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G CONTENTS N T. A 6tA NISIILANO ANNIS 8, FIELD U.M.C.A. MSORO TALES OF SOME N.E. RHODESIAN TRIBES H. ZULU (R.L.M.) 1. Preface 2. About the Tribes 3. About Clan Names 4. Clan Names of Miti 5. Cousinship 6. About the Cewa 7. Kalonga and Undi Part 8. Undi Divides His Country 9. Mkanda 10. Mwase of Kasungu 11. Mwase of Kuminga. The Bisa of Kambwili gets a Country 12. The Nsengs under Kahndawalo Mundikula 13. Old Home of Mundikula 14. The War of Mundikula and the Abatwa 15. Kalindawalo Sicimutu 16. Kalindawale Nsanga and the Akatanga 17. The first Ngoni war 18. Mpezeni and Mombesa 19. Second Ngoni War under Mpezeni 20. Kalindawalo Chabala and the Acikunda 21. Kalindawalo Tembo 22. The case of Chumbi 23. The case of Chapapila 24. The Boundaries Kalindawalo's Country 25. The Country of Mzenje Msunga Njala 26. The Reign of Ukwimi 27. Cabala Makumba 28. The Journey of Mambwe 29. The Coming of Mambwe 30. The first War of Mambwe 31. Mambwe death of Uluba 32. Ciluya Manda 33. War with the Bisa 34. Malama of Cikunto 35. Malama Kavimba and Cibaula 36. The flight of the Kunda 37. The Country of Jumbe 38. Yukanda and Kampasa, a Cewa 39. The Reign of Kabindula (Makanya) 40. The Reign of Tabe (Tindi) 41. Chiefs of Lusangazi 42. The Journey of Sandwe Kanyozo 43. The Country of Lusangazi 44. Sandwe Nyanyokwe 45. Cinzimbenzimbe 46. Cibale 47. The Reign of Kakumbi 48. Ambo 49. The Country of Kabala 50. The Reign of Msoro 51. The Mandangwe 52. The Story of Kazubezube 53. The Coming of Europeans 54. Ancient Kunda 55. The Families that came with Mambwe 56. Kunda Advancements 57. The Life of Ancient Nsenga 58. About Mwavi PREFACE The Nisiilano book tries to explain the story of ancient people who long ago inhabited this country. These ancient men did not know how to write, but they passed the stories by word of mouth to their children. These children as they grew up remembered the stories which they told their children in turn. In that way the grandchildren knew what their grandfathers did long ago. To-day we write ancient stories in the books so that the future generations may know of these things. We cannot testify whether all these stories are true or not. We can certainly point out that some of the stories are false, here we have included them because they were narrated by old men. The stories might have changed with length of time by men who passed them from son to father and to grandsons. Some- times men change the wording of the story to please their chiefs. Therefore the readers must not suppose that the stories here are genuine, because they are contained in this book. What is written here is information collected from the men dwelling in this country concerning their own ancestors. 2. ABOUT THE TRIBES There are many tribes in our country to-day. Long ago there were but a few, later they began to break down to form the Acewva, Ansenga, Alala, Ambo, Akunda and many others. We have a story that shows us how some of the tribes split. Undi, Kalindawalo and Mambwe arrived together in this country; they stopped at a place called Ongolwe near Petauke. After a short time they began to build a very big house. At that time these men were regarded as one tribe, because they came from one place Kawale Makumba. All the three chiefs were on top of the roof one day. One of them said, "Bring me an axe". The other two chiefs hesitated because the word he used for an axe (Nkwangwa) was Cewa. Then another chief said, "Give me mud" (Matika - Nsenga). The other two failed to give him what he demanded. The last chief said, "I want some fibre strips (Lusisi (Nkunda)"; the others did not get him. In the end the three chiefs came down from the roof and said, "All those who say Nkwangwa (for an axe), Matope (for mud) and Maluzi (for fibre strips) should follow Chief Undi and you will be called Cewa. You who say Katemo (for an axe), Matika (for mud) and Nzizi (for fibre strips) will be called Ansenga tribe. Now you who say again Izembe (for an axe), Matipa (for mud) and Lusisi (for fibre strips) follow Mambwe, you will be called Kunda, 3. ABOUT CIAN NAMES People all over Africa have great respect for clan names. Among some tribes a chief is succeeded by a maternal clan person. Again a man or woman cannot marry from a maternal side because they call themselves brother and sister. The Ngoni tribe regards children of paternal side also as sisters or brothers. When men from different tribes with one clan-name meet they look upon one another as brothers and help each other in all things. .When persons with the clan name of Mwanza meet in Halare though one may be coming from Nyasaland and the other from (N.R.) Kalindawalo, they call themselves brothers, though they had never met before. We do not know how the clan names began; some of the clan names began as names eneCulu, eneLungu and eneMumba. The eneCulumsomba began as a nickname. This is the story: When Gulu the elder brother of Mambwe was crossing the Luangwa river, he saw fish in a pond (Kusonda) and remained there to stab them; thus Cula and the men who remain with him at the pond were called eneCulumsomba. The clan name of Nyangu was a nickname because when Lundu arrived in this country, there was a certain woman who hid cow-peas (Nyangu) from a patient the brother of Cisenga whose clan name was eneNyendwa. There are many such clan names which began as a nickname e.g. eneKolwe (Monkey), eneMbuzi (goat), eneNJoka (snake), enelmbwa (dog), eneNg'oma (drum). When a man with the clan name of eneCulu (hill) does good service to any one, the person helped says, Yo! Oulu. When the paternal name is eneNgulube (bush pig) they say, Yo! Nguluwe; or Yo! Mbewe; or Yo' Daka. When a chief gives something to a man he must say, Yo! Calo = Your country. 4. CLAN NAME OF MITI Enemiti and eneNg'oma are relatives, Long ago the name Ng'oma was not there; they were called eneMiti; they split on this cause. One man of eneMiti clan fell seriously sick. This man sent messages to another mwineMiti who was staying in another country. That person was asked to come and see his relative. The country man answered that he would go there after making a drum. The sickness of his friend became serious that he sent again another message. The other friend told the messengers the same words as before. At last when he visited his friend he got that he was already dead and buried. The people asked him why he delayed as to get his relative dead ? The man replied that he was making a drum. Then the men told him that he and his friends in his village will be called eneNg'oma because he preferred to make a drum rather than seeing his relative. Tb-day though you hear of eneMiti and eneNg'oma clans remember that they are relatives. 5. COUSINSHIP Cousinship is in many ways; when a (MwineMwanza) man from Kalindawalo sees a (mwine Phiri) of Undi they call themselves cousins. When a Mwine Mwanza dies, men of the enePhiri clan came the corpse on the buttocks and say, "So you also die" and they mourn after covering it. The rest of mourners cry after the enePhiri. The cousins clothe the corpse with a cloth. When they reach at the graveyard the enePhiri and eneMwanza insult each other and Laugh as if they were not burying a person. When they back at home the enePhiri shared food, swept the houses of the deceased and smeared it. Afterwards they brew beer for the deceased man. This kind of cousinship is acted by men in same manner as grandchildren do to their grandfathers. There are three kinds of grandchildren. There is that where the relation is just created, there is that of clan names and that which is created by birthright. Here are forms of cousinship: Enemvula (Zulu) are cousins with eneMiti Enelungu Phiri) are cousins with eneNgulube (Mbewe, Daka) Enemumba Sakala) are cousins with eneMbawo (Tembo, Iwale) Enenyangu (Nyendwa) are cousins with eneMwanza (Nyerenda) Eneculu are cousins with eneNzovu and eneNgulube. The wise saying says that "clan names run deep into the soil" = wherever you get a man with a clan name synonym regard him as a brother. Another relationship found among the Africans is called Cendo to help each other. When two tribes are in very good terms, there is often great love among them (which exempts one from crimes such as death for a wife or son, which when Cendo is not there a man whose wife is dead is made to pay for her death) When a man and woman bound by Cendo want to marry one another no dowry is bought by the woman and the man pays no lobola. Thus the eneNyendwa (chieftain clan name) who stay on the other side of the Luangwa river call the eneNzovu as their best friends. This was made possible by one chief (Mwine Nyendwe) who married a common woman from eneNzovu clan. The children bore by that woman were very much loved by the eneNyendwa because of so Cendo was begun. 6. ABOUT THE CEWA The Cewa are the majority on this side of the Luangwa river. Their clan name for chiefs is Phiri. The Cewa are found in three different places. Those under Mwase of Lundazi, Mwase of Kasungu in Nyasaland and those under Undi of Fort Jameson. The Cewa arrived in their country before all other tribes. The first european who visited the country in 1798 found chiefs Undi, Mkanda and Mwase. The first Cewa chief was Kalonga, Undi was his young brother. Kalonga had three sisters Nyangu, Gilunje and Cisamba. 7. KALONGA AND UNDI PART Cilunje the sister of Kalonga got married to Mkanda, whose clan name was Ngulube, the Cewa clan name equivalent to this is Mbewe. Cilunje built a village near Cawa hill, called Mcemeni. Nyangu and Cisamba went to stay in Ncheu country. Cisamba had a son but Ngangu was sterile. When this son of Cisambu was grown up Undi the I died, and that son succeeded him (his nephew). It so happened that Kalonga had no son and no nephew to succeed him. He worried over this question for a length of time. In the end he contacted a doctor (african doctor). He got from him medicines that enabled Nyangu to have a son called Cangamilo. Before Cangamilo grew up Kalonga died. Being a child he was not able to succeed his uncle. This enabled Undi the son of Cisamba to rule as Kalonga Undi. When Cangamilo was a young man he claimed to rule as Kalonga in place of his Uncle, but Undi II refused. He advised him to wait until he died, so that he too may rule the two sections of people under one name Kalonga Undi. Since Undi was at the same time called Kalonga it meant that he ruled the whole country. The claimant to the throne of Kalonga collected all the men who inhabited the Malavi country and told them that all those who preferred to be ruled by Undi should leave his country with their possessions. The men gathered at one place. They were told that when the drum is beaten those who liked Undi were to sit down, those of Kalonga were to stand. When the drum was beaten it happened that the number for both men was fifty-fifty. The standing men went away with Undi, the rest remained behind with Kalonga. 