Safwa
Encyclopedia
The Safwa are an ethnic and linguistic group based in the mountains of the Mbeya Region
, Tanzania
. The Safwa language
is a member of the large Niger–Congo
language family group. Alternate names for Safwa are Ishisafwa, Cisafwa, and Kisafwa. Its dialects are Guruka, Mbwila, Poroto, and Songwe. ISO 639-3
language code
is sbk.
In 1957 the Safwa population was estimated to be approximately 158,000. In 2002 after the national census, the tribe's population estimates is expected to exceed 300,000. The Wasafwa population had increased from 9,000 in 1910, during the German
occupation.
. Even though they can be considered stateless they were still split into many small chiefdoms, much as the Nyika
and Wanda
with whom they seem to have been related. They were easily defeated (being accused of never getting their act together), but difficult to control. They hated being under the dominion of Merere's Wasangu, and were later a difficult to administer, wanting nothing to interere with their feeling of equality, which was central to their identity and ideology.
As the Wasangu spread terror, the stateless Wasafwa retreated and scattered into the hills, leaving empty land. It was not only the Wasangu domination they hated, in hope of expelling all Europeans, they killed off all male animals on the supposed order of a reincarnated ancestor-hero. In the 1890s Safwa children played at assaulting fortresses. Perhaps the same fortress forced on them by the Sangu
or when they were surprised by the sudden arrival of Safari Conductor Bauer and his people.
s.
Giving birth to twins was a severe shock to parents who then normally allowed one to die of hunger, thus avoiding the fear of the possible death of the parents due to two angry spirits. Following a twin birth, the process of cleansing the village and parents with a 'medicine doctor' was complex and took a great deal of wealth in livestock and agricultural products. It could take two years (ten years if both twins lived), until they were finally treated as regular members of the community. Otherwise the Wasafwa denied ever killing children handicapped at birth, "It is God's - Nguluvi's - will" and it is said they were treated as normal children.
It is also said that Albino children are not put to death, although Albinos are not seen among the Wasafwas, but many are seen in other parts of Central Africa
.
Two to three days following birth the child begins to be force-fed by being laid on its back with millet
mush placed in its mouth. The nose is pinched shut and when the mouth is opened to breath the mush is eaten. The fingers of the mother continue to push the pap beyond nutritional needs. It is thought to prepare the child for a later life of feast or famine.
Some chiefs avoided eating the meat of dogs, (which only caused the stomach to bark), lions, elephants, and rhinoceros (for they are rulers of the wild), hippopotamus (for they give spots on the skin). Some could not even eat corn and beans cooked together or the leaves of vegetables, for this would brand them as poor. Since "rain is afraid to fall on barren peaks or forest land", chiefs could not shave their heads; they could only cut it, for they were after all responsible for good rain. Since much of Usafwa could be very cold. Weaving by the men was a normal occupation, but by 1909 a man could earn four times more cloth through wages than weaving it himself, for with the importation of European cloth the weaving industry began dying out.
city center.
However, in recent decades, there has been a significant change in the spirituality of the Safwas. Most of them have accepted other faiths such as Christianity
and even Islam
. About 22% of the Safwas adhere to different Christian denominations. This is a very radical shift for a tribe that is proud of their culture and are basically conservatives. Some of the Christian denominations that have made significant inroads in this community, and therefore have big impacts in changing the worldview of the people, include: the Assemblies of God
, Roman Catholics, Seventh-day Adventist
s, Jehovah's Witnesses
, Moravians, etc. Perhaps this diversity of denominations found in Safwaland speaks more eloquently than any other factor when it comes to how open to new ways of spirituality this group of people has become. All these denominations have trained Safwa ministers some of whom take care of their own people and others serve the larger Christian community elsewhere in the country and beyond. Today in most villages, houses of worship of different shapes and sizes may be found. This would have been impossible just a few decades ago. The Safwa people are becoming more open to the gospel
of Jesus Christ. However, a large number of them remain traditionalists, especially the older generation and the not-so old folks.
