probable 100,000 people traveling to together with from the coast, Abrahams lists a possible 200,000 using many of the side 'roads', some making the trip equally many equally xx times.) Despite the Nyamwezi's exterior contacts, Nyamwezi colonies were remarkably resistant to unusual culture. Nyamwezi colonies exterior the Unyamwezi long remained culturally distinct. In Unyamwezi itself, differing lifesyles were either absorbed into the existing order, similar to the Ngoni becoming precisely some other chiefdom, or became isolated similar the Arabs of Tabora. But for all their wretched relationships amongst the coast together with their conservatism, existence able to go was considered a valuable, manly attribute.

Many merchandise routes crossed Unyamwezi, together with the Nyamwezi had access to ivory together with slaves, stretching from the coast to the inland, equally far equally Congo. The western Nyamwezi arrived at the coast amongst ivory precisely about 1800, together with coastal traders presently followed this upwards past times finally entering Unyamwezi together with reaching Ujiji past times 1831. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 form of California Gold Rush took identify for the ivory of the Congo's Manjema to the westward of Lake Tanganyika. With their deep interest inwards commerce, the Nyamwezi welcomed traders. The most hospitable chiefdom was Unyanyembe, where Arab traders established the nexus of Tabora to the Lake district beyond.

Conflicts betwixt chiefs together with Arab traders lasted through the lastly one-half of the 19th century. Chiefs such equally Isike together with Mirambo, no longer existence purely ritual, had found that the arrival of firearms enabled them to created standing armies together with a novel province organization. It was firearms together with merchandise that transformed the region, for merchandise generated the wealth needed to obtain firearms. Chiefs were commonly ritual figures who had no real stiff rules of succession. They lived real restricted lives, amongst the most pregnant duties existence carried out past times headmen. They were strangled when they became seriously sick (as in all likelihood happened to Mirambo patch dying of cancer), for the good existence of the province together with its continuation was identified amongst main together with his subordinate administrators. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 hierarchy of territorial offices came into being. There were sub-chiefs, assistant chiefs, headmen elders, ritual officials, etc., equally each dynasty seized ability from another. Greater Nyamwezi had go a state of war zone.

Unyamwesi was "pacified" past times the Germans inwards 1893; solely Chief Isike precisely about Tabora giving whatever serious opposition. The High German adopted a shape of indirect dominion inwards the part amongst chiefs becoming the administrative agents of the key government, receiving business organisation human relationship books equally a formal score of recognition. Over time, the chiefs were expected to hold monastic say together with collect taxes. Where before officers welcomed their collaboration, after officers became suspicious of it, fifty-fifty deliberately dismantling a chiefdom.

As belatedly equally 1906, Karl Weule, a High German ethnolonogist had the next to say; "Even European caravans had their porters hold off to have nutrient together with drinkable from native villages they passed through"

After the Germans were removed from Tabora during World War I, the British took over inwards 1919 together with ruled until the Tanzanian independence of 1961. To fight sleeping sickness, many people were moved into novel villages gratis from the disease

Economy

Elephant hunters have got historically been i of the most prestigious occupations amid the Nyamwezi, since the elephant hunters could teach real rich from ivory trade. The elephant hunters were organised inwards a guild, which solely accepted those who could transcend the apprenticeship together with the tests that were associated amongst it. Hunting had a broad multifariousness of forms. Guild members oftentimes used lethal poison, together with when they used it, inwards a High German sergeant's words, "it worked tardily but surely."

The guildmembers believed they possessed powerful hunting medicine acquired through rigorous apprenticeships, tracking game inwards all types of terrain together with moving swiftly together with silently through thorny underbrush. The elephant hunting led to a decrease inwards elephant population, which combined amongst the increased merchandise inwards slaves, led to large changes inwards the social together with economical conditions.

Nyamwezi staple nutrient has historically been ugali, a porridge made from hominy together with served amongst meat together with vegetables. Beer made from fermented corn, sorghum, or millet was also common. Goats were used for ancestor sacrifices, but the economical value of goats together with sheep lay inwards their meat together with skins. By tradition v goats or sheep equated i bull; 2 bulls were worth i cow. Their twelvemonth is divided into 2 seasons, moisture together with dry, amongst considerable variation depending on fourth dimension together with place.

