The Sunday News
The new constitution of Zimbabwe of August 2013 has ushered in a sigh of relief pertaining to the 16 indigenous languages. All along there has been a jigsaw puzzle in some districts as to which languages are indigenous especially in Hwange District where Nambya has been assumed to be predominant as compared to the Dombes who are a dialect of Tonga.
This has raised questions to all and sundry because some of these so-called Nambyas are Tongas, Lubales, Xanganis and Lozis. The issue of co-existence thus comes in to play a major role because Hwange District is a cosmopolitan set-up and hence there has been a lot of inter-marriages among the society.
History of Hwange District
History and surveys also play a major role in defining the geographical outline of the community concerned. I am presenting this article as an eye opener so as to unlock and demystify the assumption that Nambya was the predominant indigenous language in the Hwange District hence this has led to the sidelining of Tonga (Dombe) when the teaching of indigenous languages started. I have it on good record that the predominant indigenous language has been and is still Tonga ever since. Even the Nambyan catechism written in July 1960 by the late Mr Felix Lupondo, the late Chief Romano Nekatambe assisted by Father Alexander Alopont spells it out that the Badombe were the first inhabitants of Hwange District before the arrival of the BaNambyas who are a branch of the Makaranga from Masvingo, then came the Ndebeles in 1943 from Matabeleland South, brought by forced settlement to stay in the Western end of the district under Chief Mvuthu. This is why the Ndebeles are predominant in areas in the western part of Hwange, the Nambyas are predominant in areas like Chezhou, Makwandala, Lukosi (St Mary’s) and Ntiba in Jambezi.
The Tongas are predominant in the eastern part of the district, central as well as the north-western areas within the eastern region of Hwange District that comprises Mabale, Nabushome, Sianyanga, Dopota, Lupote, Songwa, Ndangababi and Kamalala. In the north-western region we have areas called Inkandoyebwe (Kandebwe), Luseche, Simangani, Sidinda, Lumbola, Mununa and Milonga, Chikandakubi as well as Dindi (Dinde), Kalisine (Fifteen), Lambo, Gulambila and Chentali in the central part of the region including Bhale and Bhuludundu.
A survey conducted in April 1990 by the Ministry of Education and Culture Curriculum Development unit under the African Languages team confirms this in relation to each school.
As I have highlighted before, the co-existence, inter-marriages and office bearer authority in local institutions and structures had led to some people losing sight as to where they belong and ruling supreme; this is evidenced by the inscriptions on toilets where Nambya is only written Manulume, Manukaji forgetting or leaving out other languages.
For example, we have totems or surnames in which people believe and think that they are Nambyas when in all earnest and honesty they are Tongas. These include corrupted surnames like Siantungwana (Santungwana), Siansole (Sansole), Siakapila (Sikapila-Dube), Lwinga and Mpalas (Mungombe) of Lukosi as well as the Nyonis (Sialanga). We also have it on good record that the original baobab tree which is the Chief of the Nekatambe clan himself was known as Natakamba (Nekatambe) from Saba in Binga District. Then comes in the Malikwe family who have clearly stated that they are Tonga-leyas, the Skukas (Mudenda-Dube) and Kamochas at Chibuyu in Jambezi are both ethnic Tongas.
We have people who are masquerading as Nambyas in the form of the Nyalas (grandchildren to Kachokwe), a Lubale ethnic, then comes in the Simangos (Msimangas) who are Ndau. This perception of not wanting to know who you are has been causing a lot of cultural malpractices and disdainful frontal headaches to the people, community and society as well. One such incident which was so horrific and an embarrassment was the burial of the late Chief Wange at his homestead in 2011. Chief Wilson Wange was Tonga alongside his wife whom I knew perfectly well.
The procession was perceived to be conducted in Nambya but that was not to be. Disaster loomed as the wrong cultural practice was not in tandem with his Tonga culture. People gathered and wondered as to what was happening, even the late Vice-President John Nkomo who was Acting President during that time had to leave before the chief’s burial. Those assigned to dig the Chief’s grave failed to make headway, even electrical drillers from the colliery also failed to break the ground until at about 7pm when Chief Mukuni from Livingstone and his entourage arrived and did their cultural spiritual Tonga cleansing. This is when people started to know that he was Tonga.
The issue of self background history helps in making us fit in different sectors of our societies and it also helps in how we should handle, deal or work with others. God created men and he knows why they should be all these different languages across the world.
Those who witnessed the ground breaking ceremony of Victoria Falls Airport extension heard it loud and clear that the traditional cleansing of the airport was conducted by Chief Sikute (affectionately known as Nelukoba or Dingani). These words came from Vice-President Joice Mujuru. Having taken into consideration that most of the gravesites in that area as well as Dibamgombe belong to the Tonga-Leyas, who were under Chief Sikute from Chikuni in Zambia when they crossed into Southern Rhodesia in the early 18th century alongside Sichongo Mudenda — grandfather to Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda now Speaker of Parliament and Sinemane Siansole. Many thanks go to the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) who tirelessly and positively identified the rightful chief to conduct the traditional cleansing ceremony. Today there is a shop called Sinemani in Victoria Falls — the grandfather to present Siansoles.
