CoD V.1.2: Concerning the Zaramo:
So I've been hoping to write this post for a while now, but for one reason or other (probably the main one being that I'm just a huge procrastinator), it hasn't got done yet. Well, here I am at last- on vacation (I'll tell you about that later), with time and tide waiting on me, and no particularly pressing excuses keeping me from it, so here, at last, this post gets written. Let me tell you a bit about the people I'm working with- the Zaramo of Tanzania.
The Zaramo are a coastal Bantu people group (there's 4 major people-groupings in Africa- Bantu- shorter, stalkier peoples; Nilotic- tall, very skinny, like the Maasai and all those Kenyan marathon runners; Cushitic - mostly people from the Horn- Ethiopian, Somali, etc; and Croasian- not to be confused with Asians or Croatians, I don't know much about these peoples, in fact, I'm not even sure about that spelling). Estimates vary as to their numbers, ranging anywhere between 400- 800,000 strong. They settled the coastal area around Dar es Salaam around 300 years ago, are mostly Islamic (99%), and rely economically on fishing along the coast, the growing and selling of fruits and vegetables further inland, and on the making and selling of charcoal (smouldering wood in the absence of oxygen makes it black, and the resulting 'charcoal' burns hotter than normal wood. It's sold in Dar es Salaam where it's used as cooking fuel to meet the needs of the poorer sections of the populace, which would include most of Dar es Salaam's 3.5 million people). That's what most people would be able to find online on the Zaramo, although small mention might also be made of their Ngomas - all-night dances/ceremonies that the Zaramo are famous for. Not much, all told; but then, not much research has been widely published on these forgotten people. Missionaries forgot about them over the last century, modernity also seems to have forgotten them, and most Tanzanians don't really want to have much to do with them- they're like the redneck-hicks of Tanzania, and are believed to beg as much as they can get out of people, which has led to the Zaramo being rather ashamed of who they are and their culture. Here's what I've learned from living amongst the Zaramo for these last five months:
The Zaramo as a people are not unlike hobbits. Like hobbits, the Zaramo would not generally be counted amongst the very wise, the learned, or the cultured. They're not really given to building vast or beautiful projects (10ft x 12ft mud-on-stick, tatched huts about does it), aren't famously known for their great skill in any specific craft, and don't, in fact, tend congregate in large towns. Dar es Salaam is technically in Zaramo territory, but the land was bought and the city founded around 150 years ago by the Sultan of Zanzibar in order to build a coastal harbour around the deep, sheltered bay which gave the city it's name. It's since grown by an influx of people from all over Tanzania migrating to the capital for jobs, or because of jobs; which relegated many of the urban Zaramo (a minority in the city today) to menial/odd jobs wherever they can find them. Other than Dar the second biggest Zaramo 'town' would likely be Maneromango, which has well under 10,000 people.
Through most of Zaramo territory, as in the Shire, what the Zaramo take pleasure in is well tilled earth (well, they don't technically till it, they poke holes on wet earth and plant cassava, corn, millet, onions, tomatoes, papayas, cashews, pineapples, mangoes, coconuts, watermellons etc), warm meals (lots of ugali! also dried fish, several different cooked greens or, once in a while, meat), the brewing of fine ales (or, in the absence of fine ales, ugimbi, the local millet beer, which I'm convinced is the cause of the near-blindness of most of the aged population) and the smoking or pipeweed (but unlike Hobbits, the Zaramo smoke cigarettes, not pipes. As in, virtually every Zaramo man in his late teens or older - and several of the women too - smoke several cigarettes a day, the number depending on how many they can afford). Also like hobbits, the Zaramo tend to have dark, curly hair on their heads; although thankfully, they have no abundance of curly hair on their feet- hobbits' furry feet always weirded me out a bit. They do however, often go about barefoot.
Unlike hobbits, the Zaramo are not prone to a thickness of girth around the midsection. In fact with a few exceptions and despite the unbalanced diet, the smoking, and the drinking, most Zaramo men are very lean and look rather like professional soccer players- not buff, but not skinny either. One would think that this would be due to hard work in the gardens (farms), but in fact, the evidence of one's eyes would quickly disprove this theory- all that most men do all day is sit around in the dukkas (shops) and shoot the breeze if they're young, or sit in the village center (around the market) and shoot the breeze, if they're old. There are exceptions, of course, but the women, in fact, do most of the hard work; and if a particular man is found to be very strong, he's often called 'strong like a woman'. Even the old Bibis (grandmothers), if not as strong as they were in their youth, make up for it with their tremendous stamina- whether it's carrying water or clearing a garden of weeds, they keep working long after the Energizer bunny's given up and gone home to dinner and a warm bath. They also do most of the disciplining of the children- alas for the children.