8. UNDI DIVIDES HIS COUNTRY Undi II began to divide his country to Mwangala, Zingalume, Katumba, Mlolo, Kawaza and many other chiefs found in Portuguese Angola and near the Zambezi River called Agowa. Kawaza was told to build his village on the grave of Undi's mother. The country called Milanzi found near Lake Nyasa in Kotakota was given to Msusa. Kanyenda was sent to Bandawe. Culu was stationed at Kasungu together with Nkandwe and Cilowa. Mwase Mkongowala was stationed at Ciwande and Kalonga was sent at Nkonde. The Kalonga above is not his brother but a different man. After dividing the country Undi came to Lenje country ruled by Chief Mkuni. He stayed there for many years. On his return journey he met Mambwe and they came together. Some of the Cewa men who married Lenje women never came back. On this journey Undi was trying to return to Uluwa, to his father-land, but he dropped the idea because of the Bemba wars. 9. MKANDA Nkanda married Cilunje, the sister of Kalonga and Undi; she ruled the Cewa country. There she built a village called Mcemeni. When she died she was not succeeded by a royal family man. Kalonga told her husband (Mkanda) to rule that country. From that time onwards Mkanda and his family were regarded as chiefs. As the country enlarged Mkanda shared his country to Mbang'ombe who was sent to Matunga. Cikube was sent to Ciwande, Mafuta to Mtope, Kanyindula to Ciziye and Canje to Mdwala. All these places were the divisions of Mkanda's country. Mkanda was honoured and respected. During the reign of Kalonga the I and Undi the I Mkanda used to travel in a hammock made from the skins of a Zebra. 10. MWASE OF KASUNGU Undi had given Mwase the land called Ciwande. Mwase put there his brother Citungulu instead. Mwase went to Malavi to collect his sister. He Met his brother Culu at a place where there were certain types of animals that used to kill people. Mwase and Culu therefore arranged a big hunt to terminate those animals. After the hunt Culu compelled Mwase to occupy the land that lie below Lukwaka river. This country now-a-days is called Kasungu. Mwase became so powerful that he took the countries under Nkandwe and Cilowa afterwards and received tributes from them. Chief Mwase was full of mercy. When a convicted person was brought before him he would often say, "What is your clan name?". If the persons answer was, "I am MwineLungu" he was set free. The men who were thus rescued said "Indeed this is Kasungu". After the death of Culu, Mwase ordered Mwase of Lundazi to move his village to Ciwande and was named Mwase of Kuminga. Chief/.. Chief Mwase of Kasungu was a muscular man, even to this day his successors are like the Angoni of Mombela. 11. MWASE OF KUMINGA. The Bisa of Kambwili nets a Country When Mwase Mkongowala left his country (Ciwande) he gave it to another Mwase who later was known as Mwase of Kuminga. This Mwase asked his brother Mwanya, who was staying at Lukusuzi to come to him because of wars. Myanya came to Ciwande; he made it a point that he will eat the meat of an elephant killed in that village. One day men brought a dead elephant to him. He kept it without informing his brother (Mwase). Mwase hearing this said, "Is it right that in this village there should be two chiefs?" In the end he bewitched Mwanga and he died. The mother of the chief who was present there said, "How could Mwanya die so soon without staying for a year in this village. The woman contacted a diviner who devined that Mwase killed his brother. Mtemba (mother of the chief) because she had great love for Mywanya tried to kill Mwase, but the charm failed. At this time Kambwili was passing through this country. He was going to Mbwani to sell tusks of elephants. Kambwili stayed in Mwase's village for a night. During the night Ntemba came to him and was asked to kill Mwase, Kambwili assured her that he was going to do that on his way home from Mbwani. On his way back he passed at the village and told Ntemba to let him first take his possessions home. From his country, he came with an army. Hwase and his men fled to the hill of Ngongomwa. They stayed on that hill till their food finished. They descended the hill and went to Makani village. Mwase was trying to go to Kasungu but Kambwili followed him and cut off the head. Kambwili washed the head of Mwase and kept it in a dish, which he later used for propitiating the spirits. After the war Kambwili said to Ntemba, "Give me a present for the help rendered and for the loss of my men in the battle." Ntemba gave him his possessions but Kambwili refused and said, "I want this country, if you stop me I shall fight for it." Ntemba being a woman gave in to Kambwili. In that manner Kambwili took the country of Mwase because of his mother. Kambwili compelled the old woman (Ntemba) to show him the boundary of Mwase's country. Ntemba said, "On this direction the boundary is chief Mambwe, on that direction Cintungulu and then Mcaca and Kanyindule. 12. THE NSENGA UNDER KALINDAWALO MUNDIKULA Kalindawalo, Undi and Mambwe came from Uluwa or Uluoa in the West. It took them many days to travel from Uluba to the lake. They followed the lake eastwards and reached the Betwa country. They crossed the Luangwa river and arrived in this country. The Batwa or the Katanga were at that time occupying this land. Kalindawalo the I was called Mudukula, he was a mwineMwaza (clan name)/.. (clan-name). His sister was Nyakaluwa, who was married by Undi; the sister of Undi was Ndalama, who got married to Mundikula. These two Chiefs were brothers-in-law. Mundikula began to send away men when he reached the plain of Nyika Mkulu. Undi continued moving eastwards, to the land called Mano. Mundikula stayed in that plain at Mgala. That country was called Mbala because it was very thick and had very tall grass. The name Nsenga came at that time. When men from Uluba arrived in this land they brought with them cotton seeds called Nsenga. The cotton was made into cloth. That type of cotton plant grew a few feet from the ground unlike that brought by Europeans. The people under Mundikula because of wearing clothes made from Nsenga plant, and since everyone cultivated the plant in the garden, the natives of that land began to call the foreigners Nsenga the name used to this day. 13. OLD HOME OF MUNDIKULA After leaving Uluba, Mundikula built his first village at Citete. He stayed there for many years. Nearby there were three hills, Nsimbo, Nkombe and Cipili and two rivers Matonga and Kang'ombe. He built his second village near Mboza at Kafyula. Mundikula left his young brother at Citete, who later was named Kalindawalo Mupe. Heads of dead people were soaked in a well at Kafyula. After rotting these heads were cleaned, dried and used as drinking cups for beer. Mundikula brought the following animals with him; cattle, goats, sheep etc. He had a bull called Mbalavu. This name was inherited by another bull when the old one died. 14. THE WAR OF MUNDIKULA AND THE ABATWA Soon after Undi had left for Mano, Mundikula fought with the Betwa. These people in Nsenga were called Amwanionela Kuni pygmies. The men who were found in that country were very short. They built no houses, instead they slept in holes. Their ears were bored like the Ngoni tribe. They were great hunters of elephants. They had no guns but used arrows and spears instead. They never cultivated, their main food was gamemeat and wild fruits. The spear and arrow heads were rubbed with Ulembe poison. At times we find grinding places in the bush especially near a certain river where the Batwa used to make their flour. This is how the war was caused. When the Batwa met the Nsenga the Batwa always said, "Did you see us when we were far from you?". The Nsenga answered, "No we didn't see you." The Batwa took this as an insult and they killed the Nsenga. If, however, the Nsenga answered that they saw them from a far distance they were set free. Because the first reply pointed to the Batwa that they were very short people. When they were told the latter answer the Batwa sang, "So we are tall, so we are tall." 15. KALINDAWALO SICIMUTU Mundikula was succeeded by Sicimutu. This man carried on a battle with Chief Kunda. That Chief hearing of the Nsenga was very/.. very determined to defeat them that he made many ropes with which to tie the Nsenga. The Kunda unfortunately failed to defeat their rivals. Kunda (Chief) was frightened and he fled across the Luangwa river. At Lukusashi he collected many stones and piled them as a sign of his failure to win the Nsenga. The chiefs he left besides the Luangwa were Luembe and Mboloma. 16. KALINDAWALO NSANGU AND THE AKATANGA Sicimutu was succeeded by Nsangu. This man fought with the Akatanga who came across the Luangwa from lusemfwa river. The Akatanga had shields nade from buffalo's skins like those used by the Ngoni warriors. Firstly soon after crossing the Lwangwa the Akatanga built a village at Sasare. Sasu Walongolaka was their chief. After a short time these men used to pay visits to the Nsenga and they began to intermarry between themselves. They even danced Cindeya together. When there were troubles among the Nsenga they asked for help from the Akatanga. These men always helped the Nsenga with their shields. After battle the Akatanga and the Nsenga would then dance Cindeya accompanied by these songs: Firstly: Who has killed the crow bird because of asking? Yeleya! who has killed it? Secondly: The whirlwind that started soon killed people! The whirlwind that started soon killed people. After the death of Nsangu, Villi succeeded him. Zongendaba Mpundi found him on the throne when he reached that country. 