Info For Yous The Chagga: People Of Africa`S Highest Mountain, Kilimanjaro, In Addition To Tanzania`S Almost Wealthiest In Addition To Tertiary Largest Ethnic Group
The Chaga (also called Wachaga, Chagga, Jagga, Dschagga, Waschagga, or Wachagga) are the wealthiest in addition to most highly organized agriculturalist Bantu-speaking people living on the fertile southern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa`s highest mountain) inwards northern Tanzania. The Wachaga who constitute the 3rd largest ethnic grouping inwards Tanzania traditionally alive on the southern in addition to eastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in addition to Mount Meru in addition to close Moshi.
Chagga human being of Mount Kilimanjaro inwards Tanzania
They are 1 of few African ethnic groups that lives on the high mountains in addition to experiences the autumn of snow. Their relative wealth comes from the favorable climate of the expanse in addition to successful agricultural methods, which include extensive irrigation systems, terracing, in addition to continuous organic fertilization methods practiced for thousands of years. They were 1 of the firstly tribes inwards the expanse to convert to Christianity. This may direct hold given them an economical reward over other ethnic groups, every bit they had meliorate access to pedagogy in addition to wellness aid every bit Christians.
Chagga adult woman from Tanzania
The Chagga descended from various Bantu groups who migrated from elsewhere inwards Africa to the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, a migration that began approximately the start of the eleventh century. While the Chagga are Bantu-speakers, their linguistic communication has a number of dialects related to Kamba, which is spoken inwards northeast Kenya, in addition to to other languages spoken inwards the east, such every bit Dabida in addition to Pokomo.
Chagga man, Michael Ngaleku Shirima, founder in addition to possessor of Precision Air
The Chagga expanse is traditionally divided into a number of chiefdoms. The Chagga are culturally related to the Pare, Taveta, in addition to Taita peoples. The Chagga follow a patrilineal scheme of descent in addition to inheritance. The Chagga agency of life is based primarily on agriculture, using irrigation on terraced fields in addition to oxen manure. Although bananas are their staple food, they also cultivate various crops, including yams, beans, in addition to maize. In agricultural exports, the Chagga are best known for their Arabica coffee, which is exported to American in addition to European markets, resulting inwards java beingness a primary cash crop.
Australian tourist enjoying the Waterfall on Mount Kilimanjaro town of Moshi
The lastly volcanic activity occurred most 200 years agone in addition to created a symmetrical cone of ash approximately Kibo peak, in addition to since then, Mt. Kilimanjaro was at peace until today, but people who were living on the slopes in addition to observed volcanic eruptions connected this natural phenomenon to penalisation from God.
Kilimanjaro National Park - the largest freestanding volcanic bulk inwards the world
When Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa's gem today, before occupants of its slopes took this glorious in addition to glamorous mount to a identify on non going inwards fearfulness of reprisal from God because it was his almighty seat. And locals today consider the dwindling snowfall every bit a penalisation from God because likewise many humans endeavour to climb it everyday. Tourist deaths on the mount are every bit well, connected to wrath from God.
flora life on Mount Kilimanjaro
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 local Chagga legend explains how Kilimanjaro’s 3 corking peaks softened from treacherous lava formations to the to a greater extent than hospitable mount nosotros know today. Long ago, in that location were ii neighboring giant volcanoes inwards East Africa: Kibo was the taller in addition to grander, patch Mawenzi was smaller in addition to constantly jealous of his to a greater extent than impressive vecino (Shira was no longer a separate peak yesteryear this time). Kibo was also the to a greater extent than industrious of the two, in addition to Mawenzi was forever taking reward of him. Mawenzi would ofttimes allow the flaming acquire out of his hearth in addition to come upwards begging Kibo for assist in addition to food. The generous Kibo would ever halt his go of pounding dried bananas with a pestle in addition to mortar to assemble coals for Mawenzi in addition to send him off with some sustenance. Mawenzi was a terrible gear upwards in addition to ever loved what Kibo would prepare. Sometimes he would allow his hearth acquire out ii or 3 times inwards a row to bear witness Kibo’s patience.
Snow cap on Mountain Kilimanjaro
One day, after letting his coals flaming out, Mawenzi sought out Kibo. But Kibo was non at home, so Mawenzi decided to assist himself to what was there. Dragging the hot embers dorsum to his hearth, Mawenzi grumbled in addition to complained most having to do his ain cooking. As Kibo returned, he saw from a distance the cerise glow of his coals beingness taken. He found his hearth barren in addition to all his hot coals missing. He was so angry he grabbed his pestle, ran to Mawenzi, in addition to struck a crashing blow on the head, rendering Mawenzi with the jagged formation nosotros consider today in addition to himself dormant.
Majestic Mount Kilimanjaro
Chagga mythology (Creation story)
Chagga legends optic on Ruwa in addition to his powerfulness in addition to assistance. Ruwa is the Chagga advert for their god, every bit good every bit the Chagga give-and-take for "sun." Ruwa is non looked upon every bit the creator of humankind, but rather every bit a liberator in addition to provider of sustenance. He is known for his mercy in addition to tolerance when sought yesteryear his people. Some Chagga myths concerning Ruwa resemble biblical stories of the Old Testament.
In the past, chiefdoms had chiefs who rose to powerfulness through state of war in addition to trading. Some famous yesteryear chiefs include Orombo from Kishigonyi, Sina of Kibosho, in addition to Marealle of Marangu.
Chagga Tourist guide on Mount Kilimanjaro
Language
The main linguistic communication spoken yesteryear the Chagga people is Kichagga, which is a Bantu linguistic communication belonging to the larger Niger-Congo linguistic communication family. It has various dialects spoken yesteryear Chagga inwards different regions. Despite these differences inwards dialect, the Chagga people tin can empathise each another. The inhabitants of Ugweno, which was in 1 trial the northernmost chiefdom of the Pare Mountains, beak a linguistic communication related to Kichagga.
Almost all Chagga people also beak KiSwahili, the national linguistic communication inwards Tanzania. KiSwahili is the linguistic communication of instruction inwards primary schools in addition to is used inwards the work-place. English linguistic communication is the linguistic communication of instruction inwards secondary schools in addition to institutions of higher learning.
History
The chagga people are constituent of Bantu (Niger-Congo groups) peoples came to Kilimanjaro inwards a succession of migrations that started at to the lowest degree v or half dozen hundred years ago. These Bantu people entered Kilimanjaro from the north-east, next local upheaval inwards that area. They met an aboriginal people known every bit the Wakonyingo, who were maybe pygmies, already living inhabiting the eastern side of the mountain. There was also Wangassa, a tribe similar to the Masai, in addition to the Umbo of the Usambara mountains. The Wachagga Bantu people who came with their iron-age applied scientific discipline to defeat the these aboriginal tribes, drive them away in addition to the balance were absorbed into the various chagga tribal groups.
Initially, these novel immigrants (Chagga) were a disparate bunch, with different beliefs, customs in addition to fifty-fifty languages. With no feelings of kinship or loyalty to their neighbour, they instead settled into occupation solid unit of measurement groups known every bit clans.
The Chagga also had an interactions with some nilotic in addition to aboriginal groups. The beginnings of Chagga interactions with the Nilotic Ongamo appointment good before 1600, in addition to at some signal the Ongamo had been the dominant people through much of the Mount Kilimanjaro area.
The Ongamo had a large consequence on Chagga culture. The Chagga borrowed several practices from them, including woman soul circumcision, the drinking of cattle blood, in addition to historic catamenia sets. By the 2d one-half of the nineteenth century, the Ongamo were increasingly acculturated into the Chagga. The Chagga god "Ruwa" resulted from the combination of the Chagga's concept of a creator god with the Ongamo's concept of the life giving sun.
