Info For You Lot Nyamwezi People: Africa`S Bantu People Of The Luna Together With Tanzania`S Bit Largest Ethnic Group

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

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

This ancient warrior as well as caravan porters (trading) people of Tanzania constitute the second-largest ethnic grouping out of over 120 ethnic groups inward Tanzania. The Nyamwezi people have got unopen ethnic as well as linguistic affinities with Sukuma people, Tanzania`s largest ethnic group. Smaller groups (Konongo, Galla, Sumbwa) were portion of Unyamwezi Kingdom as well as are still frequently considered portion of the Nyamwezi people grouping past times the Nyamwezi.
The cite Nyamwezi is of Swahili origin, as well as translates equally "people of the moon," they refer to their homeland equally Unyamwezi (the identify of Wanyamwezi) as well as their linguistic communication equally Kinyamwezi, although many also talk Swahili or English.
Historically, in that location have got been 5 tribal groups, all referring to themselves equally Wanyamwezi to outsiders: Kimbu, Konongo, Nyamwezi, Sukuma, as well as Sumbwa, who were never united. It was entirely inward the 19th century that the name, Nyamwezi, could live found inward literature; the term mightiness include almost anyone from the western plateau. Travel taught them that others called them Nyamwezi, as well as almost all men accepted the cite given to them past times the coastal people indicating that the Nyamwezi came from the west. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 century later, their the world is still called "Greater Unyamwezi", well-nigh 35,000 foursquare miles (91,000 km2) of rolling the world at an elevation of well-nigh 4,000 feet (1,200 m).
The Nyamwezi people were best known Bantu people inward Tanzania with awesome as well as 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 inward Nyamwezi society. One greets of import people past times bowing, clapping one's hands, as well as averting one's gaze before a handshake. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 greeting with unopen friends are less formal as well as frequently contain some teasing as well as joking.”
Today, the Nyamwezi have got a rich cultural heritage. Perhaps the most of import portion of their heritage is the emphasis on harmonious as well as balanced social relations. Nyamwezi social club has historically placed a high value on tolerance. This has allowed many people from exterior Unyamwezi to alive peacefully inward the expanse as well as has allowed the Nyamwezi to alive throughout Tanzania.”

                                  Nyamwezi dancers
Location
Unyamwezi is located inward the western plateau expanse of the Tanzanian provinces of Tabora as well as Shinyanga. Much of the the world is covered past times a dry out woodland with strings of ridges as well as granite outcroppings. Most of Unyamwezi is non considered prime number agricultural land. Water is frequently scarce.
Tanzanians of diverse ethnic groups alive inward Unyamwezi. Also nowadays are Arabs equally good equally Asians whose ancestors came from Republic of Republic of India as well as Pakistan. About thirty pct of the Nyamwezi alive as well as piece of work exterior Unyamwezi, mainly inward Tanzania's commercial as well as agricultural centers. The Nyamwezi brand upwards well-nigh iv pct of the Tanzanian population as well as give away well-nigh 1.6 million.

Myths (Creation)
 “The Nyamwezi people of Tanzania inward East Africa worship Mulungu equally the god who created all things as well as who watches over the earth. Although he created the world, Mulungu is a real distant god with no personal human relationship with living beings. According to legend, Mulungu 1 time lived on earth. He left as well as went to alive inward sky because some people laid burn downwards to the landscape, causing destruction as well as killing many other people. Unable to climb the tree that linked sky as well as earth, Mulungu asked Spider to assist him go upwards to the sky. Spider climbed up, spun a thread, as well as allow 1 cease of the thread autumn to earth. Mulungu followed the thread upwards to heaven.”


Language
Nyamwezi talk 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% with Sukuma [suk], 61% with Sumbwa [suw], 56% with Nilamba [nim]. it has a dialectical continuum with Sukuma.

History

Nyamwezi are portion of the Bantu people that introduced Iron applied scientific discipline to East Africa during the Great Bantu migration from West Africa. According to oral tradition, the Nyamwezi are thought to have got settled inward westward fundamental Tanzania (their nowadays location) some fourth dimension inward the 17th century. They were 1 time fisherman as well as nomadic farmers due to the pitiful soil character of the area. Their travels made them professional person traders, as well as past times 1800 they were taking caravans to the coast to merchandise inward Katanga copper, wax, salt, ivory, as well as slaves. Arabian as well as Indian slave as well as ivory traders reached the Nyamwezi past times 1825. They also started to larn guns, as well as institute regular armies, with intra-tribal wars as well as some conflicts with Arabs on the coast throughout the 19th century. They could live considered an acquisitive society, frequently defendant of thinking of naught but how to earn money.

