The Nyamwezi people, also called the Wanyamwezi, live in the East African country of Tanzania. Their home area is called Unyamwezi, "the place of the Wanyamwezi." Over the years Nyamwezi culture has both influenced and been influenced by the cultures of neighboring African societies as well as the national Tanzanian culture. Islam and Christianity have also had a great impact on modern Nyamwezi customs.
Composition
The Nyamwezi are made up of four distinct subgroups, each claiming to descend from its own special ancestor. The first Nyamwezi settlers formed small communities that grew into larger kingdoms ruled by a mtemi, or king. The Nyamwezi were well-known traders in the precolonial era.
Colonial Influence
German and British colonialists created a system in Tanzania where people were separated according to race, similar to apartheid in South Africa. Colonial rule in Tanzania was built upon the notion that Europeans were superior to Africans.
The German colonial occupation of Tanzania was brutal, based on physical violence and a racial hierarchy. During the 1880s and 1890s German military campaigns conducted vicious reprisal raids against African areas that resisted German authority. In 1920, after World War I, Germany ceded control of Tanzania to the British. British administration of the territory was characterized by racial segregation. Africans were denied the right to participate in politics.
In the 1990s, Tanzania changed from a one-party socialist state to a country with multi-party competitive elections and a free-market economy. A number of Nyamwezi emerged as leaders of the opposition parties and played important roles in the ruling party.
Location
Unyamwezi is located in the western plateau area of the Tanzanian provinces of Tabora and Shinyanga. Much of the land is covered by a dry woodland with strings of ridges and granite outcroppings. Most of Unyamwezi is not considered prime agricultural land. Water is often scarce.
Tanzanians of various ethnic groups live in Unyamwezi. Also present are Arabs as well as Asians whose ancestors came from India and Pakistan. About 30 percent of the Nyamwezi live and work outside Unyamwezi, mainly in Tanzania's commercial and agricultural centers. The Nyamwezi make up about 4 percent of the Tanzanian population and number about 1 million.
Language
Many Nyamwezi can speak at least three languages. Kinyamwezi, which has three dialects, is the mother tongue of most. Most are also fluent in KiSwahili, Tanzania's national language. Many Nyamwezi also speak English and the languages of neighboring ethnic groups, such as Kisukuma, the language of the Sukuma people.
Folkrole
One of the most important historical figures for the Nyamwezi is the mtemi (king) Mirambo. By the time of his death in 1884, he had created a central African empire that incorporated the greater part of Unyamwezi. Mirambo was a brilliant military tactician, known for his fierceness in battle.
Religion
Nyamwezi spirituality has been shaped by traditional beliefs, Islam, and Christianity. Traditional Nyamwezi spirituality centers on the connection between the living and their ancestors. Ancestors are seen as upholding the tradition, law, and values of society.
Relations with the ancestors and respect for Nyamwezi traditions are maintained through ritual activity such as animal sacrifices and other ceremonies. These activities are overseen by diviners, who act as spiritual advisers. They interpret events and determine which spirits are involved and what rituals should be followed to restore balance in people's lives.
Major Holidays
The major holidays in Tanzania are Union Day (April 26), which celebrates the creation of the union between mainland Tanzania and the Zanzibar Island; Mayday/Workers Day (May 1); Independence Day (December 9); and New Year's Day (January 1). Major religious holidays for Christians are Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter; and for Muslims, Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan), Eid al-Haj (Festival of Sacrifice), Islamic New Year, and the Prophet Muhammad's Birthday. Religious holidays are usually celebrated by attendance at the church or mosque and visits with family and friends. Secular (nonreligious) holidays such as Independence Day are characterized by military parades and speeches by the country's leaders.
Rites of Passage
A series of rituals welcome the birth of a new baby. Many Nyamwezi practices surrounding birth have changed as Western influences have increased.
Marriage is a very important Nyamwezi institution. Courtship typically begins with a young man's search for a suitable young woman to marry. With one or two male friends, he visits her home and discusses the possibility of marriage. If, after consulting with her female elders, the young woman agrees, bride wealth negotiations begin. When the bride wealth is agreed upon, the groom's father holds a large feast. After the bride wealth has been paid, a wedding ceremony is held with much feasting, dancing, and singing.
Relationships
Greetings are very important in Nyamwezi society. One greets important people by bowing, clapping one's hands, and averting one's gaze before a handshake. A greeting among close friends are less formal and often incorporate some teasing and joking. A greeting is always accompanied by a handshake, as is leave-taking. After the greetings, it is considered impolite to "get straight to the point," and the matter to be discussed is usually approached gradually and in an indirect manner.
Visiting relatives and friends is a favorite activity on the weekends, on holidays, or after work. Hospitality is taken very seriously.
Nyamwezi People: Guardians of Tradition and Cultural Richness