17. THE FIRST NGONI WAR The Ngoni came from South Africa under their chief Zangemdaba. When they reached the Zambezi they failed to cross it. With them was an African doctor named Mbelebele; he prepared medicine and rubbed it to a walking stick. He struck the stick on the Zambezi and the river dried on that position the Ngoni then crossed it on that dry part. iWe hear again that the Ngoni on reaching Zambezi river, got men there whom they forced to canoe them across. These men were killed by the Ngoni when they reached the other side of the river, because they did not want to be traced by the men left in South Africa. They crossed the Zambezi at Kaimbwa in the area called Kacomba under Kalindawalo supervision. At last the Ngoni reached Mkoke where they stole Nsenga cattle from the owners. The Ngoni came with no cattle from South Africa because they were refugees. When the Ngoni approached a Nsenga village the Nsenga left their women under the trees and the men climbed up with bows and arrows. When the Ngoni warriors saw the men up in the trees they feared to go near, though they had shields. To this day we have two Nsenga chiefs who were captured and then taken by Mpundi. Their names are: Masyanga, the nephew of Kabaza and Lukezo the nephew of Mawilo. After the Ngoni had taken all the cattle from the Nsenga they advanced northwards and crossed the Luangwa river at Mpupusye on the central part of Cilenga country. From there they travelled again northwards until they arrived at Chizyozyo in the country of Mambwe. Zwangendaba Mpundi died there. Zwangendaba had one sister Tandose and two wives Sosela and Lomagazi. Sosela had a son before crossing the Zambezi, his name was Mpezeni Ntuto. When Mpezeni was about seven years old Lomagazi gave birth to Mombera Mshasho. Lomagazi was a Ngoni woman. 18/.. 18 MPEZENI AND MOMBERA After the death of Zwangendaba, Mpezeni and Mombera Mshasho remained at Chilenga. The two men loved each other and went for a beer party together. One day Mpezeni killed an animal and he called his brother Mombera to a sort of feast. His brother came along with his dog Luzyalusunza. Mpezeni had many dogs, the oldest dog was Buku by name. It was their habit to throw bones at the dogs when eating. Mombera on that day kept all the bones in a heap. Mpezeni asked him, "Why are you keeping the bones, give them to the dogs?" Mombera replied, "I will give it after eating." Mpezeni added again, "Will you give all the bones to your dog alone?" His brother's answer was, "Yes, it will eat all." Therefore the two men ate all the meat and finished. Mombera took the bones and gave his dog. Buku, the old dog of Mpezeni came to interfere, the dog of Mombera sprang and bit the old dog Buku. Mpezeni was annoyed; he took a stick and hit Luzyalusunza. Mombera with his Ndunas were annoyed too, they left for their home with anger. Mombera narrated the story to his mother. Lomagazi said, "Why did leaido that when his mother is a slave and you are not." Mpezeni and Mombera claimed for the throne of their father. As a result Mpezeni followed back the route of his father while as Mombera continued to advance northwards. 19 SECOND NGONI WAR UNDER MPEZENI Mpezeni crossed again the Luangwa river and waged war with the Akatanga at Sasare. After defeat they were forced to go with him to Matambazi. The Nsenga who heard about the Ngoni war fled to Uvinza near Zambezi. Mpezeni left the Nsenga country and entered the country of chief Mbang'ombe of Mpangwe. The Nsenga, after the Ngoni war, returned to their country and built a big fortress at Mbala. Mpezeni fought again with Mkanda the chief of the Cewa. 20 KALINDAWALO CHABALA AND THE ACHIKUNDA Kalindawalo Chabala waged a war with the AchiKunda. These men came from Zambezi river in Portuguese East Africa. They came in that country as elephant hunters. Our chiefs liked these men because they were given guns and gunpowder by them. They bought the right to hunt freely with guns and other European articles. When a Chief allowed them to hunt elephants often they were given a guide. After killing elephants they took the meat to the chief and carried the tusks to their country. Our Chiefs used to send the Achikunda men to kill their enemies. In that way friendship was strengthened between the hunters and the chiefs or ordinary men. Prominent Chikunda hunters whose names are remembered to this day were Chiulika, Mzaza and Matekenya. Under the rule of Kalindawalo Chabala, the Achikunda used to come as before but the Nsenga said to them, "Why do you bring these mortal weapons here, they will explode our bodies." The Chikunda then thought of wars. The Nsenga were not clever people, the Chikunda always entered their villages as friends. Sometimes the Chikunda sent scouts who reported and studied how to attack the Nsenga. The next day the Nsenga would be attacked by the Achikunda. At times the Achikunda came in the Nsengas villages one at a time till they were very many in the villages. The Nsenga again gave presents to the Achikunda men in order that they may kill '. their own Nsenga friends. This act enabled the Achikunda to overcome the Nsenga easily because the whole country was corrupted. 21/.. 21. KALINDAWALO TEMBO When Chabala died Kalindawalo Tembo succeeded him. He too, fought with the Achikunda. At the same time when Tembo was fighting with the Achikunda, the Ngoni came to capture slaves. The Nsenga now were faced by two enemies. The Nsenga gave up themselves to the Ngoni because the Nsenga who had stayed with them begged their relatives to aside with the Ngoni. Nsenga country was neglected, the Nsenga had moved to the Ngoni country. Kalindawalo Tembo and the man who lived in the two fenced villages of Lukunka and Kawele remained in their country. The Chikunda seeing that a few Nsenga had remained behind, went and surrounded the village of Lukunka on the Lusobe river. The Chikunda began to fire guns at the village and owners of the village fired back. As the fighting went on, one of the Achikunda man named Silemeka stood on top of an ant-hill, a bullet from the village got him and he fell down dead. Seeing this fellow dead the Achikunda fled and the war ended. 22. THE CASE OF CHUMBI Chumbi was a mwine Ng'oma, he came along with Undi. Later he loved the wife of Undi-Nyakawa the sister of Kalindawalo. The pair ran to Mumbi the young brother of Kalindawalo who was staying at Ongolwe. Mumbi sent messages to Kalindawalo that Chumbi was staying in his village. The news reached Undi who sent men to kill Chumbi: His skin was separated from his body like that of animals. This old custom was done to any person who wronged a chief as proof that the foe of the chief was killed indeed. 23. THE CASE OF CHIPAPILA Chipapila was a nephew of Kalindawalo Mudita; he had built his village opposite to Mkanda, the Cewa chief, Chipapila's village was built on river Mayila. Once Chipapila took gifts to Kalindawalo. He did that to please his Uncle. The chief interpreted the gifts as a trick to him, he sent men to kill Chipapila. They caught his pregnant wife and brought her to the chief. She was killed and skinned there. Her skin was made into a bag of war charms. Chipapila was infuriated by that deed. He sent his men to fight Kalindawalo. Unfortunately his men failed, they were chased as far as the Luangwa river. 24. THE BOUNDARIES OF KALINDAWALO'S COUNTRY Kalindawalo the first, after the Akatanga war, sent men of eneMwanza clan to guard the boundaries of his domain. Ukwimi and Melaza went to Lusandwa, Sandwe to Lusangazi and Sopa to sasangazi. Mambwe the Kunda chief had his country next to Kalindawalo. In that way the Kunda and Nsenga began to intermarry. Sandwe/.. Sandwe and Ukwimi married Kunda women. To this day we found Kunda families among the Nsenga of Sandwe and Ukwimi. It is hard to find a man with true Nsenga or Kunda blood in that country, because ancient people inter-married freely and extensively. 25. THE COUNTRY OF MZENJE. MSUNGA NYAIA. Mzenja, Kalindawalo and Cibekwe his brother arrived together in this country from Uluba. Cibekwe was son of Mzenje and he was a mwineMwanza. Later Cibekwe changed his name to Msunga Njala = hunger proof. His relatives said to him, "Since your name suggests that you can't feel hungry, can you live without food?" We shall throw you in a hole without food. We want to see whether you will not die of hunger." Cibekwe was thrown in a hole and he stayed there for three months. His son used to bring food to him every night. After three months had elapsed they found Msunga Njala alive and robust in body and mind. His relatives said afterwards, "Indeed he is hunger proof." Cibekwe made a gathering of his relatives and declared, "I hand over my rule to my son Mzenje." Mzenje therefore got all the land that was under his father because he had saved the life of his father. Mzenje I was Cibombe, the man who had long hair on the chest. The second was Nyakttlukunda, the third Kapilya, the fourth Mkangaza, the fifth Cibale. Undi was given Simambumbu country on other side of Msanzala because he used to make fire for Cibekwe during their long journey from Uluba. 26. THE REIGN OF UKWIMI Ukwimi was a mwineMwanza, he was a Bisa from the Cikulang'ombe situated on the other side of the Luangwa. Kalindawalo had sent him there to guard the boundary line that separated Kalindawalo and Mambwe. Ukwimi the I died very early and his successor was Sopa. Ukwimi had left his sister on the other bank of Luangwa because she did not want to wander with him. A man called Cizalila, who came from Kacenga country, got married to the sister of Ukwimi. After their wedding the woman asked her husband to take her to Ukwimi. The couple journeyed to Ukwimi, his grandson was Ngazi Calamuka. Under Sops the Cikunda war broke out again. Sops, Lubambe, Mselwe and Cilazapo fled to Kantuma. Sops was caught there while bathing in the Lupande river by a crocodile. Now only three eneMwanza were alive Mselwe, Cilazapo and Lubambe. They were driven away again from the Kunda land by the great floods of 1925. Kambani the nduna of Tindi was killed by that flood. Men stayed up in the trees, they made shelters over the branches where they slept. The flood did drop after two days. The three eneMwanza said to themselves that the land was not good for them; their brother was caught by the crocodile and now their possessions were destroyed by the floods, so they returned to their old country. They built a village there and Kapenda became the head of the village in place of Sopa. The eneMwanza multiplied in number soon and they began to quarrel with Malama of Cikunto. Tindi Sinjani was annoyed, he waged war with the eneMwanza and Kapenda was killed. After the war the eneMwanza built another village again which was ruled by a woman called Nyakantaci until her son Pindo was grown up to take over the ruling from her. When Pindo was a young man he took over the rule from his mother. When he died he was succeeded by Malaza and Malaza was succeeded by Ukwimi the II. The name Malaza came as a result that during the Tindi- Mpundi war the men of Malaza wore rattles on their legs. So the Chief/.. Chief was later called Malaza which means rattles. 