From the few histories that have been compiled, it would seem that the Zaramo people actually started out as a huge army, although you'd never know it to look at them (the average height is 5'6'' for men!). Zanzibar, the island off the coast of Tanzania, has long been an Islamic Sultanate with ties to Oman. The Sultan hired a man named Pasi Kilama (for several centuries after, Zaramo chieftans were called Pasi's) to raise an army and fight invaders from the North (modern day Kenya) who were encroaching on his land. Pasi and his army were succesful, and later decided to settle down in the now empty land. This was indeed around 300 years ago.
Over the next two hundred years, with slave-raiding caravans entering their land to meet the demand of the Arab slave market (some slaves were shipped to Arabia, but Zanzibar also kept many thousands to work in the clove and other spice plantations), the Zaramo began 'converting' to Islam (Islam forbids muslims to use fellow muslims as slaves). Under British colonial rule in the early 20th century, as the colonial government sent in the better educated people of Zanzibar as teachers into coastal Tanzania and also employed them in minor clerical positions, the Zaramo not only had plenty of Islamic teaching, but also had the incentive of seeing African muslims in 'higher' administrative positions, and thus they continued converting to Islam; resulting today in a people who are almost entirely Islamic, at least in name.
Sadly most Western missionaries to Tanzania (Tanzania's had missionaries and an indigenous church for over 100 years) preferred the cooler, safer climate of the Northern and the Southern highlands to the more oppressive hot, disease-ridden coastal areas; and so the Zaramo were largely forgotten. Lutheran missionaries did attempt to plant a mission-station at Maneromango, but with missionaries being expelled at both wars (Lutherans being largely German at the time), and no strong indigenous leadership being developed, all that remains of those attempts are a few thousand people in 'Mango with names like Peter and Paul who call themselves Christian, but who have never heard of a Bible, don't know what sin is but think it's down by Bagamoyo, and think Jesus was a cool guy, possibly, they're not too sure.
There are several churches through Zaramo territory, but the services are all held in KiSwahili (as opposed to KiZaramo), and they are attended by teachers and government workers from elsewhere in Tanza who are posted here. In his survey work, Tim (my teamleader) found one small KiZaramo church close to 'Mango that is pastored by a muslim convert who had a powerful conversion experience and was doing some great work, and possibly a dozen Zaramo believers scattered in ones and twos through the Swahili churches he visited. A couple dozen out of more than 600,000 people.
Theologically, however, Islam here isn't exactly as it is in Arabia. Before the advent of Islam, the Zaramo were a powerfully matriarchal society. As I mentioned earlier in my post, most of them drink, smoke, and sometimes (if they can get it) eat wild boar (mbuzi katholiki- Catholic goat, they call it), all forbidden by Islamic law. All this leads to several theological paradoxes, but they don't really seem to bother anyone- this is how it's always been, and this is all they know. More synchretistically, Islam seems to have been coated over deep-seated animistic beliefs. Many Zaramo still have little shrines to their ancestors in or around their homes. They routinely visit witch doctors to buy blessings, buy 'spiritual' medicines for spiritual ailments or to ward off curses, to buy charms and protection over their homes, and to buy curses on their enemies (they'd go to jail if they went after an enemy with an axe. Not so if they bought a death-curse on him - no one can prove they did it). Tens and hundreds of thousands of Shillings are spent on witch doctors every year by those who can afford it, often at the expense of other, less important issues such as education, medicine, hygiene, housing, and sometimes even food.