In add-on to agriculture, crafts were a part-time describe together with were non hereditary. Regionally traded products of importance were drums, ladles, stools, storage boxes for grain, together with snuffboxes of horn. Iron together with stuff were real of import inwards regional networks, but the stuff manufacture inwards item was ailing inwards 1857 because of severe contest from India, together with over the adjacent 60 years almost disappeared. Ironwork came from localized settlements whose products were so traded over broad areas: bows, arrows, spears, the payment of fines, together with the extremely valuable hoes for bridewealth were all produced amongst considerable ritual past times the smiths; together with depending on the identify that was blamed, for the heavy deforestation to obtain charcoal

Social organization

Historically, villages were commonly non kinship units together with people found their relatives spread over broad areas. Spouses to a greater extent than oftentimes than non came from exterior the Tembes together with sons commonly moved away from their father's homestead. The heart members of a "domestic group" consisted of the husband, his married adult woman or wives, together with whatever children who still lived amongst them. Sometimes relatives, such equally a mother, younger single brothers or sisters, together with their children could live found together. The sexes usually ate separately. In full general men did the heavy work, patch women did the recurring tasks together with much of the everyday agricultural work.

Ideally every adult somebody should live married, together with every married adult woman should have got her ain household together with convey her ain household utensils. The hubby is said to technically ain his wife's hut, fields, together with most of the household's food, but a wise hubby usually listened to the wife's advice. There was piddling ranking betwixt co-wives, although seniority inwards price of who was kickoff married was at times recognized. Jealously together with sorcery were common, much depending on how good co-wives got along. Unlike the Wagogo, divorce was common, a large bulk of persons experiencing al to the lowest degree i divorce past times the fourth dimension they were 50 years of age, which included the provide of bridewealth minus the set out together with sexual activity of the children born. Divorce was most oftentimes accomplished past times the separation of either party. Chiefdom courts found sure reasons to automatically justify divorce: a woman's desertion, existence struck past times a wife, the wife's adultery, sexual refusal of the wife, together with having an abortion, were all adequate reasons. Grounds for a hubby to claim divorce were failure of the married adult woman to bear out household duties, visiting a doc without permission, together with possible infertility. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 married adult woman could divorce if the hubby deserted for a stream of fourth dimension without supporting her; if the hubby seriously injured her by, for example, breaking a limb, but non precisely beating her; the husband's impotence or perversions; or if her hubby to a greater extent than oftentimes than non failed to maintain her together with her children properly. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 husband's adultery would non live i of the grounds.

It was customary for the younger blood brother of her onetime hubby to inherit a widow, (a form of "widows together with orphans" safety system), although it was non done against her will. Among some, inheritance of a widow past times her husband's sister's boy was especially favored.

It had e'er been component division or the Nyamwezi scheme for the main to have tribute, convey success together with prosperity to the people, together with play an active role inwards ceremonies. All terra firma was said to have got belonged to the main together with he had the correct to expel witches together with undesirables; abuse was checked past times the full general demand to maintain a large population; together with patch no i had the correct to sell terra firma inwards a chiefdom, the people had considerable safety inwards their rights to the land. Permission to clear terra firma was non needed, but aid was taken so equally non to conflict amongst others inwards the area. If at that spot was a shortage of terra firma inwards an surface area to live inherited, a headman could insist upon other holdings. Water was gratis to all.

Village together with business solid organization: “They commonly consisted of a human being together with his married adult woman or wives, their resident children, together with perchance the spouse together with the children of i or to a greater extent than of the resident children. Other unopen relatives of the caput of the homestead powerfulness also live present. Homesteads were the largest units inwards which members of i sexual activity regularly ate together. They contained i or to a greater extent than households that were distinct food-producing together with child-rearing units. The household was the basic economical unit of measurement together with the husband-wife relation was its key element. This has been reinforced inwards novel compact hamlet where each 0.4-hectare plot is assigned to a business solid unit of measurement based on a span together with their children. Neighboring households collaborate inwards a broad arrive at of activities.”

Inheritance patterns

 “Questions of inheritance are usually resolved inside the families concerned. Customarily solely sons of bride-wealth marriages, or redeemed sons, inherit the main forms of wealth. Such heirs should facial expression after the needs of daughters. Sometimes i boy looks after an inheritance for all his siblings. Unredeemed children are inwards a weak position; they may neglect to inherit either from their manlike somebody parent or from their mother's kin, whose ain children may pick out precedence.”

Political organization

By mid-19th Century, the Nyamwezi were non equally centralized equally other contemporary Kingdoms. The Nyamwezi lived inwards a set out of chiefdoms called Ntemiships. These chiefdoms had a considerable grade of autonomy together with must have got thence existed independent of each other. The chiefdoms were usually small-scale inwards size together with amongst scarcely to a greater extent than than i chiliad inhabitants. But if the population increased, chiefdom would split upwards to brand novel ones along clan ties or mutual historical origins. The existence of the diverse Ntemiships, inwards fact over 150, should non tempt i to retrieve that all Nyamwezi were disunited. Far from this, the Nyamwezi were knit together past times clanship ties together with mutual historical origins. Moreover, the 1870’s together with early on 1880’s saw an emergence of groovy leaders Mirambo together with Nyungu Ya Mawe who forged centralized institutions that is, Urambo together with Ukimbu states respectively. Even so it has been pointed out that this centralization was mainly commercial together with non political. For instance, beyond Urambo it is alleged Mirambo was to a greater extent than known equally a commercial giant other than a politician. Whatever the case, the distinction betwixt a commercial together with political kingdom is non equally clear-cut equally it may appear to be.