27. CABALA MAKUMBA Cabala was a big chief among the African people. His home was Uluba in the west, his clan name was MwineNgulube. The chiefs that came from Uluba or from Chief Cabala Makumba are: Undi, the chief of the Cewa, Kalindawalo the leader of the Nsenga, Mambwe the leader of the Kunda, Kapepa the leader of the Ambo and many others. The rule of Cabala Makumba was like this; he killed new born prices and served princesses in his family. It happened that his last wife gave birth to a baby boy. The mother hid her son in a hole of a tree at Mwala. She used to send her slave woman to go and feed the baby there with milk and porridge. The name of that child was Mambwe. 28. THE JOURNEY OF MAMBWE. Mabwe as a young man popularize himself with his father's people by helping them in many ways and inviting them to beer parties at his house. Men began to talk of him as being fit to be a chief. Mambwe having created men's confidence in him, suggested to leave the country of his father with his followers. He pointed to them the wrongs of Cabala Makumba. Mwane Mambwe and his relatives Cula and Malama and their followers left Uluba in search of new land. On the journey they met Undi and Kalindawalo in the Lenje country. Again he met Kanyozyo and Masenga he told them to follow him. After travelling for many days and nights they met the Makwewo (Anyasala) men from the salty lake country which is found in Portuguese West Africa. Mambwe bought cloths from the Makwewo with elephant tusks. He and his men found Luangwa river full of water. He struck a tail on the water and a dry path was left where the crossing was done and that is how his people arrived on this side of the Luangwa. 29. THE COMING OF Mambwe Cilynya Manda had two daughters in Uluba land; the elder was Mbikoulanda, the mother of Cula and Malama, the last born was Kabaciloba, the mother of Mambwe and his sisters. Mambwe had grey hair on the chin, he was a fat man, his head was very big and his forehead protruded. His forehead enabled Mambwe to look up without actually casting back his head. He used to see the full moon only. When he saw the shadow cast by the moon he uttered words in cibetwe saying, "The moon is on to-day." The people in village shouted and danced whenever Mambwe saw the moon. Mambwe and Malama stayed at Cikunto because the mother of Mambwe was sick. He summoned an African doctor who devined that his mother was bewitched by the grandparents of Malama. On that fact Mambwe left Malama at Cikunto and went away. Mambwe/.. Mambwe crossed the Luangwa on the upper course called Cenje Pool. Mambwe found his elder brother Cula catching fish. Cula asked his brother to join him in fishing but Mambwe refused and continued with his journey. Mambwe called his brother and his followers eneNsomba (clan name of the fish). later on Cula and his men were called eneCulumsomba. At first Mambwe erected a tusk of an elephant at Ongolwe to make friendship with Undi of Mano and again with Mwase of Cisombelo and already he had made friendship with Mkanda as he came on his journey at a place called Nyungwe. 30. THE FIRST WAR OF MAMBWE The Kunda country was occupied by the Nkalonde tribe (Atumbuka). They had furnaces where they smelted iron which was used for making hoes, arrows and bangles. Though they knew how to smelt iron they did not know how to make clothes. Their senior chief was found in Lundazi, his name was Badza. Mambwe defeated the Tumbuka who ran back to Lundazi. The Tumbuka wore animal skins which passed under their legs. The men of Mambwe called them 'skin men'. In Kunda country there were two big villages. The first one was built at Kayenga a part of Kasengwa and the chief himself was Kayenga. We get a tall hill at Eayenga. Men to this day when they see it say, "This is the deep slope of Kayenga". The other village was built at Mtondo, even to this day men say, "Mtondo of Kanyumbu." The Tumbuka who ran from Mambwe found their chief Badza killed by the Ngoni of Mombela. The clan names of the Tumbuka are: Anyilenda, Anyasulu, Alongwe, Anyilonga, Azimba and Amando. When the country was in the hands of Mambwe he gave portions of the land to his brothers. Tindi was given the land beyond Lupande called Mlomba where Simzandu village is built now. Tindi was named Mambwe Kabindula. Jumbe was given the land he possesses to this day and was named Mambwe Mcaca, his village was Katomfya. Therefore all his brothers were named after his name Mwambwe. He moved from Citempa and went to stay at Ulanda. 31. MAMBWE DEATH OF ULUBA After Mambwe had defeated a big country he gave land to his brothers and retired to Citempa. As he was very old he died a natural death and was buried in the forest of Kambeteke. The Chiefs then like Mcaca, Jawe, Kabalika, Cibaba and Kabindula met to elect a man who was to succeed the late Chief. Ciluya the sister of Mombwe explained to them that the place was not to be succeeded by any man. A man chosen was to be in charge of the village only. And the Ohiefs dispersed and went back to their respective villages. That woman was sterile but now she was determined to have a son who was to succeed Mambwe. She got medicine from a Bisa doctor to cure her sterility and she was pregnant when Mambwe died. The place of Mambwe remained vacant for many years until Malama Kavimba was elected to rule Citempa village. 32. CILUYA MANDA Afterwards, however, CilLya the sister of the dead chief (Mambwe) who was pregnant gave birth to a baby boy who was named Mambwe Nsakilwa childd born out of medicines). When the child was about two years old its mother passed away. Malama Kavimba the chief of Citempa did not tell the chiefs about the death of Ciluya Mando. When Kalelemvya Jumbe heard about the death he came by night, exhumbed the womans body and cut off her head which he washed in the Msandile stream and proceeded to his home. Mambwe Nsakilwa was annoyed when he heard that news because he used to draw drinking/.. drinking water from Msandile stream where the head of his mother was washed. Therefore he sweared that he would not drink water from that stream. He decided later to.move away from Citempa and went to build a village at Mwangazi known as Mazola. Afterwards he named the place Ulanda Sad Country' because he had gone there on account of being sad for what Jumbe did to his mother. Mambwe Nsakilwa put signs in his village by planting trees of Mzumba on the places where his houses stood. To-day men can see the places where Mambwe had built shrine huts. 33. WAR WITH THE BISA One day the Bisa chief quarrelled with his wife. That chier had got uncontraceptive medicine from Mambwe. The Bisa chief was Mwape Colola. The wife of Mwape came to report to Mambwe because he was a great friend of Mwape and Mambwe recognized that woman as a chiefs wife. Mambwe received the woman and kept her quietly in his village. The men of the village did give respect to that woman and they payed visits to her and made love to her openly. That in the end was the cause of the Bisa war. Mwape Colola came to ask for his wife one day. Soon he observed that the men turned her into a harlot he declared war of Nawalya. He entered the village with his men and captured Mlcolo Conje the wife of Mambwe. Mambwe escaped from the village by magic. The men of Mwape saw Mambwe's guinea-fowls and followed them. When the guinea-fowls were surrounded they turned into a fig tree. The Bisa tortured his wife and told her that if she did not reveal the magic of Mambwe she will get killed. Fearing death she told them to take a needle, an arrow and a razor blade. She added that if these things were pushed into the fig tree Mambwe would be caught. When the men did that Mambwe was caught and killed. Cioleka succeeded Mambwe, There was a man named Kavuzya Malambo of mwineMwanza, he was travelling from Jumbe going to the land across the Luangwa to his relatives. When he reached the fig tree he found the coffin of Mambwe under it. He buried it carefully. The grave of Mambwe Nsakilwa is known to this day because of Kavuzya Malambo. 34. MAIAMA OF CIKUNTO Malama was mwineCulu, he came together with Mambwe from Uluba. His elder brother was Gulu, Malama was the second born in their family, Mambwe the third born and Mcaca the fourth born. They left Cikunto because of witchcraft practises. Malama alone remained at Cikunto, he placed Kabindula Cintenji at Nsenzi and Mkumpa at Mwembezi. Malama did not run away from wars as did other Kunda chiefs who ran to Cikoba at Lundu. He had been living where he is from the time of the great movements. When Europeans arrived in this country they got Malama Tumbwe at Cikunto. The first white man to visit that country was Vizie. This white man advised Malama to stop tribal wars. After Vizie left two white men again came Pite (Piet or Peter) and Sda. These men brought a flag which they gave to Malama. They explained to him that they/.. they had come to stop tribal wars among the Africans. After the Ngoni were subdued, Cipalapata came to Malama and assured him that now they would stay in peace because the Ngoni were defeated. Malama welcomed the first Europeans happily and he never put up a fight with them. He told his men that Europeans were fierce that if they tried to fight they would never win. He added again that he dreamt that their country would be taken by the whites and that they would rule them. The Ngoni said that white men are weaklings because they live in water and they said that they would win the war. Malama of Uluba was Sikaumba when he died he was succeeded by Cisambo, Mpyanasante, Kapatamoya, Tumbwe, Cikoko, Davis (died 1934) and the present chief Mangani. The greatest of all these names is Malama of Cikunto. Malama Kapatamoyo was killed by the Ngoni, the Ngoni warriors found him in his garden and killed him there. After the Ngoni had killed Kapatamoyo, they found Capalapata (white man) waiting for them at the village of Mpezeni. Malama Cikoko the cruel, used to bury himself in the sand of Luangwa leaving only his head in the air., when women from Tumba came to draw water he used to cut off their heads which he hung around his fence. In the end he was nick named Kalyanika (one who stays in the sun to get dry). 