And lastly, there are the Ngomas. Many Zaramo say that these (the Ngomas) are what truly makes them MZaramo, and that they'd be heritage-less without them. Ngomas are generally all-night dances that the Zaramo hold for a variety of reasons. The more innocent ones include the 'coming out' into society of young women of marriageable age- basically a party thrown by a father to say that his daughter has come of age and is ready for marriage suitors (the girl would be anywhere between 13 and 16). The more sinister ones would include all kinds of ceremonies to appease spirits, communicate with dead relatives, or for the protection of people or families. The ceremonies usually start in the afternoon, and go on until the afternoon of the next day. It appears to be common knowledge that through the night, random couples will usually pair up and slink off into the bushes. Despite Islam, the Zaramo are very promiscuous, and virtually every relationship ends because someone is cheating on someone. Zaramo men are told that they are not really men if they haven't been with at least 4 women, and Zaramo women are told that they cannot be truly satisfied if they don't have at least 3 men at any given time- one to be their 'respectable' face, their husband; one who is rich, to give them gifts; and one whom they can truly talk and relate to, who is close to their heart. Not many have tried to meet all three needs in one man.
And yet, despite bondages to spiritism, to Islam, to alcoholism and other vices, to promiscuity and I don't know what else; the Zaramo can be so warm and friendly. They are hospitable and welcoming, they can be patient, friendly, and generous. They are loyal and devoted to their friends, and have been so kind and helpful to us. Jeremy and I especially, with the exception of a little teasing from groups of girls once in a while (matriarchal culture- women have power), have had a wonderful time here. The two single girls, on the other hand, have probably had the toughest time. They were teased by the young men when they walked around (although that died down when Monica bought her machette), their neighbours all have feuds with one-another, and the family closest to them is especially loud and violent amongst themselves (they get along well with the girls, but their internal fights often mean that the girls need earplugs to go to sleep, or need to keep an ear out to make sure no one's being killed), their homestay host had a bar open next door the day before they moved in; and their home, for some reason, is bug-central.
This, then, is the world in which we (as a team), are immersed. We yearn and long and pray so hard to see the Gospel spread amongst the Zaramo. To see this culture redeemed, and to see Ngomas worshipping the one true God and His Christ, instead of appeasing the spirits; and celebrating purity instead of promiscuity. To see lives being transformed as vices and bondages and generational sin is broken, and true joy spread through hearts. To see feuding families be reconciled, and the peace that passes understanding spread through Zaramo land. Please join us in praying- and much, much prayer is needed. May He be glorified, even in this land.
The Zaramo are a coastal Bantu people group (there's 4 major people-groupings in Africa- Bantu- shorter, stalkier peoples; Nilotic- tall, very skinny, like the Maasai and all those Kenyan marathon runners; Cushitic - mostly people from the Horn- Ethiopian, Somali, etc; and Croasian- not to be confused with Asians or Croatians, I don't know much about these peoples, in fact, I'm not even sure about that spelling). Estimates vary as to their numbers, ranging anywhere between 400- 800,000 strong. They settled the coastal area around Dar es Salaam around 300 years ago, are mostly Islamic (99%), and rely economically on fishing along the coast, the growing and selling of fruits and vegetables further inland, and on the making and selling of charcoal (smouldering wood in the absence of oxygen makes it black, and the resulting 'charcoal' burns hotter than normal wood. It's sold in Dar es Salaam where it's used as cooking fuel to meet the needs of the poorer sections of the populace, which would include most of Dar es Salaam's 3.5 million people). That's what most people would be able to find online on the Zaramo, although small mention might also be made of their Ngomas - all-night dances/ceremonies that the Zaramo are famous for. Not much, all told; but then, not much research has been widely published on these forgotten people. Missionaries forgot about them over the last century, modernity also seems to have forgotten them, and most Tanzanians don't really want to have much to do with them- they're like the redneck-hicks of Tanzania, and are believed to beg as much as they can get out of people, which has led to the Zaramo being rather ashamed of who they are and their culture. Here's what I've learned from living amongst the Zaramo for these last five months:
The Zaramo as a people are not unlike hobbits. Like hobbits, the Zaramo would not generally be counted amongst the very wise, the learned, or the cultured. They're not really given to building vast or beautiful projects (10ft x 12ft mud-on-stick, tatched huts about does it), aren't famously known for their great skill in any specific craft, and don't, in fact, tend congregate in large towns. Dar es Salaam is technically in Zaramo territory, but the land was bought and the city founded around 150 years ago by the Sultan of Zanzibar in order to build a coastal harbour around the deep, sheltered bay which gave the city it's name. It's since grown by an influx of people from all over Tanzania migrating to the capital for jobs, or because of jobs; which relegated many of the urban Zaramo (a minority in the city today) to menial/odd jobs wherever they can find them. Other than Dar the second biggest Zaramo 'town' would likely be Maneromango, which has well under 10,000 people.