Recently, Chief Mvuthu was laid to rest and some processions were conducted in Tonga. This raised eyebrows as to why this was being done but it was explained to the people that the soil where this Ndebele Chief was being put to rest was purely Tonga soil. Present at this occasion were Chief Shana from Jambezi, Chief Saba and Chief Siansali from Binga, Chief Sikute (Nelukoba).
In such scenarios one wonders who then is who in Hwange District.
Maybe for interest sake — the Tongas in Wange had a paramount chief before enactment of the federation regimes. He was known as Chief Mapeta staying along the Kasambabezi (Zambezi) Valley-Deka Drum. He had a subordinate chief known as Chief Ngonzi living in the Jambezi area presently occupied by Chief Shana. Both these persons still have elderly relatives who can explain and clarify both these chieftainships and how they were lost.
Even Sir Roy Welensky was taken around the coal-catchment area on his arrival from Britain by paramount Chief Mapeta. The advent and relentless war mongering by the then Ndebele warriors caused all the disarray and demise of the BaTonga chieftainships.
When the Ndebele warriors came into Wange District (Hwange), they came across the Nambyan clan under Chief Chilisa and Lusumbami his nephew. Upon realising the looming danger, Chief Chilisa lied to the Ndebele warriors that his nephew Lusumbami had two hearts and then escaped towards the Kasambabezi (Zambezi) Valley with his crew. Upon arrival in the Zambezi Valley, he was assisted to cross into Northen Rhodesia (Zambia) by Chief Mapeta and his people. This enraged the Ndebeles upon discovering that Chief Mapeta had assisted the escape of Chilisa across the Zambezi River.
Thus they then declared the nullification of his chieftainship alongside that of his subordinate Chief Ngonzi. This was how the Tongas lost their chieftainship up until today.
The Ndebele warriors, through curiosity, had taken Lusumbami along with them to go and prove to their king whether truthfully Lusumbami had two hearts. Lusumbami then saw death lingering and at a place now known as Sipazipazi, he refused to be dragged further and preferred to die hence the word Pasipasi (Sipazipazi) – death is death. It was better for him to die there than be dragged further. Lusumbami was then skinned alive at Sipazipazi (Pasipasi) and was found to be having only one heart.
During that period, the Nambyas were settled at Bhumbusi (a place within the Sinamatela sanctuary).
We have names of places such as Mbalila in Hwange — this came from the Nambyans upon arrival in the area, only to find that there were Tonga people scattered all over and were now saying (tombalila poni) meaning where will we dress and undress ourselves.
If we were to focus on a place like Dindi (Dinde), that place was originally under Chief Dobola. History has it on good record that Chief Dobola migrated into Binga District and currently there is Chief Dobola in Binga between Pashu and Kalyango (Kariangwe) mission. The predominant names of those living and those who are late at Dinde are as follows and are Tonga names:
Chief Nakatamba (Nekatambe), Siakapila (Siakapila-Dube), Village head Robert Tupuka, Sebeni Timba, Jongolo, Siankwile, Siabuyungi, Siakabhwindi, Siampanda, Sianchoko, Siabuzuba, Kaboloma Inangonya, Bakayuni, Inanjebwa, Siantumbu, Basileleki, Magudu, Bandelwali, Inabenzu, Simon Manjinela, Babhwelempele, Inakatoli, Siamujimba, Bambesu, Siatongo Mulova, Chibombola, Siamalila, Simalasha, Sheleni, Siamameme, Siamasosa, Siamujimba, Siamasamu, Inalwindi, Sianzila, Siangoma, Siabutale, Siakasya, Siatyoka, Siampyangwa, Gululwe, Chikondwedo, Kalumwanzi, Siakapule, Kalyigwamakwa, Pelemba, Manchalinchali, Kapepa, Manchisi, Sialwindi just to mention but a few.
It was really surprising why such a community was being held to ransom and had Nambya imposed on them with a backdrop of 75 percent Tonga speaking pupils as revealed by the survey. Another painful factor was that Dindi (Dinde) Primary School is just a stone’s throw away from the late Chief Nekatambe’s homestead and the wife to the late Chief is a pure Tonga from Kanywambizi, born alongside her sister married to the Chipemberes of Dinde.
. . . To be continued next week.
By Canaan Chondonda Sianyuka Muleya (Grandson to Chaletezya, Siakanywa Sianyuka Muleya) Victoria Falls
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
0712 766 168 / 0773 718 679