35. MALAMA KAVIMBA AND CIBAULA After the death of Mambwe, his name remained famous far and wide as we have read already and also Malama the chief of Citempa was famous. This Malama fought with the Ngoni because he did not run away like the Nsenga and many other chiefs. It was from that deed that he called himself Kavimba (to grow or to swell up). He boasted to his friends that you ran the ngoni wars while I stayed behind to fight them and to guard the country. The skin he wore were like those of the Ngoni.. This man reigned for many years, he was a brave man and the Ngoni did not terrify him. He married a mwineMbawo woman from Sandwe village named Mkosa, with her he had five children: Cibaula, Pondaponda, Pundi, Kapala and their sister Nyanje. Since Kavimba hated his brothers he shared the land therefore to his sons: Cibaula was given Mwangwa (where the present village of Camata is built), Pondaponda was sent to Kakuni, Fundi to Bwaku, the last one was given Nyavindanda. One man wronged Kavimba and escaped to Sandwe's village. Kavimba asked among his brothers a volunteer to go and kill that man. No one among them was willing. Then he called his sons and explained his mission to them. Ciboula accepted, he went to Sandwe as an elephant hunter he gave tusks to the chief there. Cibaula secretly by night caught the man who wronged his father and killed him at Lubaneni. After the death of Kavimba, Gibaula tried to kill the relatives of his father because he lusted for power. But in the end Mulu the brother of Kavimba succeeded him. Soon after the death of Kavimba, Cioleka was acting as a regent. Cioleka tried to kill Cibaula on the ground that he claimed to be the next chief. He was stopped by Mnkanya who pointed to them that Cibaula had a right to the throne. Many other chiefs again supported Cioleka. Though Mnkanya saved the life of Cibaula after a short time Gibaula began to kill the relatives of Mnkunya and in the end Mnkanya himself was killed. Men to this day say Cib-ula was a bad man. Mulu, being annoyed by the acts of Cibaula wanted to get his country from him. But instead Mulu and his nephew Nsefu Cibandanka were chased away. They fled to the country of Kambwili at Cibande. Later Cibaula called Mulu to come and pray to the ancestral spirits for the rain because there was a great drought. When Mulu came at Citempa he was caught and killed at Lubaneni. Nsefu hearing about the/.. the death of his uncle fled to the lake country at Kotakota. That was the end of the eneCulu rule at Citempa, leaving the eneMbawo. Cibaula was a very bad chief, he killed many people included his wives. He killed many Ngoni men, he would invite them to a beer party and when drunk axed them. The Ngoni even to-day hate Cibaula. Cibaula after killing his rivals ruled the whole country alone. Here is the song he used to sing: solo: I am a great fighter (3) I killed even Cimbungwe, my rrand-parent! (Ten names of Chiefs are mentioned here) chorus: I am a great fighter I kill even those who eat powerful charms! 36. THE FLIGHT OF THE KUNDA. After all the chiefs from Uluba were dead and half forgotten their successors began to fight with the Akatanga people who were inhabiting Lebelezi country under Chief Makale in Nyasaland. That war was not very serious. When the Ngoni war under Mpezeni was fought at Cikoba, the Kunda foreseeing the strength of the Ngoni ran away leaving only Malama Kavimba at Citempa and Malama of Cikunto in the whole Kunda country. The Kunda went to stay in Nsenga land at a place called Cikoba in Lundu land. Before Lundu came there that land was under Kantuma Cibaba. Then Tindi and his war commander Pemba Cinyamunyamu waged war at Cipika village with chief Cikwqtu. He captured many men and women. The captured women sang as follows: Solo: The war of Cikwatu (3) Chorus: Has caused troubles in Kanjelenjele This song is for visanga, a dance for women. Malama the man who remained at Citempa sent messages to the Kunda refugees saying, "Return the Ngoni have failed to defeat me, come before your country is turned into wasteland." Tindi came to live at Wimbi or Bimbi; Kabilika, Kantuma and Kabindula came to live at Citete and Mcaca built his new village at his former place of Kasings. 37. THE COUNTRY OF JUMBE Mambwe the I from Uluba placed his brother Mcaca at Kasinga. Mcaca because of shutting off the Cewa from entering the Kunda country called himself Kacinga (the impeder). The Anyasala used to come for purchasing elephant tusks. When Jumbe of Kota Kota heard that there were many elephants in the country of Mcaca, he sent Cikoko to him with three bales of cloths and said that from that time onwards Jumbe of Kota Kota was to be called Mambwe. Mambwe Mcaca was to be called Jumbe instead. The river and the sister of Mcaca was to be called Kota Kota and Mkadi respectively. The sister of Jumbe was called Mkasa which was the name of Mkade, previously (Micosi was the real name of Mambwa's sister). Then the name of Mambwe Mcaca was transferred to Jumbe of Lake Nyasa. When Mcaca Kapope died, Mcaca Cibandanka Jumbe succeeded him, when Cibandanka died Msenya took over. This man ignored the title of Jumbe and called himself Mcaca, that enabled Cibangalala, another chief to entitle himself by the name of Jumbe and then we had in one village of Kasinga Jumbe and Mcaca. Later Jumbe Cibangalala left Kasinga because his mother had committed adultery with Mcaca. He built his village at Kalongo. Mcaca/.. Mcaca Msenga was succeeded by Kabatika Mcaca, who was still ruling when Europeans opened up this country. When he was asked by the Europeans whether he was the senior chief he told them that Jumbe was the senior chief and that's how he lost his power. The story about Mcaca Kacinga Kalelemvya and the death of Ciluya Manda are found under the heading of 'Ciluya Manda' inihis book. After Jumbe Cibangalala, Mfyangama succeeded him and the present chief is Mateyo (Mathew) of 1947. 38. YAKUNDA AND KAMPASA. A CEWA In the beginning they were three, Kamanya, Kampasa and Cikwawe; they defeated Mcaca Kacinga. Kapopo who succeeded Mcaca fought again with Kampasa but he was unsuccessful. Kampasa made it known round the villages that the drum he had made was called 'Matako a Tindi' (buttocks of Tindi). During that war the men of Kamanya helped those of Kampasa. Kapopo interpreted the name of that drum as an insult to his elder brother Tindi. He called all the Kunda under Tindi, Kavimba, Kabalika and Cibaba to fight with Kampasa. They fought with bows and arrows only since guns were not known at that time. The Kunda were victorious, they captured the village and was given to the mother of the chief to control. She was called Cikuni. After sometimes Kamanya died and the Kunda put their man to succeed him. Thats how the Cewa rule was got rid of among the Kunda of Mcaca. Cisulo came very late to aid his fellow Cewa chiefs, when he arrived he got that they were already defeated. He asked for a place from the Kunda where to stay and he was given, to this day he lives in the country of Jumbe. 39. THE REIGN OF KABINDULA (MNKANYA) Kabindula Citenje Canama came from Malama the chief of Cikunto. He was the man who sent Kabindula to build a village at Nsenzi. Kabindula Citenje married the sister of Pedwe Kazubezube we shall read about him later. Kabindula Citenje was inherited by Kabindula Ciba. When the mother of Ciba was sick his wife cared very little for her and soon she died. Her spirit rose up and began to worry the people. One day the women went to make salt called Cikonkos: among them were the mothers of Chief Mnkanya and Chief Kabindula. The mother of Mnkanya was married to Kabense and she was called Ntembe. The spirit of Ciba's mother turned into a leopard and killed Ntembe. Her friends ran home and reported the news to Mnkanya. Mnkanya interviewed a diviner. The diviner explained that the dead woman was killed by the spirit of Kabindula's mother. Mnkanya was annoyed and wanted to see Kabindula. Kabindula knowing that Mnkanya was a great elephant hunter and a fierce man he deserted his country because of fear. Mnkanya included the country of Kabindula to his own. He sent his men to rule there; Mnyangu of Lungu clan was placed at Cenje now called Kapanzi and Cipe of Ngoma clan name was given Lukonde nowadays called Mngomba. Bey and Luangwa river villages under Kabindula were Kabanzi, Cilelete, Cibawatala and many others. Those villages were taken by the Bisa who ran from the Bemba wars into Luangwa valley. The Kunda ran from those villages, crossed on this side of the Luangwa leaving their villages behind. The villages were Makuli, Kawanzi, Cibawalata and Gilelele, those who remained behind are under the rule of the Nawalya nowadays. When the Acikunda war approached the Nsenga country, many chiefs ran to Kazole. Mnkanya, Mzenje, Mwanjabantu, Sandwe, Masenga and Lungu were among the refugees who rant to Kazole. The village where these men went was called Mtamba Ndembo because it was very/.. very big indeed. Masenga and Sandwe were given one separate village at Kabila, now the place is called old home of Masenga'. When the war was over some of the chiefs remained in that village. They were driven from it, however, by famine of Kasamba Mngoni. When the Ngoni wars attacked Kazole the village had at that time fewer people than before. The Ngoni got all the food in the gardens and told Mnkanya to cultivate next time on the trigger of his gun. MnKanya instead called his garden 'Cikope' a trigger. His son Tumbwe called himself Kapatamoyo life-hater. During famine times men ate wild fruits and wild leaves were used as relish e.g. (Nivungula and soya, nkama and Kandambuwa) respectively. The women during Mubonde dance sang this song: Song: Cika, Cika has no mercy for Mnkanya Oh Sir, Oh Cika (bis) The wife of Mnkanya deserted him and got married to Cibaula. Mnkanya and Cibaula became bitter enemies. Mnkanya summoned his friends to help him in combating with Cibaula. Tindi Mtimbasonjo called upon the Ngoni to help them. Cikolopete, the son of Mnkanya secretly went at night and told Cibaula that his father would be fighting him the next day. When the day arrived Mnkanya gave some of his gun- powder to Cikolopete not knowing that Cikolopete was working against him. When he reached the battlefield Mnkanya noticed that his gun- powder was not there. He sent for the powder he gave Cikolopete but his men found that Cikolopete destroyed it. The men who had come with Mnkanya were annoyed, they told him that he had wasted their time. They went back to their respective homes and Cibaula was left untouched. There was another case asain which was caused by Cing'anze, the grandson of Mnkanya. He had committed adultery with the wife of Fundi the brother of Cibaula. Cinganze in the end killed Fundi. The third trouble was this; Cilopa the son of Mnkanya of Mvula clan stole Vizi the wife of Cib'ula and eloped to Minga. Cibaula followed them and killed Cilopa. Therefore men of Mnkanya and Cibaula remained bitter enemies and later Cibaula with warriors came secretly at Mtomba and killed Asilongela, secondly they went at Mtewe and killed Cimpungwe, thirdly they killed Kabindula at Cibovu in the end they killed all supporters of Mnkanya. In 1892 