Mbeya Region
Mbeya is one of Tanzania's 26 administrative regions. The regional capital is Mbeya. It is bordered to the northwest by Tabora Region, to the northeast by Singida Region, to the East by Iringa Region, to the South by Zambia and Malawi and to the West by Rukwa Region...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. The Safwa language
Safwa language
Safwa is a Bantu language spoken by the Safwa people of the Mbeya Region of Tanzania. Dialects are Guruka, Mbwila, Poroto, Songwe....
is a member of the large Niger–Congo
Niger–Congo languages
The Niger–Congo languages constitute one of the world's major language families, and Africa's largest in terms of geographical area, number of speakers, and number of distinct languages. They may constitute the world's largest language family in terms of distinct languages, although this question...
language family group. Alternate names for Safwa are Ishisafwa, Cisafwa, and Kisafwa. Its dialects are Guruka, Mbwila, Poroto, and Songwe. ISO 639-3
ISO 639-3
ISO 639-3:2007, Codes for the representation of names of languages — Part 3: Alpha-3 code for comprehensive coverage of languages, is an international standard for language codes in the ISO 639 series. The standard describes three‐letter codes for identifying languages. It extends the ISO 639-2...
language code
Language code
A language code is a code that assigns letters and/or numbers as identifiers or classifiers for languages. These codes may be used to organize library collections or presentations of data, to choose the correct localizations and translations in computing, and as a shorthand designation for longer...
is sbk.
In 1957 the Safwa population was estimated to be approximately 158,000. In 2002 after the national census, the tribe's population estimates is expected to exceed 300,000. The Wasafwa population had increased from 9,000 in 1910, during the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
occupation.
Organisation
The Safwa were a very loosely organized people, hardly more than subjects of the Wasangu, by whom they had been conquered in 1893. They apparently had no traditional history and came close to being statelessStateless
- Society :* Anarchy* Stateless communism, which Karl Marx predicted would follow capitalism and socialism* Stateless nation, a group of people without a nation-state* Stateless society, a society that is not governed by a state...
. Even though they can be considered stateless they were still split into many small chiefdoms, much as the Nyika
Nyika
Nyika is a Swahili word meaning "bush" or "hinterland" . More specifically, it can refer to:* a collective term for nine ethnic groups in coastal Kenya, see Mijikenda* a desert in Kenya, see Nyiri Desert...
and Wanda
Wanda
-Derivation:It is derived from Wandalus or Wandalarius , the name of several Amali Gothic rulers. The first Polish historian Kadlubek wrote the Princess Wanda story. He describes her as live amongst the Wandali and claims that a river in the land of the Vandals is named Wandalus after Wanda...
with whom they seem to have been related. They were easily defeated (being accused of never getting their act together), but difficult to control. They hated being under the dominion of Merere's Wasangu, and were later a difficult to administer, wanting nothing to interere with their feeling of equality, which was central to their identity and ideology.
As the Wasangu spread terror, the stateless Wasafwa retreated and scattered into the hills, leaving empty land. It was not only the Wasangu domination they hated, in hope of expelling all Europeans, they killed off all male animals on the supposed order of a reincarnated ancestor-hero. In the 1890s Safwa children played at assaulting fortresses. Perhaps the same fortress forced on them by the Sangu
Sangu
The Sangu, at times called Rori , are an ethnic and linguistic group based in southwestern Tanzania. By 1907 the Sangu numbers were thought to be about 30,000. In 1987 the Sangu population was estimated to number 75,000 ....
or when they were surprised by the sudden arrival of Safari Conductor Bauer and his people.
Childbirth
As the occupation by the Wasangu continued, the traditions and customs of the Safwa slowly disappeared. Some, however remained, such as allowing new born children to die of hunger with the death of their mother, as no woman was allowed to breast feed a child not her own. There were no wet nurseWet nurse
A wet nurse is a woman who is used to breast feed and care for another's child. Wet nurses are used when the mother is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself. Wet-nursed children may be known as "milk-siblings", and in some cultures the families are linked by a special relationship of...
s.
Giving birth to twins was a severe shock to parents who then normally allowed one to die of hunger, thus avoiding the fear of the possible death of the parents due to two angry spirits. Following a twin birth, the process of cleansing the village and parents with a 'medicine doctor' was complex and took a great deal of wealth in livestock and agricultural products. It could take two years (ten years if both twins lived), until they were finally treated as regular members of the community. Otherwise the Wasafwa denied ever killing children handicapped at birth, "It is God's - Nguluvi's - will" and it is said they were treated as normal children.
It is also said that Albino children are not put to death, although Albinos are not seen among the Wasafwas, but many are seen in other parts of Central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
.