The Pare, Tateva, in addition to Teita peoples had been the main suppliers of Fe to the Chagga. The demand for Fe increased from the firstly of the nineteenth century because of armed services rivalries amidst the Chagga rulers. It is probable that in that location was a connexion betwixt this rivalry in addition to the evolution of long distance merchandise from the coast to the interior of the Pangani River basin, suggesting that the Chagga's contacts with the coast may direct hold dated to most the halt of the eighteenth century. Raids in addition to counter raids characterised the Chagga rivalry, every bit observed in addition to understood yesteryear European colonisers.
According to anthropologist Dundas, inwards his twenty-four hr catamenia some 732 clans existed on Kilimanjaro; yesteryear 1924, however, when his volume was published, some of these clans were already downwards to exactly a single member.
These occupation solid unit of measurement ties were gradually cutting in addition to lost over fourth dimension every bit people moved away to settle on other parts of the mountain. Thus, inwards identify of these blood ties, people developed novel loyalties to the part inwards which they were living in addition to the neighbours with whom they shared the land. Out of this emerged 20 or so states or chiefdoms, most of them on a permanent state of war basis with the other nineteen. Wars betwixt the tribes, in addition to indeed betwixt villages inwards the same tribe, were commonplace, though they unremarkably took the shape of organized raids yesteryear 1 hamlet on some other rather than actual pitched battles. Slaves would live taken during these raids, cattle rustled in addition to huts burned down, though in that location was often piddling bloodshed — the weaker political party would only withdraw at the firstly sign of approaching hostilities in addition to mightiness fifty-fifty essay to negotiate a cost for peace.
Chagga Supreme Council during the colonial times.
Eventually the number of different groups was whittled downwards to exactly half dozen tribes, or states, with each named after 1 of the mountain’s rivers. So, for example, in that location are the Wamoshi Chaggas (after the Moshi River) in addition to the Wamachame Chaggas who settled close the Machame River. With all this intermingling going on, a few words inevitably became used yesteryear all the people living on the mount — in addition to from this unlikely start grew a mutual language, of which each tribe had its ain dialect. Similar customs developed betwixt the tribes, though every bit with the linguistic communication they differed inwards the detail. However, it was only when the Germans took command of the part during the latter constituent of the nineteenth century in addition to the local people lay aside their differences to nowadays a united front end inwards disputes with their colonial overlords that a single ethnic grouping was identified in addition to named the Chagga. From this evolved a single, collective Chagga consciousness
Reliable written historical accounts of the Chagga appointment from the nineteenth century. The firstly European to achieve the mount was a missionary, Johannes Rebmann, who arrived in that location inwards 1848. At that time, Rebmann found that Kilimanjaro was so actively involved inwards far-reaching trading connections that a main whose courtroom he visited had a coastal Swahili resident inwards his entourage. Chagga chiefdoms traded with each other, with the peoples of the regions straightaway surrounding the mount (such every bit the Kamba, the Maasai, in addition to the Pare), in addition to also with coastal caravans. Some of this trading was mitt to hand, some of it at markets, which were a full general characteristic of the area. Many chiefdoms had several make markets largely run yesteryear women, exactly every bit they are today.
Today the Chaggas, despite their various origins, are renowned for having a strong sense of identity in addition to pride. They are also alongside the richest in addition to most powerful people inwards Tanzania, cheers inwards constituent to the fertile soils of Kilimanjaro, in addition to inwards constituent to the Western pedagogy that they direct hold been receiving for longer than almost whatever other tribe inwards Africa, Kilimanjaro beingness 1 of the firstly places to direct hold missionaries from Europe.
Settlements
There are no nucleated villages on Kilimanjaro. Each household lives inwards the midst of its ain banana-coffee garden, in addition to the gardens, 1 side yesteryear side to another, stretch all over the mountain. The gardens are, for the most part, ringed with living fences that grade their boundaries. In the older areas of settlement, manly soul kin tend to ain in addition to reside inwards contiguous homestead gardens, forming localized patrilineal clusters. Because of the enormous expansion of the population in addition to the consequent the world shortage, in that location are no large expanses of uncultivated or unoccupied the world inwards the banana belt. It was otherwise inwards before times. Photographs in addition to accounts from before inwards the twentieth century demo that in that location were opened upwards fields betwixt the localized clusters.
Such residential arrangements were non static. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 household, or several together, could intermission away from the localized patrilineage of which they had been members. There beingness no the world shortage, they could, with the consent of the local main or district caput inwards the novel location, found themselves elsewhere in addition to fifty-fifty found a novel patrilineal cluster. As available the world became to a greater extent than scarce, many households moved downwards mountain, in addition to some moved up, pushing dorsum the boundary of the forest. Thus, in that location are older in addition to newer settlements on the mountain, older in addition to newer patrilineal clusters, in addition to substantial areas where the bulk of residents are from unrelated households. Gradually, every bit the opened upwards the world has filled up, the mobility of households has been increasingly restricted.
Economy
In the nineteenth century the Chagga were cultivators in addition to cattle keepers. They grew many types of bananas, which were their staple food. Bananas are by in addition to large manly soul belongings but are (with permission) traded yesteryear women inwards the markets. The Chagga also grew millet, maize, beans, finger millet (Eleusine corocana ), cassava, sweetness potatoes, yams, sugarcane, paw paws (Carica papaya ), pumpkins, squashes, in addition to tobacco.
Many of the annual vegetable crops were grown yesteryear women in addition to were women's property. The Chagga made (and go on to make) beer out of bananas in addition to eleusine. In most of the populous parts of the mountain, a few stall-fed cows were kept yesteryear each household. In areas where in that location was to a greater extent than pasture, large herds of cattle were grazed. Some men owned considerable numbers of animals, but others had none. Milk was a highly valued food, every bit was meat. Local lineages held slaughtering feasts several times a year. There was a scheme of cattle lending whereby many households tended animals that were non their own. In homecoming for caring for an animal, the borrower received the milk in addition to the manure and, eventually, when the animate beingness was slaughtered, was entitled to a portion of the meat. Lineage slaughtering feasts are silent held today, both to coincide with major life-cycle rituals in addition to on to a greater extent than ordinary occasions.
In precolonial times, inwards add-on to production for domestic consumption, the Chagga produced food, animals, in addition to other items for merchandise in addition to tribute. Having no domestic source of Fe or salt, nor an adequate furnish of clay, the chiefdoms of Kilimanjaro were theme on merchandise with neighboring peoples for these essential materials. They needed Fe for weapons in addition to agricultural tools, tabular array salt in addition to clay pots for cooking. Allusion has been made to the local regional in addition to long-distance trades inwards which the Chagga were actively involved inwards precolonial times. Warfare also played an of import purpose inwards the precolonial economy. War yielded booty for the winners in addition to often was the basis for the exaction of tribute from the losers. Moreover, the protection of traders in addition to merchandise routes had armed services aspects.
Hardworking Chagga people of Mount Kilimanjaro
In the colonial in addition to postcolonial periods, the economic scheme has changed drastically. The cropping of coffee, the advent of the world shortage, the evolution of many modest businesses, in addition to the inflow of the reward in addition to salaries of the many Chagga employed on in addition to off the mount direct hold altered the local economical painting demo considerably. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 subsistence dimension of the banana-vegetable-animal domestic economic scheme persists inwards the household gardens, but it operates inwards an solely different context from that of sometime times. Like banana plants, java bushes are manly soul property. Access to cash is thus much to a greater extent than restricted for women than it is for men, fifty-fifty though women do to a greater extent than of the agricultural in addition to domestic task in addition to behave the fundamental responsibleness for feeding the household.
Chagga marketplace on Kilimanjaro
In precolonial times the world was regarded every bit manly soul property, inherited patrilineally yesteryear males from males or transferred inter vivos yesteryear males to males. Widows in addition to women inwards other relationships to men could occupy, hold, in addition to utilisation the world but could non obtain a transferable interest. That pattern of landholding continues, although, formally speaking, the constabulary has changed.