Cibaula summoned the son of Mpezeni who lead the war of Mtabonga. The son of Mpezeni destroyed the village and took Mnkanya and his brother Mpandika as captives. On the way to the country of Mpezeni when they came to Kandafulu river Mnkanya refused to cross it. Cibaula felt mercy for Mnkanya and wanted him released but Mnkanya said to Cibaula, "You a little child cannot rescue me, I have been a chief since I was born." Then he turned to the Ngoni men and said, "Since you have made me cross this river every tribe here is powerless" and he added, "I give you Mpandika, take him to Mpezeni in my name and please kill me here." He was burnt alive under the tree of Mnungula. They placed a reed in Mnkanya's hand as if he were smoking a pipe and then they set the logs on fire. The tree where Mnkanya was burnt alive is still in existence. Mpaza of Nguni clan got some bones of Mnkanya buried them and built his village close there. If Mnkanya did not die a sad death caused by Cibaula, early Europeans would have found him alive. Mnkanya Mpandika went to stay with the Ngoni. When the sister of Kakumbi was sick the diviner told them that the sickness was caused by the spirit of Mnkanya. The spirit demanded that Mnkanya Mpandika should leave Ngoniland to take up his throne. Kakumbi sent men to call Mpandika. When he came back he married the daughter of chief Kawela. In 1900 Kakumbi placed Mnkanya Mnandika at Cenje in the village of Katuze of Ngoma clan. Later Kakumbi placed Mpandika at Minga and beer was made for enthroning him as Mnkanya II. Cibaula hearing the news of a new Mnkanya said, "I will kill him.". Kakumbi was angered by that statement and he demanded that Cibaula should kill him first before taking off the life of Mnkanya the II. When the first Europeans came to Cibaula and asked for chief Mukanya and his country, Cibaula said that Mnkanya was not a chief but a name of a riverlet. When Mnkanya heard the news he and Kakumbi went/.. Went to the Europeans and told them that Cibaula was a liar. The Chiefs who were staying at Kazole were: Kabindula, Citenje, Canama, Kabindula Ciba, Mnkanya Mpandika (died 1940) and Mnkanya Phillimon Giba. 40. THE REIGN OF TABE (TINDI) When Mambwe was sharing his country to his men he sent Table at the upper part of Lupande to a place called Mlomba; he stayed together with Kabalika. Karenga Kaungo and Zazatike and Pemba Condo got Tabe already settled at Mlomba. At first Tabe waged war with the Akatanga. The battle was a draw match therefore Tabe made friendship with Makale the head of the Akatanga who was stayed at Lubelezi on the other side of the Mcinji mountain in Nyasaland. The nephew of Tabe was Tindi, the son of Kabense of Lungu clan name. Kabense married two chief-mothers. He had two sons, Mnkanya was the son of Kabindula Queen, Tindi of Tabe Queen. Tindi married later, the sister of Kacenga. They had a son called Cauluka. When Tabe died Tindi the son of Kabense succeeded him. The new chief retained his old name of Tindi and the name Tabe was piven to a man who was ruling at Kasinga. Tindi who was very ambitious waged many wars than any other Kunda chiefs. He lead his men to Ciziye, there he defeated Kanyindula the Cewa chief and killed him. On their way home they sang this song: Put no blame on me to-day again bi'ss) Tindi, you keep the custom of Maziti The skin clothes swayed aside. YaYa to-day, Giziye has been buried eh! eh! When they reached home at last men played the drums or added some wax on top of the membranes or fired guns in the air to show that they had captured some slaves for themselves. Even when a person captured a weakling or a person half dead because of hunger he praised himself. In the end the men drank beer in which Nkulo medicine was added. The chief took a red-cloth, tore it in strips and dressed his great warriors. During that war Pemba Cinyamunya Ciimyakulu was present. Tindi now called himself 'Cifurafwanta', the crusher. This name terrorised people during his reign. We have already seen that when Tindi and Pemba were staying at Cikoba of Lundu they used co wage wars with Cipika of Cikwatu land. The Ngoni knew too that Tindi was a strong fierce chief because whenever the Ngoni passed by his village he sent them away. His reason for doing that was that the Ngoni walked half- naked and kept long hair which frightened the children. Therefore at times the Ngonils hair were cut short and were given pieces of cloth to wear before entering the village. Tinde the crusher was succeeded by Tumbwe Sinjani and he retained the title of Tindi. There was in that village a young boy who was called Mponda. When this boy grew up he claimed to rule instead of Tumbwe. Tumbwe tried to kill Moonda with charms, but it failed. The mother of Mponda obtained medicine used for treating her son from a Bisa doctor Canzyampapa. Soon after the illness of Mponda the wives of Sinjani died. Sinjani therefore ordered Kabalika to kill the Bisa doctor on his way home. Kabalika accepted it and killed him. Mponda knew that the doctors death was caused by Sinjani, therefore he and Sinjani quarrelled. Since the quarrel seemed to have no end Sinjani being old fled to Msero with his nephew Situmba and another man called Conzola. Mponda now made himself chief under the name of Tindi. Mponda now as a chief tried to occpy the area of Kapenda whose village was called Lumbuka in Sandwe country, but he failed and came home as he had begun. Sinjani/.. Sinjani who was still at Msoro, tried again to bewitch Mponda Mponda knowing that he fled to Ngoni country. Tumbwe Sinjani came back from Msoro and recovered his power as Tindi again. Later a war terrorized the country of Tindi, the following people were taken as captives: of Conzola family, of Tindi family, the sister of Mponda, Colo of Sakala clan name was a brother of Mpondi but were born of different mothers. Mponda's clan name was Mwanza. Then Sinjeni was bewitched by Mponda and was succeeded by Limbalimba. When the Ngoni were defeated by Europeans, Mponda came in 1899 and fought with Limbalimla Mponda in the end became Tindi and Limbalimba went back to his old home Kabalika. In 1904 a white man nick-named 'Ciutale Kalelamkosi' a neck-nurser, came to Tindi to find out the extension of his country. Tindi replied, "My country runs from here to Msoro to Lusandwa and Cikoba of Cisapa." Tindi was called to the Boma one day to give an account because there was much upheaval of troubles in his country and was penalised. Tindi married Cindafwa from Kapunula village. It is believed that Cindafwa bewitched her husband because in 1912 the chiefs legs paralysed after enduring a mortal illness. Until his death in 1.918 he moved himself by crawling. He was succeeded by Malukutu (died 1932). Malukutu was followed by Msenya who was living by 1947. 41. CHIEFS OF LUSANGAZI. Lusangazi chiefs came from Mkuni in Lenje country, their clan name was Tembo. Their old home was near the Kafue river at a place called Lufwansoka. Here is a story about the birth of Sandwe I. There were two women, Nyakatola and her young sister Nyamcela. Nyakatola was the mother of Sandwe and his two sisters. This women died before her children were grown-ups. Nyamcela took the place of her elder sister and she brought up the children left by Nyakatola. This woman had her own child called Cimbuzi. The name of Sandwe I of Lenje was Kanyozo; he was a great farmer. The country frequently was attacked by famine because of snakes that prevented people to go for hoeing. Therefore many people came to live with Kanyozo who gave them food to eat. Kanyozo received these people well and instead of sending them away he turned them into relatives and renamed them after his own dead relatives. In the end he had many people around him and he made himself chief. His young brother Cimbuzi became second chief in succession. They arranged to search for a new land. They began their long trip together with Masenga and Kasabi; Masenga was Kanyezo's Uncle. 42. THE JOURNEY OF SANDWE KANYOZO. On their journey from Lenje country Kanyozo together with other elderly men wished to go to Uluba, because they had heard about the great kingdom of Cabala. Makumba. On their way to Uluba they met Mambwe who told them the evils of that great King. Then Kanyozo followed Mambwe/.. Mambwe up to this country. These two tribes of Awetwe and Lenje began to inter-marry. Mambwe married Ngabo the sister of Kasabi. They crossed to Moinga escarpment together and reached the Luangwa river. They re-crossed the Luangwa at Lwamfwe near the old home of Chief Saili. From there they arrived in this country. These people built their first shelters at Kabaye. Ngabo the wife of Mambwe died soon after crossing Luangwa. It is believed that she was murdered by Mambwe because she committed adultery. Mambwe skinned off her belly skin because it had beautiful tattoos. The Lenje had developed better tattoos than the Awetwe people from Uluba. Kasabi was angered by the death of his sister, He asked Masenga to fight with Mambwe. Masenga in turn ordered his brave nephew Kanyozo to attack Mambwe. In the end of that battle Mambwe gave Lusangazi country to the Lenje chiefs in place of their dead sister. 