                               Nyamwezi warriors. Circa 1914

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

In the early on 1800 in that location were a give away of Nyamwezi kingdoms, such equally Unyanyembe, Ulyankhulu as well as Urambo. Unyanyembe was maybe the most powerful, since it controlled the trading metropolis of Tabora, as well as had unopen connections with 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 inward Ulyankhulu. When Mnywasele afterwards tried to increment his command over the Unyamyembe trader community, these allied with Mkasiwa, which led to a greater conflict betwixt Unyanyembe as well as Ulyankhulu inward 1860. The effect of the conflict was that Mkasiwa gained the throne of Unyamyembe. In 1871 Unyanyembe was involved inward some other war, this fourth dimension against Urambo, which at this fourth dimension was ruled past times the slaver as well as ivory trader known equally Mirambo. 1873 the Urambo forces blockaded the ivory merchandise from Tabora resulting inward the cost of ivory rise globally. The state of war lasted until Mirambo's decease inward 1884.

In the 19th century, settlements were described equally typically large, compact, as well as fortified for defence with stiff wooden stockades, frequently inward high inaccessible rocky places. When the Germans finally imposed peace, the population did non right away 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 as well as celebrated warlord

German linguistic communication colonists controlling Tanzania from the belatedly 19th century (calling it German linguistic communication East Africa), found the Nyamwezi heavily involved inward merchandise relations with the Arabs as well as the isle of Zanzibar, dominating equally traders as well as porters since 1850. (While Iliffe lists a probable 100,000 people traveling to as well as from the coast, Abrahams lists a possible 200,000 using many of the side 'roads', some making the trip equally many equally twenty 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 exactly some other chiefdom, or became isolated similar the Arabs of Tabora. But for all their pitiful relationships with the coast as well as their conservatism, beingness able to go was considered a valuable, manly attribute.

Many merchandise routes crossed Unyamwezi, as well as the Nyamwezi had access to ivory as well as slaves, stretching from the coast to the inland, equally far equally Congo. The western Nyamwezi arrived at the coast with ivory roughly 1800, as well as coastal traders before long followed this upwards past times finally entering Unyamwezi as well as 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 inward 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 as well as Arab traders lasted through the in conclusion one-half of the 19th century. Chiefs such equally Isike as well as Mirambo, no longer beingness purely ritual, had found that the arrival of firearms enabled them to created standing armies as well as a novel province organization. It was firearms as well as merchandise that transformed the region, for merchandise generated the wealth needed to obtain firearms. Chiefs were unremarkably ritual figures who had no real stiff rules of succession. They lived real restricted lives, with the most pregnant duties beingness carried out past times headmen. They were strangled when they became seriously sick (as in all probability happened to Mirambo spell dying of cancer), for the good beingness of the province as well as its continuation was identified with main as well as 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 inward 1893; entirely Chief Isike roughly Tabora giving whatsoever serious opposition. The German linguistic communication adopted a cast of indirect dominion inward the part with chiefs becoming the administrative agents of the fundamental government, receiving business concern human relationship books equally a formal grade of recognition. Over time, the chiefs were expected to hold monastic enjoin as well as collect taxes. Where before officers welcomed their collaboration, afterwards officers became suspicious of it, fifty-fifty deliberately dismantling a chiefdom.

As belatedly equally 1906, Karl Weule, a German linguistic communication ethnolonogist had the next to say; "Even European caravans had their porters expression to have nutrient as well as drinkable from native villages they passed through"

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

Economy

Elephant hunters have got historically been 1 of the most prestigious occupations with the Nyamwezi, since the elephant hunters could larn real rich from ivory trade. The elephant hunters were organised inward a guild, which entirely accepted those who could overstep the apprenticeship as well as the tests that were associated with it. Hunting had a broad diversity of forms. Guild members frequently used lethal poison, as well as when they used it, inward a German linguistic communication sergeant's words, "it worked piece of cake but surely."

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

Nyamwezi staple nutrient has historically been ugali, a porridge made from hominy as well as served with meat as well as vegetables. Beer made from fermented corn, sorghum, or millet was also common. Goats were used for ancestor sacrifices, but the economical value of goats as well as sheep lay inward their meat as well as skins. By tradition 5 goats or sheep equated 1 bull; ii bulls were worth 1 cow. Their twelvemonth is divided into ii seasons, moisture as well as dry, with considerable variation depending on fourth dimension as well as place.

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

Social organization

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

Ideally every adult someone should live married, as well as every married adult woman should have got her ain household as well as convey her ain household utensils. The hubby is said to technically ain his wife's hut, fields, as well as most of the household's food, but a wise hubby usually listened to the wife's advice. There was fiddling ranking betwixt co-wives, although seniority inward price of who was start married was at times recognized. Jealously as well as 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 1 divorce past times the fourth dimension they were 50 years of age, which included the furnish of bridewealth minus the give away as well as gender activity of the children born. Divorce was most frequently accomplished past times the separation of either party. Chiefdom courts found sure reasons to automatically justify divorce: a woman's desertion, beingness struck past times a wife, the wife's adultery, sexual refusal of the wife, as well as having an abortion, were all adequate reasons. Grounds for a hubby to claim divorce were failure of the married adult woman to send out household duties, visiting a Dr. without permission, as well as possible infertility. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 married adult woman could divorce if the hubby deserted for a menses of fourth dimension without supporting her; if the hubby seriously injured her by, for example, breaking a limb, but non but beating her; the husband's impotence or perversions; or if her hubby to a greater extent than frequently than non failed to maintain her as well as her children properly. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 husband's adultery would non live 1 of the grounds.