Chagga adult woman cooking Pilau rice for grouping of guests
Kinship
Exogamous patrilineages are the basic edifice blocks of the kinship system. These are sometimes called "clans" inwards the colonial literature. They vary inwards size from a few households to many dozens. Marriage is virilocal, in addition to many lineages are localized because of the link betwixt kinship in addition to the world tenure.
Chagga kids
Marriage in addition to Family
After the Ngasi, boys were complimentary to marry. Marriage was arranged yesteryear the parents, though the man child in addition to miss involved were allowed to phonation their opinions – in addition to unless the parents were especially inflexible, these opinions would count for something. Furthermore, inwards monastic enjoin for the man child to stand upwards a gamble with his potential suitor, he had to woo her. The Chaggas’ courtship procedure involved, every bit elsewhere inwards the world, a lot of gift-giving, though the gifts followed a strict laid of rules: spontaneity played piddling constituent inwards this process. The firstly gift, for example, from the human being to the woman, was ever a necklace. The Chagga manly soul would live good rewarded for his generosity, for traditionally inwards homecoming the miss would trip the low-cal fantastic naked all twenty-four hr catamenia with bells attached to her legs yesteryear her mother.
Over the next days other gifts were exchanged until the fourth dimension came when the girl, having visited all her relatives, would live close away for 3 months. No go would live done yesteryear the miss during this fourth dimension but instead she would live given fattening nutrient in addition to would live kept inwards a cage. At the halt of this catamenia a dowry would live paid, the union ceremony performed in addition to the bride would live carried on the dorsum of the Mkara (the traditional Chagga equivalent of the best man) to her novel husband’s house.
Chagga boy
Formerly, both males in addition to females were ritually circumcised before they were considered correspond for marriage. Modified versions of these practices persist, less commonly for females than for males. Traditionally, a widow was inherited yesteryear her husband's heir. Today the husband's heir becomes the "guardian" of the widow in addition to often takes command of whatever belongings rights she mightiness have, ostensibly inwards her interest. Although intestate inheritance of the world in addition to most other economically important belongings is from manly soul to male, succession to such belongings is non exactly from manly soul nurture to boy or elderberry to younger brother. It is complicated yesteryear the life involvement of widows, yesteryear various preferred forms of primogeniture in addition to ultimogeniture, in addition to yesteryear the discretionary powerfulness held yesteryear the lineage over the distribution of the belongings of the dead.
Domestic Unit. The composition of the precolonial household changed over its life wheel in addition to differed inwards polygynous households from monogamous ones. After marriage, the initial domestic unit of measurement was that of a husband, wife, and, eventually, immature children. The hubby after built a hut of his own, which he shared with his older sons, the married adult woman keeping her ain hut with single daughters in addition to rattling immature sons. Households often had other single relatives (e.g., widows in addition to widowers) attached to them. Today households are of variable composition. Many immature men leave of absence wives in addition to children on their plots of the world on Kilimanjaro patch they search for salaried jobs elsewhere.
Sociopolitical Organization
Precolonial organized groups were founded on kinship, locality, age, in addition to gender. Localized patrilineages formed the subunits within a district, in addition to chiefdoms were composed of several districts. Chiefs were chosen within the chiefly lineage. Chiefs appointed the district heads. Lineages were led yesteryear the senior male, who was the ritual head, in addition to also yesteryear a "spokesman," or political representative for external relations. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 scheme of manly soul historic catamenia grades crosscuts lineages in addition to districts. Women were also grouped inwards historic catamenia grades. From the start of the colonial period, other organizational entities became prominent. The churches were first; later, a java cooperative emerged. Since independence, political party (the Tanganyika African National Union, after renamed the Revolutionary political party [Chama cha Mapinduzi]) in addition to authorities administrative units direct hold replaced before chiefs in addition to chiefly councils. Tanzania has at nowadays introduced multiparty politics, in addition to doubtless this volition convey farther changes inwards the future.
As java production gradually expanded, java sales became a major source of local taxation revenue, enhancing local administrative resources in addition to becoming the economical basis for secondary local institutional development. Over time, increasing numbers of Chagga received formal education. In the 1920s, with British administrative encouragement, the Chagga organized their ain sales cooperative to marketplace their java in addition to regulate production. The cooperative was owned yesteryear the Chagga but managed yesteryear a European who was their employee. Despite some political ups in addition to downs, the cooperative was, inwards general, rattling successful. An economically sophisticated in addition to educated Chagga elite began to form. By the mid-twentieth century, political parties had taken concord that challenged local chiefs for internal political command of the mountain. The British direction periodically reorganized local administrative bodies inwards reply to this development. In 1951, inwards a evolution that farther diminished the powerfulness of the local chiefs, who yesteryear in addition to so were fairly unpopular, a paramount main of all the Chagga was elected, backed yesteryear the Kilimanjaro Citizen's Union. The paramount, inwards his turn, became unpopular when he tried to brand his constituent permanent in addition to hereditary in addition to sought excessive personal power. By 1961, when the British left Tanganyika (renamed Tanzania inwards 1964, next its union with Zanzibar), the paramount had been displaced. In whatever case, the novel independent authorities abolished chieftainship; thus all the local chiefs also lost their powers. Needless to say, this displace was non unwelcome inwards many quarters on Kilimanjaro. Local political reorganization ensued every bit the socialist authorities designed novel structures. Despite considerable innovative efforts from above, however, many preexisting relationships, such every bit powerful kinship groupings, continued to live locally effective on Kilimanjaro.
Before 1900, conflict betwixt chiefdoms was resolved either through chiefly diplomacy or warfare. Subsequently, colonial officials dealt with such matters administratively. Conflicts betwixt individuals were resolved either within the lineage, betwixt lineages, within an historic catamenia flat or an irrigation consortium, or yesteryear the district heads or the chiefs. Hearings took identify at every level. Fines were imposed, in addition to persons could live expelled from whatever grouping was trying the case. Individuals were sometimes killed. Elements of social command were thus manifest inwards every grouping milieu. This localized command persists, with some major modifications, inwards the modern setting. Since the firstly of colonial times, in that location has been a government-designated scheme of officials in addition to courts formally charged with dispute settlement in addition to constabulary enforcement.
Religious Belief
The traditional Chagga faith is based approximately belief inwards a god called Ruwa. Ruwa was a tolerant deity who, though neither the creator of the universe nor of man, nevertheless laid the latter complimentary from some sort of unspecified incarceration. Ruwa had piddling to do with mankind next this episode, however, so the Chagga instead worshipped their ancestors, whom they believed could influence events on Earth.
Chagga mythology had many parallels with stories from the Bible, including 1 concerning the autumn of human being (though inwards the Chagga version, a sweetness spud was the forbidden fruit, in addition to it was a stranger rather than a serpent that persuaded the firstly human being to select a bite); in that location are also stories that behave a resemblance to the tales of Cain in addition to Abel, in addition to the corking flood.
The Chagga faith also had its ain concept of sin in addition to their ain version of the Catholic practise of confession. In the Chagga religion, however, it is non the sinner but the soul who is sinned against who must live purified, inwards monastic enjoin that the negative strength does non stay with him or her. This purification would live performed yesteryear the local medicine man, with the victim bringing along the necessary ingredients for performing the ‘cleansing’. These included the skin, dung in addition to tummy contents of a hyrax; the crunch in addition to blood of a snail; the rainwater from a hollow tree and, every bit with all Chagga ceremonies, a large quantity of banana beer for the medicine man. All of this would in addition to so live lay into a hole inwards the reason lined with banana leaves in addition to with a gate or archway built above, which the victim would in addition to so direct hold to go yesteryear through. This done, the victim would live painted yesteryear the medicine human being using the mixture inwards the hole. This entire ceremony would live performed twice daily over iv days.