43. THE COUNTRY OF LUSANGAZI Kasabi and Masenga made Kanyozo their chief because he was a good war leader. Kanyozo shared his country to his relatives: Myanda and Mumba were placed below the Lusangazi, Nyakauta and Fube were placed near Luangwa, Cipanzawe and Kakwele were placed above the Lusangazi. Kanyozo and Cimbuzi went to build at Lumbuka, Kasabi was left at Mbiya and Masenga at Kabaye. When Kanyozo was firmly settled he changed his name to Sandwe 'one who changes the country'. His young brother was named Makoba 'one who stays with a friend permanently'. Sandwe moved from Lumbuka to Cunga because of the Acikunda who killed Katenje. Sandwe I died at Cinga and he was succeeded by Kampinga the cruel. He used to kill men for pleasure. Later he moved his village to Citete fearing the Ngoni and the Acikunda wars. When the war swept through Citete Kampinga fled with his wife to Mbala where he died. Kapala of Cibaula family succeeded him but he was soon dethroned. A man of Nyanyokwe family then succeeded him. 44. SANDWE NYANYOKWE. Nyanyokwe fought many times with the Ngoni and Acikunda and he fought again with the Europeans. At first he.moved his village to Mukanya cause of wars. As he stayed in Kunda country he built a fortress at Mtondo. His men were well armed vith bows and arrows and guns. He bought those things from the Anyasala, with elephant tusks. His men made three trips to the country of the Anyasals. Therefore he was a very strong chief, the chiefs under him used to run into his fortress for protection during war times. The common clan name found in Lusangazi is Mbao the relatives of Sandwe. They changed their name to Mbao because of the insects that worried them in that country called Mbebu or Mbewu. The other reason that might have brought this name could be inter-marriages between Sandwe's men and the Kundu people where the clan name Mbao was in existence long before. Mbao was a clan name of Kunda chiefs on the paternal side. It is said that Kasabi had leprosy. He married the sister of Mkono, this man came as a hunter from Mulunguzya. The relatives of Kasabi felt no mercy for his sickness, therefore he told his son alone to bury him after his death. He gave his son the village of Cibole where Mbuya was staying. Kasabi soon died and Mkono his brother-in-law buried him in the stream of Kang'ombe. 45. CINZIMBENZIMBE. Nsangwa the brother of Sandwe married Mbawentundu the sister of Kalwa. Mbawentunda one day told her brother Kalwamui that she was leaving for Lebeba. She parted and came to a small river with a fertile plain called Mcembwe. They stayed there for many years and her sons/.. sons Cipanzabe and Citi were grown-up men. They had plenty of food. One day the two sons made a big bag and filled it with food. Then they invited Sandwe to their home. When Sandwe arrived there he was introduced to the giant bag. Mbawentundu said, "I am in the giant bag and my name is Cinzimbenzimbe". The chief seeing the sons of Mbawentundu asked, "Whose sons are these?" Mbawentundu replied, "They are for Nsangwa." The chief said, "Nsangwa means hoes this bag will be mine." The woman gave the bag to the chief with an elephant tusk on top as a sign that she was a chieftainess. Then the woman said, "My child Cipanzabe is a chief." Sandwe consented and said, "He is a chief alright but he must kill small elephants, big ones are mine, when killed they should be brought to me." 46. CIBALE. Sandwe consented to make Cipanzabe a chief. Later the wife of Sandwe committed adultery. The villain man fled to Mbala. The chief paid charm medicine for the man to come to trial but the chief of Mbala refused, he said that if it were a stretch of cloth he would have had sent the man to him. Cipanzabe hearing this sent the required length of cloth to Sandwe. Sandwe now sent it to Mbala and the chief of Mbala arrested that man and was given messengers to bring him to Sandwe. Unfortunately the man died on the way. Then the wars came and left the men homeless; afterwards however Sandwe returned to his old village and stayed there. The next chief after Sandwe was Cibale. Cipanzabe had come and said, "This is my country." Sandwe refused and said, "This is not your country and afterwards I shall hand it over to Cibale, you ran away from this country with your mother." 47. THE REIGN OF KAKUMBI. Kakumbi was a relative of the Culu clan people because his fore-father Mungu was a brother of Mambwe Nsakilwa. Kakumbi was a mwineMbao, he was a descendant of Sandwe. Their mother was Kawela. Eawela was married to Lubewa of Nzovu clan and this man came from Kalwani. Lubewa built his village at Malanga in the country of Chief Malama. Lubewa had two sons Kakumbi and Cipotela and two daughters Kabinga and Cisuma. When Kakumbi grew up he became an elephant hunter and a trader. When the Bisa Yumba moved from Cipela to attack Lubewa the trader was killed in that war. Kakumbi after the death of his father ran from Malanga and went to stay across the Luangwa at Kapili. The Bisa chiefs came to him and told him to pay tributes to them because he was staying in their country. Kakumbi therefore used to take tributes to Cioolo the Bisa chief. After doing that for many years Cipolo would give back elephant tusks to Kakumbi again on what Kakumbi tribute. Kakumbi was well known among the Bisa. One day he asked Cipolo to allow him to build a village on the other side of the Luangwa. He shifted with his men equipped with bows and guns to Kafunta in the country of Mnkanya. Later Kakumbi made friends with the Acikunda and he got magic charms for war from Nyakazika an Acikunda doctor. Since Kakundi had many Acikunda men in his village and had a well equipped army he decided to attack Mkwesa of Lusandwa. Some of the men of that village fled to Msoro. They explained to Chief Msoro that they were attacked by the Acikunda. Msoro sent his sons Makoloka and Mpandika to the battle-field. The two sons of Msoro cut off the Acikunda from water. They guided the wells day and night. In the end the Acikunda began to drink their urine and many died of thirst. Many from Cibaula deserted the village, leaving their guns lying here and there. After that war Msoro retaliated by waging war with Cisuma, the sister of Kakumbi who was married to Kalomba. The men of Msoro reached near the village of Cisuma. They heard men speak but could not see them or their houses when they wanted to charge. Therefore they tried to besiege it. The/.. The men of that village had played a trick on them. One day the men in the village created a cat (by magic) and deliberately made it blind. They let it free at night near the besieging men. Since it was mewing the men caught it, finding that it was blind they thought it was a sign of bad omen and hence went back home unsuccessful. Kakumbi had many names; He was called Lobe or Cimpusu or Imbwa (a dog without a tail). He ruled for many years. He had a brother called Cipotela whose wives one day quarrelled with the wives of Kakumbi at the well of water. The wives of Kakumbi on reaching home told their husband that the wives of Cipotela laughed that he was a leper and that he had a bad smell because of not washing his body. The wives of Cipotela told him what the other women said of him that he was a lazy man, who wears leg bangles like a Bemba chief. Cipotela was infuriated, he went to Kakumbi and knifed him through the neck. Maozya the brother of Kakumbi tried to rescue his brother but was knifed on the neck too. He knifed again Cikauza and Kalindankonyo the other brothers of Kakumbi on the neck and stomach respectively. Out of the four stabbed men only Kalindankonyo survived (died 1934). After killing his brothers Cipotela fled across the Luangwa. He lived for a short time with the Acikunda who were under a European Captain nick-named Kamzaza or Mwane Mambo (son of the chief) in Nsenga. Cipotela explained how his flight was caused in details. The Acikunda took Cipotela back to his country and forced the people to look upon him as the successor of Kakumbi. The Acikunda explained that if Cipotela had killed his brothers with out cause he will not stay long on the throne. The Acikunda said that if Cipotela was not going to be respected they would declare war upom them. Cipotela ruled without troubles and was found by white pioneers on the throne. Cipotela died in 1910. He was succeeded by his nephew KomaKoma Pwalu who died in 1911. He died soon after reigning because he was immoral with the wives of his uncles and others say that he used to kill the husbands of the women he loved. KomaKoma was succeeded by Nsyanga who later called himself Katate. This man was alive in 1947. This how Nsyanga changed his name to Katete. In 1917 Europeans wanted him to move from where he was because the people were attacked in great numbers by itch disease. Nsyanga refused to move into Serenje. The Commissioner brought the case to Livingstone but the headquarters sympathised with Nsyanga. From that moment Nsyanga called himself Katate (in a way over come the Europeans). 48. AMBO. Ambo people were found mainly in Petauke district. Their ancestors came from Uluba and were under Cabala Makumba. The Ambo are close relatives of the Lala and their clan names and language are similar. The royal clan name of the Ambo is Nyendwa. Some of their rulers were women e.g. Mwape and Nyamaluba. To this day the successors/.. successors of these two chieftainesses are women (their daughters). Muma and Kalale came firstly from Kalinda near Masenga; these two men belonged to Nyendwa clan. Muma built his village at Cilenga below the Mcinga escarpment and he controls all the land called Lusibasi. Kalale too controlled all the land along the Luangwa on both sides. On this side of the river his boundary was the mountains that cut the men of Nyakatula village from us (Nyalratula was under Chief Kasabi), his country stretched as far as Lundu under chief Cikoba. He had boundaries with Malama of Cikunto who in turn had boundaries with Kazyula. On the other bank of the upper course of the river Kalale had boundaries with Bisa Yumba, the Nyamafere stream was their boundary. He had boundaries again with Muma, Mtisase and at the lower course of the river he had boundaries with Kalyango and Nsyobe. Kalale had a very big country. Kalale was succeeded by Citambo of Culu clan who in the end built the beautiful village Cibombomele. Gibombomele village was surrounded by water (had a big canal round it), the Ngoni and the Acikunda failed to attack it cause they could not cross the water. The chiefs under him were: Kalinda and Kacinga Nyau (bridge-keeper). One day Citambo murdered the hunter of Mzaza, a Cikunda chief. The Acikunda declared war upon Citambo. Some of the men who hated the rule of Citambo led the Acikunda into the village through the bridges. Men hated Citambo because he exchanged men for tobacco or Indian hemp. Cisenva and his brothers Caui and Lundu were of Nyendwa clan. They once killed elephants and took the tusks for selling at Mbwani. The three brothers were excellent hunters. Firstly they built a village in Lenje country at Cisani. It happened that when these men were moving from Uluba the nephew of Cisenga fell seriously ill and he cried for cow-peas but found none. After some days they saw a woman from Lundu group carrying some cow-peas in a gourd. Cisenga was annoyed and named the men under Lundu eneNyangu 'of cow-peas'. Cisenga and his people were still eneNyendwa. When they reached the Luangwa Cisenga found that there were as many elephants as he had thought. He decided to stay there but his brother Caui continued the journey with his men. They settled at last in the Bisa country under Chief Cipolo near the Luangwa river. Later Caui crossed the river and found with Mkunda Mnyalila at Cinzombo and he became an enemy to Cipolo. Cipolo died during the great epidemic of small-pox, his nephew Kumba Kapopo succeeded him. Caui boasted to Kumba that his predecessors failed to defeat him, therefore Kumba a young man could do nothing to him. Kapopo replied, "I am Kapopo. When I am determin- ed to do anything it cannot be