Through most of Zaramo territory, as in the Shire, what the Zaramo take pleasure in is well tilled earth (well, they don't technically till it, they poke holes on wet earth and plant cassava, corn, millet, onions, tomatoes, papayas, cashews, pineapples, mangoes, coconuts, watermellons etc), warm meals (lots of ugali! also dried fish, several different cooked greens or, once in a while, meat), the brewing of fine ales (or, in the absence of fine ales, ugimbi, the local millet beer, which I'm convinced is the cause of the near-blindness of most of the aged population) and the smoking or pipeweed (but unlike Hobbits, the Zaramo smoke cigarettes, not pipes. As in, virtually every Zaramo man in his late teens or older - and several of the women too - smoke several cigarettes a day, the number depending on how many they can afford). Also like hobbits, the Zaramo tend to have dark, curly hair on their heads; although thankfully, they have no abundance of curly hair on their feet- hobbits' furry feet always weirded me out a bit. They do however, often go about barefoot.
Unlike hobbits, the Zaramo are not prone to a thickness of girth around the midsection. In fact with a few exceptions and despite the unbalanced diet, the smoking, and the drinking, most Zaramo men are very lean and look rather like professional soccer players- not buff, but not skinny either. One would think that this would be due to hard work in the gardens (farms), but in fact, the evidence of one's eyes would quickly disprove this theory- all that most men do all day is sit around in the dukkas (shops) and shoot the breeze if they're young, or sit in the village center (around the market) and shoot the breeze, if they're old. There are exceptions, of course, but the women, in fact, do most of the hard work; and if a particular man is found to be very strong, he's often called 'strong like a woman'. Even the old Bibis (grandmothers), if not as strong as they were in their youth, make up for it with their tremendous stamina- whether it's carrying water or clearing a garden of weeds, they keep working long after the Energizer bunny's given up and gone home to dinner and a warm bath. They also do most of the disciplining of the children- alas for the children.
From the few histories that have been compiled, it would seem that the Zaramo people actually started out as a huge army, although you'd never know it to look at them (the average height is 5'6'' for men!). Zanzibar, the island off the coast of Tanzania, has long been an Islamic Sultanate with ties to Oman. The Sultan hired a man named Pasi Kilama (for several centuries after, Zaramo chieftans were called Pasi's) to raise an army and fight invaders from the North (modern day Kenya) who were encroaching on his land. Pasi and his army were succesful, and later decided to settle down in the now empty land. This was indeed around 300 years ago.
Over the next two hundred years, with slave-raiding caravans entering their land to meet the demand of the Arab slave market (some slaves were shipped to Arabia, but Zanzibar also kept many thousands to work in the clove and other spice plantations), the Zaramo began 'converting' to Islam (Islam forbids muslims to use fellow muslims as slaves). Under British colonial rule in the early 20th century, as the colonial government sent in the better educated people of Zanzibar as teachers into coastal Tanzania and also employed them in minor clerical positions, the Zaramo not only had plenty of Islamic teaching, but also had the incentive of seeing African muslims in 'higher' administrative positions, and thus they continued converting to Islam; resulting today in a people who are almost entirely Islamic, at least in name.
Sadly most Western missionaries to Tanzania (Tanzania's had missionaries and an indigenous church for over 100 years) preferred the cooler, safer climate of the Northern and the Southern highlands to the more oppressive hot, disease-ridden coastal areas; and so the Zaramo were largely forgotten. Lutheran missionaries did attempt to plant a mission-station at Maneromango, but with missionaries being expelled at both wars (Lutherans being largely German at the time), and no strong indigenous leadership being developed, all that remains of those attempts are a few thousand people in 'Mango with names like Peter and Paul who call themselves Christian, but who have never heard of a Bible, don't know what sin is but think it's down by Bagamoyo, and think Jesus was a cool guy, possibly, they're not too sure.