It was customary for the younger blood brother of her sometime hubby to inherit a widow, (a form of "widows as well as 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 specially favored.

It had ever been portion or the Nyamwezi scheme for the main to have tribute, convey success as well as prosperity to the people, as well as play an active role inward ceremonies. All the world was said to have got belonged to the main as well as he had the correct to expel witches as well as undesirables; abuse was checked past times the full general demand to maintain a large population; as well as spell no 1 had the correct to sell the world inward a chiefdom, the people had considerable safety inward their rights to the land. Permission to clear the world was non needed, but attention was taken so equally non to conflict with others inward the area. If in that location was a shortage of the world inward an expanse to live inherited, a headman could insist upon other holdings. Water was gratis to all.

Village as well as business solid organization: “They commonly consisted of a human as well as his married adult woman or wives, their resident children, as well as maybe the spouse as well as the children of 1 or to a greater extent than of the resident children. Other unopen relatives of the caput of the homestead mightiness also live present. Homesteads were the largest units inward which members of 1 gender activity regularly ate together. They contained 1 or to a greater extent than households that were distinct food-producing as well as child-rearing units. The household was the basic economical unit of measurement as well as the husband-wife relation was its key element. This has been reinforced inward novel compact hamlet where each 0.4-hectare plot is assigned to a business solid unit of measurement based on a brace as well as their children. Neighboring households collaborate inward a broad gain of activities.”

Inheritance patterns

 “Questions of inheritance are usually resolved inside the families concerned. Customarily entirely sons of bride-wealth marriages, or redeemed sons, inherit the main forms of wealth. Such heirs should expression after the needs of daughters. Sometimes 1 boy looks after an inheritance for all his siblings. Unredeemed children are inward a weak position; they may neglect to inherit either from their manly someone parent or from their mother's kin, whose ain children may choose precedence.”

Political organization

By mid-19th Century, the Nyamwezi were non equally centralized equally other contemporary Kingdoms. The Nyamwezi lived inward a give away of chiefdoms called Ntemiships. These chiefdoms had a considerable grade of autonomy as well as must have got thence existed independent of each other. The chiefdoms were usually small-scale inward size as well as with scarcely to a greater extent than than 1 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, inward fact over 150, should non tempt 1 to shout out back that all Nyamwezi were disunited. Far from this, the Nyamwezi were knit together past times clanship ties as well as mutual historical origins. Moreover, the 1870’s as well as early on 1880’s saw an emergence of bang-up leaders Mirambo as well as Nyungu Ya Mawe who forged centralized institutions that is, Urambo as well as Ukimbu states respectively. Even so it has been pointed out that this centralization was mainly commercial as well as 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 as well as 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 way “to cut.” The Mtemi was originally a human appointed past times villagers to “cut” discussions so equally to gain judgements inward legal cases as well as decisions on political questions. His seat was thence non hereditary. The Mtemi was highly cherished past times his people as well as indeed looked at equally their father. Were (1974:183) records that the well-being of his people, country, crops as well as animals depended on his personal health. When he vicious sick the chiefdom was supposed to endure inward 1 way or another.”

Besides, equally political leaders the chiefs had majestic symbols such equally the pike as well as drum. The Ntemi was

responsible for appointing the regular army commander as well as 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 as well as judges. It has been pointed out all the same 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 regular army officers, the caput of the hugger-mugger intelligence service, tribute officeholder as well as the data officer. The data officeholder would go roughly 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 in that location were diverse of import political units. There was thence ability sharing with the Nyamwezi something that tin live compared to modern democracy. This is reverse to the persuasion that African leaders were completely dictators.

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

                            Nyamwezi men

Religious Belief

Most follow a traditional religion, despite conversion attempts past times Islam as well as Christianity. They believe inward a powerful god called Likube (High God), Limatunda (Creator), Limi (the Sun) as well as 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, as well as the assist of Likube is invoked beforehand. Spirits also play an active role inward Nyamwezi religious life, with mfumu, witchdoctors, or diviners, playing the role of counselor as well as medical practitioner. Bulogi (witchcraft) is a powerful forcefulness inward Nyamwezi culture, with cults forming roughly (for example) possession past times sure types of spirit. The Baswezi social club 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 as well as dancing are the main fine art forms, as well as drums are the main instruments, although the blast pianoforte (a box with metallic prongs that twang at dissimilar pitches) as well as other instruments are also found. Traditional songs are sung at weddings as well as 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 someone as well as mixed teams perform. Ritual as well as other societies have got their ain trip the low-cal fantastic styles. Transistor radios are at nowadays widespread. Local as well as visiting jazz as well as other bands play inward the towns.”

                                    Nyamwezi woman someone dancers

Death as well as afterlife beliefs

 “Funerals are of import rituals for bereaved families as well as their kin as well as neighbors. Neighbors dig the grave as well as choose tidings of the decease to relatives of the deceased who alive exterior the village. The dead go ancestors who may proceed to send upon the lives of their descendants as well as demand appeasement. The thought that the dead alive on inward their descendants is expressed inward price of shared identity betwixt alternate generations.”

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

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