Two to three days following birth the child begins to be force-fed by being laid on its back with millet
Millet
The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult...
mush placed in its mouth. The nose is pinched shut and when the mouth is opened to breath the mush is eaten. The fingers of the mother continue to push the pap beyond nutritional needs. It is thought to prepare the child for a later life of feast or famine.
Chief
The official title of the Safwa's chief is "Mwene". The most powerful clan to hold the mweneship for many years is the Mwashinga clan. The Mwashingas have their origins at Igawilo, in Mbeya Urban district. One of the modern Mwenes, who was perhaps, the most powerful and influential, is Mwene Paul Mwashinga. This man was educated, rich and well travelled. Before his death in 1987 he had commanded a lot of respect not only from his own people, but also from high ranking government officials. This was especially evidenced by the number of important political and business people who attended his funeral at Igawilo Mbeya in 1987. On the death of an old leader, choosing a new chief could be complex: the elder counselors were called and the dying chief told them who was to be the new leader, normally one of his sons, no one else was told of the choice, not even the son or other family members, or even other members of the village. No one knew. Only when people were told "the chief is not well, do not make any noise", were they aware he was dying. With his death the 'old' counselors buried the body as everyone slept. Only the next day when they were told, "he is very ill, no one may walk on another chief's land", did they know he had died. There were no lamentations, but all men, women, and children shaved their heads. The women quickly brewed beer. Those of the sons who had decided not to accept the role of chief disappeared ahead of time. The old counselors then 'decided' who would be the new chief and 'boxed' the ears of the resistant one until he accepted. The leaders also took two more youths, one to become the Migave and the other a girl, the Namutemi (the 'also crowned', even if the new chief had many other wives). The Namutemi remained a full month, and only after a month were people able to celebrate the 'bringing out' or the new chief.Some chiefs avoided eating the meat of dogs, (which only caused the stomach to bark), lions, elephants, and rhinoceros (for they are rulers of the wild), hippopotamus (for they give spots on the skin). Some could not even eat corn and beans cooked together or the leaves of vegetables, for this would brand them as poor. Since "rain is afraid to fall on barren peaks or forest land", chiefs could not shave their heads; they could only cut it, for they were after all responsible for good rain. Since much of Usafwa could be very cold. Weaving by the men was a normal occupation, but by 1909 a man could earn four times more cloth through wages than weaving it himself, for with the importation of European cloth the weaving industry began dying out.
Religion
Originally the Safwas, like many inland Tanzanian tribes, were traditionalists. They worshiped ancestors. They used to keep a sacred grove where the elders (priests) of the tribe would visit in times of disasters such as lack of rain or outbreak of killer diseases. During such visits, the rest of the people would refrain from manual labor such as tilling the land while waiting in anticipation for the outcome of the elders' visit to the sacred grove. The elders visited the grove in order to give gifts to the ancestors to appease them and pray for rain or removal of diseases from the land. On many occasions, at least in case of rain, the rain would pour down even before the elders reached their residences. A good example of such sacred groves can presently be seen at Iganjo in Igawilo, approximately 15 kilometers from MbeyaMbeya
Mbeya is a city located in southwest Tanzania, Africa. Mbeya's urban population was 280,000 in 2005. Mbeya is the capital of the surrounding rural Mbeya region ....
city center.
However, in recent decades, there has been a significant change in the spirituality of the Safwas. Most of them have accepted other faiths such as Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and even Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. About 22% of the Safwas adhere to different Christian denominations. This is a very radical shift for a tribe that is proud of their culture and are basically conservatives. Some of the Christian denominations that have made significant inroads in this community, and therefore have big impacts in changing the worldview of the people, include: the Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
, Roman Catholics, Seventh-day Adventist
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
s, Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
, Moravians, etc. Perhaps this diversity of denominations found in Safwaland speaks more eloquently than any other factor when it comes to how open to new ways of spirituality this group of people has become. All these denominations have trained Safwa ministers some of whom take care of their own people and others serve the larger Christian community elsewhere in the country and beyond. Today in most villages, houses of worship of different shapes and sizes may be found. This would have been impossible just a few decades ago. The Safwa people are becoming more open to the gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
of Jesus Christ. However, a large number of them remain traditionalists, especially the older generation and the not-so old folks.