Superstition played a key purpose inwards traditional Chagga religion: witchcraft (wusari inwards Chagga) played a major part, rainmakers in addition to rain-preventers were of import members of society, in addition to dreams were infallible oracles of the future; indeed, many Chagga were said to direct hold dreamt of the coming of the white human being to Kilimanjaro.
Medicine men did to a greater extent than than aid for one’s spiritual health; they also looked after one’s physical well-being. For the cost of 1 caprine animal and, of course, to a greater extent than banana beer, the medicine human being would live able to cure whatever disease using a whole host of methods – including spitting. If y'all were suffering from a fever, for instance, y'all could human face to live spat upon upwards to lxxx times yesteryear the medicine man, who would destination off his surgical operation yesteryear expectorating upwards your nostrils in addition to and so blowing hard upwards each to ensure the saliva reached its target. For this special method, the traditional payment was 1 pot of dearest – in addition to belike some to a greater extent than banana beer.
Chagga people
Passage of rite (The Chagga ‘Ngasi’)
The Ngasi is a rite-of-passage ceremony to grade the passing of boys into adulthood. The ceremony was presided over yesteryear the chief of Ngasi, a human being who had the ascendancy to viciously flog whatever man child taking constituent inwards the ceremony who displeased him.Before the Ngasi proper started, the boys who were to select constituent were summoned from their houses yesteryear the singing of lugubrious songs at the gate of their homes. From in that location they were taken to the identify of ceremony deep inwards the wood in addition to the proceedings began. Hunting formed a large constituent of the Ngasi; boys were tested on their powerfulness to rails downwards in addition to kill game, the animals caught beingness smeared with the novices’ excrement. Another bear witness they had to undergo was to climb a tree on the riverbank in addition to cross the river yesteryear clambering along its branches to where they intertwined with the branches of the trees on the other side. After this, a chicken would live sacrificed in addition to the boys ordered to lick the blood.
The concluding constituent of the initial phase was the most brutal, however: orders were secretly given to the boys to slay a crippled or deformed youth alongside their number. Traditionally, the victim was killed inwards the night. The parents were never truly told what had happened to their boy and, every bit all nowadays at the Ngasi ceremony were sworn to silence, they rarely found out the whole story. The boys in addition to so moved to a novel camp. They were at nowadays called Mbora, in addition to were complimentary to collect their clothes (one laid of boy’s clothes, of course, was left unclaimed). They in addition to so repaired to the chief’s occupation solid for a feast, from where they headed home.
After the tribulations of the ceremony, the boys were allowed a month’s holiday, before they returned to the chief’s occupation solid to participate inwards the sacrificing of a bull. They were in addition to so complimentary to caput dorsum to their homes, raping whatever immature women they chanced to come across on the way; the misfortunate women themselves had no redress. The Ngasi was at nowadays at an end, in addition to the boys who had successfully completed the ceremony were at nowadays men.
Chagga traditional dance
Traditional medicine
Traditional Chagga social club also practised preventative medicine, in addition to non exactly inwards matters of health. If, for example, a prominent human being inwards the hamlet was for some argue worried most his ain safety, the medicine human being would monastic enjoin him to prevarication with his favourite married adult woman inwards a pit dug inwards the ground. With the human being in addition to married adult woman silent inside, the hole would in addition to so live decked with poles in addition to covered with banana leaves. They would stay in that location until evening, patch the man’s friends to a higher identify would gear upwards food.
Medicine men also performed the vital purpose of removing curses. Curses took many forms: a cheated wife, for example, mightiness curse her hubby yesteryear turning her dorsum on him, bowing iv times in addition to praying for his death. The most feared curse, however, was that of the deathbed curse, issued yesteryear somebody presently before they expired. These were widely held to live the most hard to reverse, for to direct hold whatever promise of removing it the medicine human being would require the victim to acquire concord of a slice of the cursor’s corpse
Clothing
Traditionally, Chagga article of apparel was made of cowhide. With contact with the exterior world, the Chagga started to have on imported bead ornaments in addition to textile wraparound garments. These colorful pieces of textile are called kangas in addition to kitenges . They may live worn over a dress, or may live used to carry babies on the dorsum or hip.
School-aged boys have on shorts, but adults (both manly soul in addition to female) in addition to immature women by in addition to large do non have on shorts inwards populace except during sports. Mitumba (secondhand article of apparel from overseas) is sold at the marketplace in addition to is inwards corking demand yesteryear low-income people.
Food
The staple nutrient of the Chagga people is bananas. Bananas are also used to brand beer, their main beverage. The Chagga flora a multifariousness of nutrient crops, including bananas, millet, maize (corn), beans, in addition to cassava. They also maintain cattle, goats, in addition to sheep. Due to express the world holdings in addition to grazing areas, most Chagga people today are forced to buy meat from butcher shops.
Pregnant women consume a diet of milk, sweetness potatoes, fat, yams, in addition to butter; these are considered woman soul foods. Bananas in addition to beer are considered manly soul in addition to are non to live eaten yesteryear pregnant women.
Various nutrient dishes
Cultural heritage
Traditional Chagga instruments include wooden flutes, bells, in addition to drums. Dancing in addition to singing are constituent of almost every celebration. Classical Chaggan music is silent heard inwards festivities; however, Chaggan youth direct hold also embraced Kiswahili songs produced yesteryear various Tanzanian bands in addition to westward in addition to key African music in addition to trip the low-cal fantastic forms. Reggae, pop, in addition to rap are pop with the youth. Many musicians of Chagga origin are known approximately Africa.
The firstly Chagga historian was Nathaniel Mtui, who was born inwards 1892 in addition to wrote nine books most the history of the Chagga from 1913-1916.
Chagga funerals
If the medicine man’s efforts at lifting the curse proved to live inwards vain, a funeral would live the most probable outcome. As with most Chagga ceremonies, this would vary slightly from identify to identify in addition to from tribe to tribe, in addition to also depended on the condition of the deceased. Only married people with children, for example, would live buried: dead youths in addition to girls would live wrapped inwards banana leaves in addition to left inwards a banana grove, patch babies were only covered inwards moo-cow dung in addition to left out for jackals in addition to hyaenas. (It is said that this practise was stopped after a jackal dropped the severed caput of a modest infant at the feet of a local chief.) For married adults, the corpse would live stripped in addition to bent double, with the caput in addition to legs tied together.
Animal sacrifices would select identify on the twenty-four hr catamenia of the burial, with the cover of a sacrificed bull used to concealment the grave. Interestingly, the corpse would confront Kibo inwards the grave – every bit if the Chagga believed that the summit of Kilimanjaro was inwards some agency connected with the afterlife. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of beer-drinking was also involved. Sacrifices would go on for the side yesteryear side nine days until, it was believed, the soul had finally crossed the harsh desert separating the earthly world from the spirit world. The afterlife, incidentally, was said to live rattling similar our temporal world, only non every bit good, with nutrient less tasty in addition to the scenery less majestic.
Source:http://www.climbmountkilimanjaro.com/beliefs-and-ceremonies.html
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Chagga.aspx
http://tanzaniafolkore.blogspot.com/
Chagga human being of Mount Kilimanjaro inwards Tanzania
They are 1 of few African ethnic groups that lives on the high mountains in addition to experiences the autumn of snow. Their relative wealth comes from the favorable climate of the expanse in addition to successful agricultural methods, which include extensive irrigation systems, terracing, in addition to continuous organic fertilization methods practiced for thousands of years. They were 1 of the firstly tribes inwards the expanse to convert to Christianity. This may direct hold given them an economical reward over other ethnic groups, every bit they had meliorate access to pedagogy in addition to wellness aid every bit Christians.
Chagga adult woman from Tanzania
The Chagga descended from various Bantu groups who migrated from elsewhere inwards Africa to the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, a migration that began approximately the start of the eleventh century. While the Chagga are Bantu-speakers, their linguistic communication has a number of dialects related to Kamba, which is spoken inwards northeast Kenya, in addition to to other languages spoken inwards the east, such every bit Dabida in addition to Pokomo.