The Nyamwezi political entities, chiefdoms, were headed past times chiefs known equally Ntemi or Mtemi. The Mtemi or Ntemi comes from a Bantu verb kutema which agency “to cut.” The Mtemi was originally a human being appointed past times villagers to “cut” discussions so equally to arrive at judgements inwards legal cases together with decisions on political questions. His seat was thence non hereditary. The Mtemi was highly cherished past times his people together with indeed looked at equally their father. Were (1974:183) records that the well-being of his people, country, crops together with animals depended on his personal health. When he brutal sick the chiefdom was supposed to endure inwards i way or another.”

Besides, equally political leaders the chiefs had regal symbols such equally the pike together with drum. The Ntemi was

responsible for appointing the basis forces commander together with his deputy, the data officeholder equally good equally the tribute collector called Minule. These officers usually got orders from the Ntemi. The Ntemi also had religious duties to perform. They were adored equally pelting makers, magicians together with judges. It has been pointed out still that beyond these tasks, the chiefs did non exercise excessive political powers.

In their administration, the Ntemi were assisted past times a council of elders known equally Wanyampala. Below the council of elders were diverse officers who included basis forces officers, the caput of the hush-hush intelligence service, tribute officeholder together with the data officer. The data officeholder would go precisely about the chiefdom announcing the Ntemi’s orders to the subjects. There was also the headquarters; the influence of the Ntemi was hardly felt. Thus he had to depend on a grouping of administrators called Gungli. These were heads of diverse settlement areas. In plough the Gunguli depended on the Wazenga Makaya, the heads of households. Thus at that spot were diverse of import political units. There was thence ability sharing amid the Nyamwezi something that tin live compared to modern democracy. This is reverse to the sentiment that African leaders were completely dictators.

The Nyamwezi had an elaborate judicial structure. The top most judicial officeholder was the Ntemi himself amongst his courtroom equally the concluding courtroom of appeal. He had powers to administer traditional together with customary law. In add-on to treatment courtroom cases, he also dealt amongst cases referred to his courtroom from the districts. The Ntemi handled cases ranging from murder, treason, to witchcraft. Cases of witchcraft were settled amongst the assist of advice from members of the hush-hush of society.

                            Nyamwezi men

Religious Belief

Most follow a traditional religion, despite conversion attempts past times Islam together with Christianity. They believe inwards a powerful god called Likube (High God), Limatunda (Creator), Limi (the Sun) together with Liwelolo (the Universe), but ancestor worship is a to a greater extent than frequent daily practice. Offerings of sheep or goats are made to ancestors, together with the assist of Likube is invoked beforehand. Spirits also play an active role inwards Nyamwezi religious life, amongst mfumu, witchdoctors, or diviners, playing the role of counselor together with medical practitioner. Bulogi (witchcraft) is a powerful strength inwards Nyamwezi culture, amongst cults forming precisely about (for example) possession past times sure types of spirit. The Baswezi guild recruits people possessed past times the Swezi spirit.

Cultural stuff (art, music, games)

 “Representational fine art is non strongly developed; it has mainly ritual functions. Music together with dancing are the main fine art forms, together with drums are the main instruments, although the blast pianoforte (a box amongst metallic prongs that twang at unlike pitches) together with other instruments are also found. Traditional songs are sung at weddings together with at dances, but novel songs are also composed past times trip the low-cal fantastic leaders. Male trip the low-cal fantastic teams are the most common, but some woman somebody together with mixed teams perform. Ritual together with other societies have got their ain trip the low-cal fantastic styles. Transistor radios are at nowadays widespread. Local together with visiting jazz together with other bands play inwards the towns.”

                                    Nyamwezi woman somebody dancers

Death together with afterlife beliefs

 “Funerals are of import rituals for bereaved families together with their kin together with neighbors. Neighbors dig the grave together with pick out intelligence of the expiry to relatives of the deceased who alive exterior the village. The dead go ancestors who may proceed to touching on the lives of their descendants together with demand appeasement. The thought that the dead alive on inwards their descendants is expressed inwards price of shared identity betwixt alternate generations.”

SOURCE:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyamwezi_people