There are several churches through Zaramo territory, but the services are all held in KiSwahili (as opposed to KiZaramo), and they are attended by teachers and government workers from elsewhere in Tanza who are posted here. In his survey work, Tim (my teamleader) found one small KiZaramo church close to 'Mango that is pastored by a muslim convert who had a powerful conversion experience and was doing some great work, and possibly a dozen Zaramo believers scattered in ones and twos through the Swahili churches he visited. A couple dozen out of more than 600,000 people.
Theologically, however, Islam here isn't exactly as it is in Arabia. Before the advent of Islam, the Zaramo were a powerfully matriarchal society. As I mentioned earlier in my post, most of them drink, smoke, and sometimes (if they can get it) eat wild boar (mbuzi katholiki- Catholic goat, they call it), all forbidden by Islamic law. All this leads to several theological paradoxes, but they don't really seem to bother anyone- this is how it's always been, and this is all they know. More synchretistically, Islam seems to have been coated over deep-seated animistic beliefs. Many Zaramo still have little shrines to their ancestors in or around their homes. They routinely visit witch doctors to buy blessings, buy 'spiritual' medicines for spiritual ailments or to ward off curses, to buy charms and protection over their homes, and to buy curses on their enemies (they'd go to jail if they went after an enemy with an axe. Not so if they bought a death-curse on him - no one can prove they did it). Tens and hundreds of thousands of Shillings are spent on witch doctors every year by those who can afford it, often at the expense of other, less important issues such as education, medicine, hygiene, housing, and sometimes even food.
And lastly, there are the Ngomas. Many Zaramo say that these (the Ngomas) are what truly makes them MZaramo, and that they'd be heritage-less without them. Ngomas are generally all-night dances that the Zaramo hold for a variety of reasons. The more innocent ones include the 'coming out' into society of young women of marriageable age- basically a party thrown by a father to say that his daughter has come of age and is ready for marriage suitors (the girl would be anywhere between 13 and 16). The more sinister ones would include all kinds of ceremonies to appease spirits, communicate with dead relatives, or for the protection of people or families. The ceremonies usually start in the afternoon, and go on until the afternoon of the next day. It appears to be common knowledge that through the night, random couples will usually pair up and slink off into the bushes. Despite Islam, the Zaramo are very promiscuous, and virtually every relationship ends because someone is cheating on someone. Zaramo men are told that they are not really men if they haven't been with at least 4 women, and Zaramo women are told that they cannot be truly satisfied if they don't have at least 3 men at any given time- one to be their 'respectable' face, their husband; one who is rich, to give them gifts; and one whom they can truly talk and relate to, who is close to their heart. Not many have tried to meet all three needs in one man.
And yet, despite bondages to spiritism, to Islam, to alcoholism and other vices, to promiscuity and I don't know what else; the Zaramo can be so warm and friendly. They are hospitable and welcoming, they can be patient, friendly, and generous. They are loyal and devoted to their friends, and have been so kind and helpful to us. Jeremy and I especially, with the exception of a little teasing from groups of girls once in a while (matriarchal culture- women have power), have had a wonderful time here. The two single girls, on the other hand, have probably had the toughest time. They were teased by the young men when they walked around (although that died down when Monica bought her machette), their neighbours all have feuds with one-another, and the family closest to them is especially loud and violent amongst themselves (they get along well with the girls, but their internal fights often mean that the girls need earplugs to go to sleep, or need to keep an ear out to make sure no one's being killed), their homestay host had a bar open next door the day before they moved in; and their home, for some reason, is bug-central.
This, then, is the world in which we (as a team), are immersed. We yearn and long and pray so hard to see the Gospel spread amongst the Zaramo. To see this culture redeemed, and to see Ngomas worshipping the one true God and His Christ, instead of appeasing the spirits; and celebrating purity instead of promiscuity. To see lives being transformed as vices and bondages and generational sin is broken, and true joy spread through hearts. To see feuding families be reconciled, and the peace that passes understanding spread through Zaramo land. Please join us in praying- and much, much prayer is needed. May He be glorified, even in this land.
posted by dan at 12/29/2007 04:03:00 a.m.
1 Comments:
"men are told that they are not really men if they haven't been with at least 4 women". In Israel, the number tossed around was 7. When I was in the army, some Palestinians would scoff at this, and claim that 13 was the magic number.
In any case, how do you go about spreading your ways there, besides just living by example? From what you write, it seems that they are not too bothered by their own lifestyle and culture as it is...
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