Chagga man, Michael Ngaleku Shirima, founder in addition to possessor of Precision Air
The Chagga expanse is traditionally divided into a number of chiefdoms. The Chagga are culturally related to the Pare, Taveta, in addition to Taita peoples. The Chagga follow a patrilineal scheme of descent in addition to inheritance. The Chagga agency of life is based primarily on agriculture, using irrigation on terraced fields in addition to oxen manure. Although bananas are their staple food, they also cultivate various crops, including yams, beans, in addition to maize. In agricultural exports, the Chagga are best known for their Arabica coffee, which is exported to American in addition to European markets, resulting inwards java beingness a primary cash crop.
Australian tourist enjoying the Waterfall on Mount Kilimanjaro town of Moshi
The lastly volcanic activity occurred most 200 years agone in addition to created a symmetrical cone of ash approximately Kibo peak, in addition to since then, Mt. Kilimanjaro was at peace until today, but people who were living on the slopes in addition to observed volcanic eruptions connected this natural phenomenon to penalisation from God.
Kilimanjaro National Park - the largest freestanding volcanic bulk inwards the world
When Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa's gem today, before occupants of its slopes took this glorious in addition to glamorous mount to a identify on non going inwards fearfulness of reprisal from God because it was his almighty seat. And locals today consider the dwindling snowfall every bit a penalisation from God because likewise many humans endeavour to climb it everyday. Tourist deaths on the mount are every bit well, connected to wrath from God.
flora life on Mount Kilimanjaro
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 local Chagga legend explains how Kilimanjaro’s 3 corking peaks softened from treacherous lava formations to the to a greater extent than hospitable mount nosotros know today. Long ago, in that location were ii neighboring giant volcanoes inwards East Africa: Kibo was the taller in addition to grander, patch Mawenzi was smaller in addition to constantly jealous of his to a greater extent than impressive vecino (Shira was no longer a separate peak yesteryear this time). Kibo was also the to a greater extent than industrious of the two, in addition to Mawenzi was forever taking reward of him. Mawenzi would ofttimes allow the flaming acquire out of his hearth in addition to come upwards begging Kibo for assist in addition to food. The generous Kibo would ever halt his go of pounding dried bananas with a pestle in addition to mortar to assemble coals for Mawenzi in addition to send him off with some sustenance. Mawenzi was a terrible gear upwards in addition to ever loved what Kibo would prepare. Sometimes he would allow his hearth acquire out ii or 3 times inwards a row to bear witness Kibo’s patience.
Snow cap on Mountain Kilimanjaro
One day, after letting his coals flaming out, Mawenzi sought out Kibo. But Kibo was non at home, so Mawenzi decided to assist himself to what was there. Dragging the hot embers dorsum to his hearth, Mawenzi grumbled in addition to complained most having to do his ain cooking. As Kibo returned, he saw from a distance the cerise glow of his coals beingness taken. He found his hearth barren in addition to all his hot coals missing. He was so angry he grabbed his pestle, ran to Mawenzi, in addition to struck a crashing blow on the head, rendering Mawenzi with the jagged formation nosotros consider today in addition to himself dormant.
Majestic Mount Kilimanjaro
Chagga mythology (Creation story)
Chagga legends optic on Ruwa in addition to his powerfulness in addition to assistance. Ruwa is the Chagga advert for their god, every bit good every bit the Chagga give-and-take for "sun." Ruwa is non looked upon every bit the creator of humankind, but rather every bit a liberator in addition to provider of sustenance. He is known for his mercy in addition to tolerance when sought yesteryear his people. Some Chagga myths concerning Ruwa resemble biblical stories of the Old Testament.
In the past, chiefdoms had chiefs who rose to powerfulness through state of war in addition to trading. Some famous yesteryear chiefs include Orombo from Kishigonyi, Sina of Kibosho, in addition to Marealle of Marangu.
Chagga Tourist guide on Mount Kilimanjaro
Language
The main linguistic communication spoken yesteryear the Chagga people is Kichagga, which is a Bantu linguistic communication belonging to the larger Niger-Congo linguistic communication family. It has various dialects spoken yesteryear Chagga inwards different regions. Despite these differences inwards dialect, the Chagga people tin can empathise each another. The inhabitants of Ugweno, which was in 1 trial the northernmost chiefdom of the Pare Mountains, beak a linguistic communication related to Kichagga.
Almost all Chagga people also beak KiSwahili, the national linguistic communication inwards Tanzania. KiSwahili is the linguistic communication of instruction inwards primary schools in addition to is used inwards the work-place. English linguistic communication is the linguistic communication of instruction inwards secondary schools in addition to institutions of higher learning.
Chagga kids of Mount Kilimanjaro
The chagga people are constituent of Bantu (Niger-Congo groups) peoples came to Kilimanjaro inwards a succession of migrations that started at to the lowest degree v or half dozen hundred years ago. These Bantu people entered Kilimanjaro from the north-east, next local upheaval inwards that area. They met an aboriginal people known every bit the Wakonyingo, who were maybe pygmies, already living inhabiting the eastern side of the mountain. There was also Wangassa, a tribe similar to the Masai, in addition to the Umbo of the Usambara mountains. The Wachagga Bantu people who came with their iron-age applied scientific discipline to defeat the these aboriginal tribes, drive them away in addition to the balance were absorbed into the various chagga tribal groups.
Wachagga tribe`s human being from Kilimanjaro inwards Tangayika (Tanzania). Circa 1890
Initially, these novel immigrants (Chagga) were a disparate bunch, with different beliefs, customs in addition to fifty-fifty languages. With no feelings of kinship or loyalty to their neighbour, they instead settled into occupation solid unit of measurement groups known every bit clans.
The Chagga also had an interactions with some nilotic in addition to aboriginal groups. The beginnings of Chagga interactions with the Nilotic Ongamo appointment good before 1600, in addition to at some signal the Ongamo had been the dominant people through much of the Mount Kilimanjaro area.
The Ongamo had a large consequence on Chagga culture. The Chagga borrowed several practices from them, including woman soul circumcision, the drinking of cattle blood, in addition to historic catamenia sets. By the 2d one-half of the nineteenth century, the Ongamo were increasingly acculturated into the Chagga. The Chagga god "Ruwa" resulted from the combination of the Chagga's concept of a creator god with the Ongamo's concept of the life giving sun.
The Pare, Tateva, in addition to Teita peoples had been the main suppliers of Fe to the Chagga. The demand for Fe increased from the firstly of the nineteenth century because of armed services rivalries amidst the Chagga rulers. It is probable that in that location was a connexion betwixt this rivalry in addition to the evolution of long distance merchandise from the coast to the interior of the Pangani River basin, suggesting that the Chagga's contacts with the coast may direct hold dated to most the halt of the eighteenth century. Raids in addition to counter raids characterised the Chagga rivalry, every bit observed in addition to understood yesteryear European colonisers.
According to anthropologist Dundas, inwards his twenty-four hr catamenia some 732 clans existed on Kilimanjaro; yesteryear 1924, however, when his volume was published, some of these clans were already downwards to exactly a single member.
These occupation solid unit of measurement ties were gradually cutting in addition to lost over fourth dimension every bit people moved away to settle on other parts of the mountain. Thus, inwards identify of these blood ties, people developed novel loyalties to the part inwards which they were living in addition to the neighbours with whom they shared the land. Out of this emerged 20 or so states or chiefdoms, most of them on a permanent state of war basis with the other nineteen. Wars betwixt the tribes, in addition to indeed betwixt villages inwards the same tribe, were commonplace, though they unremarkably took the shape of organized raids yesteryear 1 hamlet on some other rather than actual pitched battles. Slaves would live taken during these raids, cattle rustled in addition to huts burned down, though in that location was often piddling bloodshed — the weaker political party would only withdraw at the firstly sign of approaching hostilities in addition to mightiness fifty-fifty essay to negotiate a cost for peace.
