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I come from a place near to the Victoria Lake called
Shinyanga. We are known as the Sukuma people. Traditionally, many
Sukuma villages were situated on high ground, often under the shelter
of a granite outcrop. but after the Germans arrived we were persuaded
to leave the hills and cultivated the plains. Most Sukuma people are
working with crops, we grow maize and cassava."
Sarah is Christian, but talks about the traditional
Sukuma God.
"The Sukuma God "Liwelo" is related to
nature. Before undertaking a journey the Sukuma people use to pray to
the Spirit of the Wild. It is the spirits of the ancestors who ensure
that justice will prevail."
The land where the Sukuma people live is always in
threat of being struck by drought, so rainmakers and diviners play a
crucial role.
"We are great lovers of dance and music. Because
our land often dry, we value or rainmakers and often in our fields we
cultivate our land in the night to the rhythm of drums and songs. We
have dances called snake dances, while the dancer dances, snakes wrap
themselves around the body of the dancer. This dances are very famous
in the whole of Tanzania."
Sarah explains that there are many different tribes in
Tanzania and they all have many different cultures and traditions.
The Chaka tribe is one of the many tribes.
"The Chaka tribe lives in Moshi and Arusha The
Chaka people also have their own traditions and other tribes have a
lot of gossip about them.........People from other tribes say that
the Chaka people like money a lot and that they are very stingy with
their money."
There are more then 120 different tribes in Tanzania,
and the different tribes all have superstition about each other.
"The Chaka are said to be stingy, the Nyamwezi
from Tabora are said to be very loose and easy to get in bed. The
Makonde are said to be a bit unintelligent, while the Sukuma people
are said to be very intelligent, rich and beautiful. The Sukuma
tribe, which I belong to is ofcuase the best ha ha ha." |