Chagga Supreme Council during the colonial times.
Eventually the number of different groups was whittled downwards to exactly half dozen tribes, or states, with each named after 1 of the mountain’s rivers. So, for example, in that location are the Wamoshi Chaggas (after the Moshi River) in addition to the Wamachame Chaggas who settled close the Machame River. With all this intermingling going on, a few words inevitably became used yesteryear all the people living on the mount — in addition to from this unlikely start grew a mutual language, of which each tribe had its ain dialect. Similar customs developed betwixt the tribes, though every bit with the linguistic communication they differed inwards the detail. However, it was only when the Germans took command of the part during the latter constituent of the nineteenth century in addition to the local people lay aside their differences to nowadays a united front end inwards disputes with their colonial overlords that a single ethnic grouping was identified in addition to named the Chagga. From this evolved a single, collective Chagga consciousness
Thomas Marealle, Paramount Chief of the Wachagga. Circa 1952. Chief Thomas Lenana Marealle II OBE (June 12, 1915 – Feb 14, 2007) was the Paramount Chief (Mangi Mkuu) of the Chagga people of Tanzania in addition to a politician.
After winning a paramont chieftainship election, which he ran against Abdi Shangali of Hai, Jackson Kitali of Moshi, Petro Marealle of Vunjo in addition to John Maruma of Rombo, Chief Mareale was inaugurated every bit main inwards Jan 1952. The authorities abolished the scheme of Chieftainships inwards 1961, although Marealle, anticipating this, had voluntarily left his post service the previous year. His tenure every bit Mangi Mkuu was regarded every bit a golden age, marked yesteryear major improvements inwards education, health, the cooperative movement, in addition to communications inwards his area. In special his courtroom scheme in addition to his equitable H2O allotment scheme are recalled with corking nostalgia. After working for the United Nations inwards the land of unusual assistance for 13 years, he retired every bit a diplomat. He died on fourteen Feb 2007 at the historic catamenia of 92, in addition to buried at his homeplace inwards Marangu, Moshi
Reliable written historical accounts of the Chagga appointment from the nineteenth century. The firstly European to achieve the mount was a missionary, Johannes Rebmann, who arrived in that location inwards 1848. At that time, Rebmann found that Kilimanjaro was so actively involved inwards far-reaching trading connections that a main whose courtroom he visited had a coastal Swahili resident inwards his entourage. Chagga chiefdoms traded with each other, with the peoples of the regions straightaway surrounding the mount (such every bit the Kamba, the Maasai, in addition to the Pare), in addition to also with coastal caravans. Some of this trading was mitt to hand, some of it at markets, which were a full general characteristic of the area. Many chiefdoms had several make markets largely run yesteryear women, exactly every bit they are today.
Today the Chaggas, despite their various origins, are renowned for having a strong sense of identity in addition to pride. They are also alongside the richest in addition to most powerful people inwards Tanzania, cheers inwards constituent to the fertile soils of Kilimanjaro, in addition to inwards constituent to the Western pedagogy that they direct hold been receiving for longer than almost whatever other tribe inwards Africa, Kilimanjaro beingness 1 of the firstly places to direct hold missionaries from Europe.
Settlements
There are no nucleated villages on Kilimanjaro. Each household lives inwards the midst of its ain banana-coffee garden, in addition to the gardens, 1 side yesteryear side to another, stretch all over the mountain. The gardens are, for the most part, ringed with living fences that grade their boundaries. In the older areas of settlement, manly soul kin tend to ain in addition to reside inwards contiguous homestead gardens, forming localized patrilineal clusters. Because of the enormous expansion of the population in addition to the consequent the world shortage, in that location are no large expanses of uncultivated or unoccupied the world inwards the banana belt. It was otherwise inwards before times. Photographs in addition to accounts from before inwards the twentieth century demo that in that location were opened upwards fields betwixt the localized clusters.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 traditional Chaga hut inwards Kilimanjaro. The hut is surrounded yesteryear pineapple plants which are thorny, preventing snakes in addition to other animals from entering the hut. The pineapples are also used every bit food. Two boulders grade the entrance to the hut, with a long Masele flora close 1 of the boulders. The Masele flora has symbolic meanings to the chaga. Leaves tin can live plucked in addition to arranged inwards different fashions in addition to hung on the door, enabling a beau villager to know what the hut possessor is doing at a special time. They tin can also live used to re-establish peace betwixt quarreling villagers. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 pot on the top of the hut prevents pelting H2O to seep into the hut whilst acting every bit a chimney to allow smoke out. Banana plants seen inwards the background are the main diet of the people. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 chaga human being is exterior his hut.
Such residential arrangements were non static. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 household, or several together, could intermission away from the localized patrilineage of which they had been members. There beingness no the world shortage, they could, with the consent of the local main or district caput inwards the novel location, found themselves elsewhere in addition to fifty-fifty found a novel patrilineal cluster. As available the world became to a greater extent than scarce, many households moved downwards mountain, in addition to some moved up, pushing dorsum the boundary of the forest. Thus, in that location are older in addition to newer settlements on the mountain, older in addition to newer patrilineal clusters, in addition to substantial areas where the bulk of residents are from unrelated households. Gradually, every bit the opened upwards the world has filled up, the mobility of households has been increasingly restricted.
Economy
In the nineteenth century the Chagga were cultivators in addition to cattle keepers. They grew many types of bananas, which were their staple food. Bananas are by in addition to large manly soul belongings but are (with permission) traded yesteryear women inwards the markets. The Chagga also grew millet, maize, beans, finger millet (Eleusine corocana ), cassava, sweetness potatoes, yams, sugarcane, paw paws (Carica papaya ), pumpkins, squashes, in addition to tobacco.
Many of the annual vegetable crops were grown yesteryear women in addition to were women's property. The Chagga made (and go on to make) beer out of bananas in addition to eleusine. In most of the populous parts of the mountain, a few stall-fed cows were kept yesteryear each household. In areas where in that location was to a greater extent than pasture, large herds of cattle were grazed. Some men owned considerable numbers of animals, but others had none. Milk was a highly valued food, every bit was meat. Local lineages held slaughtering feasts several times a year. There was a scheme of cattle lending whereby many households tended animals that were non their own. In homecoming for caring for an animal, the borrower received the milk in addition to the manure and, eventually, when the animate beingness was slaughtered, was entitled to a portion of the meat. Lineage slaughtering feasts are silent held today, both to coincide with major life-cycle rituals in addition to on to a greater extent than ordinary occasions.
Chagga adult woman carrying plantain, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
In precolonial times, inwards add-on to production for domestic consumption, the Chagga produced food, animals, in addition to other items for merchandise in addition to tribute. Having no domestic source of Fe or salt, nor an adequate furnish of clay, the chiefdoms of Kilimanjaro were theme on merchandise with neighboring peoples for these essential materials. They needed Fe for weapons in addition to agricultural tools, tabular array salt in addition to clay pots for cooking. Allusion has been made to the local regional in addition to long-distance trades inwards which the Chagga were actively involved inwards precolonial times. Warfare also played an of import purpose inwards the precolonial economy. War yielded booty for the winners in addition to often was the basis for the exaction of tribute from the losers. Moreover, the protection of traders in addition to merchandise routes had armed services aspects.
Hardworking Chagga people of Mount Kilimanjaro
In the colonial in addition to postcolonial periods, the economic scheme has changed drastically. The cropping of coffee, the advent of the world shortage, the evolution of many modest businesses, in addition to the inflow of the reward in addition to salaries of the many Chagga employed on in addition to off the mount direct hold altered the local economical painting demo considerably. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 subsistence dimension of the banana-vegetable-animal domestic economic scheme persists inwards the household gardens, but it operates inwards an solely different context from that of sometime times. Like banana plants, java bushes are manly soul property. Access to cash is thus much to a greater extent than restricted for women than it is for men, fifty-fifty though women do to a greater extent than of the agricultural in addition to domestic task in addition to behave the fundamental responsibleness for feeding the household.
Chagga marketplace on Kilimanjaro
In precolonial times the world was regarded every bit manly soul property, inherited patrilineally yesteryear males from males or transferred inter vivos yesteryear males to males. Widows in addition to women inwards other relationships to men could occupy, hold, in addition to utilisation the world but could non obtain a transferable interest. That pattern of landholding continues, although, formally speaking, the constabulary has changed.
Chagga adult woman cooking Pilau rice for grouping of guests
Kinship
Exogamous patrilineages are the basic edifice blocks of the kinship system. These are sometimes called "clans" inwards the colonial literature. They vary inwards size from a few households to many dozens. Marriage is virilocal, in addition to many lineages are localized because of the link betwixt kinship in addition to the world tenure.
Chagga kids
Marriage in addition to Family
After the Ngasi, boys were complimentary to marry. Marriage was arranged yesteryear the parents, though the man child in addition to miss involved were allowed to phonation their opinions – in addition to unless the parents were especially inflexible, these opinions would count for something. Furthermore, inwards monastic enjoin for the man child to stand upwards a gamble with his potential suitor, he had to woo her. The Chaggas’ courtship procedure involved, every bit elsewhere inwards the world, a lot of gift-giving, though the gifts followed a strict laid of rules: spontaneity played piddling constituent inwards this process. The firstly gift, for example, from the human being to the woman, was ever a necklace. The Chagga manly soul would live good rewarded for his generosity, for traditionally inwards homecoming the miss would trip the low-cal fantastic naked all twenty-four hr catamenia with bells attached to her legs yesteryear her mother.
Over the next days other gifts were exchanged until the fourth dimension came when the girl, having visited all her relatives, would live close away for 3 months. No go would live done yesteryear the miss during this fourth dimension but instead she would live given fattening nutrient in addition to would live kept inwards a cage. At the halt of this catamenia a dowry would live paid, the union ceremony performed in addition to the bride would live carried on the dorsum of the Mkara (the traditional Chagga equivalent of the best man) to her novel husband’s house.
Chagga boy
Formerly, both males in addition to females were ritually circumcised before they were considered correspond for marriage. Modified versions of these practices persist, less commonly for females than for males. Traditionally, a widow was inherited yesteryear her husband's heir. Today the husband's heir becomes the "guardian" of the widow in addition to often takes command of whatever belongings rights she mightiness have, ostensibly inwards her interest. Although intestate inheritance of the world in addition to most other economically important belongings is from manly soul to male, succession to such belongings is non exactly from manly soul nurture to boy or elderberry to younger brother. It is complicated yesteryear the life involvement of widows, yesteryear various preferred forms of primogeniture in addition to ultimogeniture, in addition to yesteryear the discretionary powerfulness held yesteryear the lineage over the distribution of the belongings of the dead.
Domestic Unit. The composition of the precolonial household changed over its life wheel in addition to differed inwards polygynous households from monogamous ones. After marriage, the initial domestic unit of measurement was that of a husband, wife, and, eventually, immature children. The hubby after built a hut of his own, which he shared with his older sons, the married adult woman keeping her ain hut with single daughters in addition to rattling immature sons. Households often had other single relatives (e.g., widows in addition to widowers) attached to them. Today households are of variable composition. Many immature men leave of absence wives in addition to children on their plots of the world on Kilimanjaro patch they search for salaried jobs elsewhere.
Chagga piddling miss from Tanzania`s Mount Kilimanjaro
Sociopolitical Organization
Precolonial organized groups were founded on kinship, locality, age, in addition to gender. Localized patrilineages formed the subunits within a district, in addition to chiefdoms were composed of several districts. Chiefs were chosen within the chiefly lineage. Chiefs appointed the district heads. Lineages were led yesteryear the senior male, who was the ritual head, in addition to also yesteryear a "spokesman," or political representative for external relations. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 scheme of manly soul historic catamenia grades crosscuts lineages in addition to districts. Women were also grouped inwards historic catamenia grades. From the start of the colonial period, other organizational entities became prominent. The churches were first; later, a java cooperative emerged. Since independence, political party (the Tanganyika African National Union, after renamed the Revolutionary political party [Chama cha Mapinduzi]) in addition to authorities administrative units direct hold replaced before chiefs in addition to chiefly councils. Tanzania has at nowadays introduced multiparty politics, in addition to doubtless this volition convey farther changes inwards the future.
As java production gradually expanded, java sales became a major source of local taxation revenue, enhancing local administrative resources in addition to becoming the economical basis for secondary local institutional development. Over time, increasing numbers of Chagga received formal education. In the 1920s, with British administrative encouragement, the Chagga organized their ain sales cooperative to marketplace their java in addition to regulate production. The cooperative was owned yesteryear the Chagga but managed yesteryear a European who was their employee. Despite some political ups in addition to downs, the cooperative was, inwards general, rattling successful. An economically sophisticated in addition to educated Chagga elite began to form. By the mid-twentieth century, political parties had taken concord that challenged local chiefs for internal political command of the mountain. The British direction periodically reorganized local administrative bodies inwards reply to this development. In 1951, inwards a evolution that farther diminished the powerfulness of the local chiefs, who yesteryear in addition to so were fairly unpopular, a paramount main of all the Chagga was elected, backed yesteryear the Kilimanjaro Citizen's Union. The paramount, inwards his turn, became unpopular when he tried to brand his constituent permanent in addition to hereditary in addition to sought excessive personal power. By 1961, when the British left Tanganyika (renamed Tanzania inwards 1964, next its union with Zanzibar), the paramount had been displaced. In whatever case, the novel independent authorities abolished chieftainship; thus all the local chiefs also lost their powers. Needless to say, this displace was non unwelcome inwards many quarters on Kilimanjaro. Local political reorganization ensued every bit the socialist authorities designed novel structures. Despite considerable innovative efforts from above, however, many preexisting relationships, such every bit powerful kinship groupings, continued to live locally effective on Kilimanjaro.
Before 1900, conflict betwixt chiefdoms was resolved either through chiefly diplomacy or warfare. Subsequently, colonial officials dealt with such matters administratively. Conflicts betwixt individuals were resolved either within the lineage, betwixt lineages, within an historic catamenia flat or an irrigation consortium, or yesteryear the district heads or the chiefs. Hearings took identify at every level. Fines were imposed, in addition to persons could live expelled from whatever grouping was trying the case. Individuals were sometimes killed. Elements of social command were thus manifest inwards every grouping milieu. This localized command persists, with some major modifications, inwards the modern setting. Since the firstly of colonial times, in that location has been a government-designated scheme of officials in addition to courts formally charged with dispute settlement in addition to constabulary enforcement.
The secretarial assistant of the State chatting with Mangi Mkuu, Thomas Marealle II, during his see to the Chagga Council.
Location: Tanganyika (Tanzania)
Religious Belief
The traditional Chagga faith is based approximately belief inwards a god called Ruwa. Ruwa was a tolerant deity who, though neither the creator of the universe nor of man, nevertheless laid the latter complimentary from some sort of unspecified incarceration. Ruwa had piddling to do with mankind next this episode, however, so the Chagga instead worshipped their ancestors, whom they believed could influence events on Earth.
Chagga mythology had many parallels with stories from the Bible, including 1 concerning the autumn of human being (though inwards the Chagga version, a sweetness spud was the forbidden fruit, in addition to it was a stranger rather than a serpent that persuaded the firstly human being to select a bite); in that location are also stories that behave a resemblance to the tales of Cain in addition to Abel, in addition to the corking flood.
The Chagga faith also had its ain concept of sin in addition to their ain version of the Catholic practise of confession. In the Chagga religion, however, it is non the sinner but the soul who is sinned against who must live purified, inwards monastic enjoin that the negative strength does non stay with him or her. This purification would live performed yesteryear the local medicine man, with the victim bringing along the necessary ingredients for performing the ‘cleansing’. These included the skin, dung in addition to tummy contents of a hyrax; the crunch in addition to blood of a snail; the rainwater from a hollow tree and, every bit with all Chagga ceremonies, a large quantity of banana beer for the medicine man. All of this would in addition to so live lay into a hole inwards the reason lined with banana leaves in addition to with a gate or archway built above, which the victim would in addition to so direct hold to go yesteryear through. This done, the victim would live painted yesteryear the medicine human being using the mixture inwards the hole. This entire ceremony would live performed twice daily over iv days.
Superstition played a key purpose inwards traditional Chagga religion: witchcraft (wusari inwards Chagga) played a major part, rainmakers in addition to rain-preventers were of import members of society, in addition to dreams were infallible oracles of the future; indeed, many Chagga were said to direct hold dreamt of the coming of the white human being to Kilimanjaro.
Medicine men did to a greater extent than than aid for one’s spiritual health; they also looked after one’s physical well-being. For the cost of 1 caprine animal and, of course, to a greater extent than banana beer, the medicine human being would live able to cure whatever disease using a whole host of methods – including spitting. If y'all were suffering from a fever, for instance, y'all could human face to live spat upon upwards to lxxx times yesteryear the medicine man, who would destination off his surgical operation yesteryear expectorating upwards your nostrils in addition to and so blowing hard upwards each to ensure the saliva reached its target. For this special method, the traditional payment was 1 pot of dearest – in addition to belike some to a greater extent than banana beer.
Chagga people
Passage of rite (The Chagga ‘Ngasi’)
The Ngasi is a rite-of-passage ceremony to grade the passing of boys into adulthood. The ceremony was presided over yesteryear the chief of Ngasi, a human being who had the ascendancy to viciously flog whatever man child taking constituent inwards the ceremony who displeased him.Before the Ngasi proper started, the boys who were to select constituent were summoned from their houses yesteryear the singing of lugubrious songs at the gate of their homes. From in that location they were taken to the identify of ceremony deep inwards the wood in addition to the proceedings began. Hunting formed a large constituent of the Ngasi; boys were tested on their powerfulness to rails downwards in addition to kill game, the animals caught beingness smeared with the novices’ excrement. Another bear witness they had to undergo was to climb a tree on the riverbank in addition to cross the river yesteryear clambering along its branches to where they intertwined with the branches of the trees on the other side. After this, a chicken would live sacrificed in addition to the boys ordered to lick the blood.
The concluding constituent of the initial phase was the most brutal, however: orders were secretly given to the boys to slay a crippled or deformed youth alongside their number. Traditionally, the victim was killed inwards the night. The parents were never truly told what had happened to their boy and, every bit all nowadays at the Ngasi ceremony were sworn to silence, they rarely found out the whole story. The boys in addition to so moved to a novel camp. They were at nowadays called Mbora, in addition to were complimentary to collect their clothes (one laid of boy’s clothes, of course, was left unclaimed). They in addition to so repaired to the chief’s occupation solid for a feast, from where they headed home.
After the tribulations of the ceremony, the boys were allowed a month’s holiday, before they returned to the chief’s occupation solid to participate inwards the sacrificing of a bull. They were in addition to so complimentary to caput dorsum to their homes, raping whatever immature women they chanced to come across on the way; the misfortunate women themselves had no redress. The Ngasi was at nowadays at an end, in addition to the boys who had successfully completed the ceremony were at nowadays men.
Chagga traditional dance
Traditional medicine
Traditional Chagga social club also practised preventative medicine, in addition to non exactly inwards matters of health. If, for example, a prominent human being inwards the hamlet was for some argue worried most his ain safety, the medicine human being would monastic enjoin him to prevarication with his favourite married adult woman inwards a pit dug inwards the ground. With the human being in addition to married adult woman silent inside, the hole would in addition to so live decked with poles in addition to covered with banana leaves. They would stay in that location until evening, patch the man’s friends to a higher identify would gear upwards food.
Medicine men also performed the vital purpose of removing curses. Curses took many forms: a cheated wife, for example, mightiness curse her hubby yesteryear turning her dorsum on him, bowing iv times in addition to praying for his death. The most feared curse, however, was that of the deathbed curse, issued yesteryear somebody presently before they expired. These were widely held to live the most hard to reverse, for to direct hold whatever promise of removing it the medicine human being would require the victim to acquire concord of a slice of the cursor’s corpse
Clothing
Traditionally, Chagga article of apparel was made of cowhide. With contact with the exterior world, the Chagga started to have on imported bead ornaments in addition to textile wraparound garments. These colorful pieces of textile are called kangas in addition to kitenges . They may live worn over a dress, or may live used to carry babies on the dorsum or hip.
School-aged boys have on shorts, but adults (both manly soul in addition to female) in addition to immature women by in addition to large do non have on shorts inwards populace except during sports. Mitumba (secondhand article of apparel from overseas) is sold at the marketplace in addition to is inwards corking demand yesteryear low-income people.
Food
The staple nutrient of the Chagga people is bananas. Bananas are also used to brand beer, their main beverage. The Chagga flora a multifariousness of nutrient crops, including bananas, millet, maize (corn), beans, in addition to cassava. They also maintain cattle, goats, in addition to sheep. Due to express the world holdings in addition to grazing areas, most Chagga people today are forced to buy meat from butcher shops.
Pregnant women consume a diet of milk, sweetness potatoes, fat, yams, in addition to butter; these are considered woman soul foods. Bananas in addition to beer are considered manly soul in addition to are non to live eaten yesteryear pregnant women.
Various nutrient dishes
Cultural heritage
Traditional Chagga instruments include wooden flutes, bells, in addition to drums. Dancing in addition to singing are constituent of almost every celebration. Classical Chaggan music is silent heard inwards festivities; however, Chaggan youth direct hold also embraced Kiswahili songs produced yesteryear various Tanzanian bands in addition to westward in addition to key African music in addition to trip the low-cal fantastic forms. Reggae, pop, in addition to rap are pop with the youth. Many musicians of Chagga origin are known approximately Africa.
The firstly Chagga historian was Nathaniel Mtui, who was born inwards 1892 in addition to wrote nine books most the history of the Chagga from 1913-1916.
If the medicine man’s efforts at lifting the curse proved to live inwards vain, a funeral would live the most probable outcome. As with most Chagga ceremonies, this would vary slightly from identify to identify in addition to from tribe to tribe, in addition to also depended on the condition of the deceased. Only married people with children, for example, would live buried: dead youths in addition to girls would live wrapped inwards banana leaves in addition to left inwards a banana grove, patch babies were only covered inwards moo-cow dung in addition to left out for jackals in addition to hyaenas. (It is said that this practise was stopped after a jackal dropped the severed caput of a modest infant at the feet of a local chief.) For married adults, the corpse would live stripped in addition to bent double, with the caput in addition to legs tied together.
Animal sacrifices would select identify on the twenty-four hr catamenia of the burial, with the cover of a sacrificed bull used to concealment the grave. Interestingly, the corpse would confront Kibo inwards the grave – every bit if the Chagga believed that the summit of Kilimanjaro was inwards some agency connected with the afterlife. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of beer-drinking was also involved. Sacrifices would go on for the side yesteryear side nine days until, it was believed, the soul had finally crossed the harsh desert separating the earthly world from the spirit world. The afterlife, incidentally, was said to live rattling similar our temporal world, only non every bit good, with nutrient less tasty in addition to the scenery less majestic.
Source:http://www.climbmountkilimanjaro.com/beliefs-and-ceremonies.html
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Chagga.aspx
http://tanzaniafolkore.blogspot.com/
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