changed." Kapopo in Bisa language meant a baby born dead. Then Kapopo called the Acikunda on his side and destroyed the village of Caui at Conzombo. The men of Caui ran in all directions, some ran to Cenje others to Kateme or Kakumbi. Kapopo told the Acikunda to build their village at the home of Caui and they named it Nyungwe. Lundu again fearing the Acikunda war ran to the Kunda country of chief Mnkanya. The wife of Lundu was Nyamtaba. Lundu returned to his brother Cisengs who was staying on this side of the Luangwa. Afterwards again he left Cisenga's village and followed Cikoba who was staying near Capalapata mountain. On this journey Lundu was accompanied by his brother Kapenda. Kapenda passed through Capalapata and went to Lusangazi to hunt elephants. Kapenda found Sandwe already settled there. Sandwe sent Kapenda to fight a war with Teyaya, A Tumbuka chief because Teyaya had killed aid kept the skin of Katenje, the Uncle of Sandwe. Kapenda accept and killed Teyaya, the skin of Katenje and part his waist was also found. Sandwe for a present gave Kapende the country known as Lumbuka Cibontya, and the land of Lundu began to expand. The son of Kasabi who was given the clan name of Nyangu gave his portion of country called Mbiya to Lundu and Kapende. The country under Cikoba was as follows: Lundu had boundaries with Mambwe of Cilope, then he placed Makale to guide his boundary with Nzenje at Sasare a.bdl hngS~osit#glg@ and Cisenga remained apart for many years. country of Lundu and Lundu never went to Malama. In Lundu country or Cikoba the following Chiefs ruled there: Cembe, Cabala, Mpofu, Mtobeka, Malanda, Cembe the II and Cinema. 49. THE COUNTRY OF KABALA The first chief to settle in Kawala country was Kaungo Kacenga of Sakala clan. He came from Cinzale near Mankungwe. Mmbang'ombe came to this country soon after parting with Mkanda. He found a good place called Matunga where natural salt was got and built a home there. Then Kaungo moved his village at Kacenenje where death got him. He was succeeded by Cipwambwaza, this man moved again to Kakoba. When Cipwambwaza died some of his men moved the village to Cibambo near Civyololo. Other people remained at Kakoba and their next chief was Mwanzabamba, the nephew of Cipwambwaza. After him came Canluka the son of Tindi. During the reign of Cauluka two men came Zazatike and Kasezya Kabenga, who were the brothers of Vizi the woman that ate the medicine of Kazubezube. These men came from Cingale. Kaungo gave them land on the other side of the Lupande. Mwanzabamba was succeeded by Mbonela his sister because all the male heirs were very small. Then Mbonela called upon a feast and the feast she declared that Zazatike would be the new chief and that he would be called Msoro Mwanzabamba. After the death of Zazatike, Pemba Coudo (the son of Vizi) the nephew of Zazatike succeeded him. When Kasezya Kabenga grew up he claimed the throne of his grandfather and was enthroned. 50. THE REIGN OF MSORO. Zazatike had a great fame, because when Maziti captured Kaungu Kalima in a war Kaungu soon escaped because Zazatike brought him a small elephant that carried his brother across the river. That river was called Kaungu from that time to this day. During the reign of Zazatike his two big areas were Msoro and Mwanzabamba. Out of two areas Msoro was very famous. From him to this year there has been three successors Zazatike Msoro the I who died at Makwekwe, then came Kasezya the son of Lauzi, who had many self-praising names like Mazwemazwe because of sorcery. In those days a man came to Kasezya from Cikunda and said, "Chief Msoro do you know mtunilo"? The chiefs answer was a negative. Then the stranger sent his wife at the well to bring some stones. The woman brought many stones to him. The stones were pounded in the pounder and a pot containing beer was put on fire. The stone powder was added to beer on the fire and the woman continued to stir until the mixture turned into oil. Msoro was greatly surprised with the trick. He called important men and women in the village and all the children. He ordered the warriors to bathe in that oil. The remainder was kept aside in the oil containers. When they went for wars they observed that bullets aiming at their bodies did not kill them or harm. 51 TO MANDANGWE Kalumba belonged to Sakala clan, he had a nephew Sibembo. He built his first village within Mtondo trees at Civyololo. The wars forced him to run together with Msoro to Tindi. When Msoro was settled at Eawala he sent men with three bags of food to Kalumba. War again came which killed many followers of Kalumba. After that disaster Kalumba moved and made his home within Cinzewe. During that time war was fought in that village. Kabuma the brother of Pemba and Msoro was travelling from Mandangwe to Pemba. When he arrived at Cinzewe he stood on an ant-hill and watched the fighting men in the village. A Kunda man aiming his arrow at the chief shot him round the tits. The chief fell down dead instantly. When the news reached Pemba and Msoro they declared war upon the men of Cinzewe, the Kunda under Kalamba and the villages around Mandangwe. The village of Cinzewe was burnt down, that place is now called Mtente. This is the Malaila (a dance) song Pemba sung in praise of his victory. Song: What these people say I hear, but often I ignore them. Where there is smoke there is fire Where black-ants take their food O, mother my tail place itches (my heart pains when there is trouble 52. THE STORY OF PENDWE KAZUBEZUBE Kuzubezube was a great hunter. He used to hunt through many countries. When he went to hunt in Kalindawalo's country, a woman called Nizi destroyed some of the hunting medicines for Kazubozube. That woman was arrested and taken to her brother named Kaungo. Kaungo refused to pay fines for his sister and instead gave him the same woman to marry. That woman was again the sister of Zazatike the elder brother of chief Msoro. The nephew of Kabindula again married Mwami the sister of Kazubezube Nsunkanya. Kabindula Citenje used to kill his children for no good reason. When the woman was again pregnant she went to her home village. She had a child and when returning to her husband she left the child to her brother. Kazubezube knew that Citenje used to kill the children, therefore he was called for trial. In the end Mambwe the brothers of Citenje gave part of his country to Kazubezube. Mambwe buried tusks of elephant at Kaliwata and said that from that tusk onwards the country was given as a fine to Kazubezube. 53 THE COMING OF EUROPEANS. The first Europeans to come to our country were the Portuguese; they started from Tete Boma near the Zambezi. They travelled far and wide, they crossed the Luangwa after leaving the country of Ciwande, They visited Lake Banguelu and stayed within the village of Kazembe. The man who lead those expeditions was Dr. Lacerda. This man wrote down his travels as we read them to-day. As they passed through another country they came across the Malave people under Chiefs Undi Mkanda and Mwase. 150 years has now elapsed since that time when Dr. Lacerda made his journey here. The Kunda Ambo and Bisa were still unknown in this country and were outside it. The Portuguese men tried to make treaties with the chiefs and they wanted to open up tusk trade and slave trading in exchange for cloths and ammunitions. David Livingstone arrived in this country a century ago. He found that the Kunda, Bisa and many other tribes had come to settle in this country and he found the Ngoni and the Acikunda terrorising the tribes here. The Anyasala continued to buy slaves which they took to Mbwani. Dr. Livingstone was struck by slavery and tribal wars that he was forced to go to England to ask for volunteers to help him it stamping out the evils of Central Africa. The Bishops and ministers of U.M.C.A. sympathised with the Africans and they came to Africa to work among them. The main work of Missionaries is to preach the ;vord of God, to make people Christians and to teach them to love one another so that they should stop to fight among themselves. Europeans like Vizy, Solo and Piet (Pite) stopped wars in a different way. They approached the chiefs and told them to stop tribal wars. Many chiefs followed the advice these men gave them. Later many European officers began to arrive in this country from Zomba in Nyasaland. Mpezeni believing that he had won many victories and soon had defeated Mwase of Kasungu declared war on the white man. The Ngoni said, "Though these men are white they cannot overcome us." Capalapata (European) dispersed the Ngoni men with a cannon. From that time on the men began to live peacefully and they cultivated their gardens without fear, had fine villages and many tamed animals. The Boma have continued to do their work and we have stayed peacefully ever since under the rule of King George the ruler of England and our country. 54 ANCIENT KUNDA. The Kunda came from Congo. Many centuries have passed since their arrival here. They fought with the men of the countries they passed through on their journey from Congo. They left Uluba because they wanted Ciluba to rule them but when they failed to get him they decided to move away. They travelled great distances until they came to Kaonde country. They stayed there for some years. When the Kunda resumed their journey Kasonso a Kunda man remained behind, now he is a Kaonde chief. During their stay in Kaonde country the Kunda learnt a little Kaonde language. Then they entered the Lima country and passed on to Utwa. During their stay there they learnt the Batwa language. In the end they had learnt three languuages: Ciluba, Ciutwa and Cikaonde. They moved again from Utwa where they left their sisters Ciluvya who because of staying there long got married to a Utwa man. The off-springs of Ciluvya settled in Ulima and Lamba country, hence we find men of Culu clan in those countries. The Kunda language is made up of Ciluba, Cikaonde and Ciutwa and there has been no one wise enough to break down the language again. The first Kunda to arrive in this country were speaking Ciwetwe. At that time there were great movements of tribes. The Nsenga ran away from the Acikunda wars, the Bisa from the Bemba and the Cewa from the Bisa war. The Bisa came to Kunda country and when together they inter-married. Later the Kunda fleeing from the Ngoni wars ran to the country of the Nsenga, Ambo and they copied the Ambo language and now their language included five different types of languages, therefore the Kunda language has changed its wording three times. CIWETWE CIKUNDA I CIKUNDA II Mat Usalo Utanda Mpasa Cloth Litonje Tonje Nyula Thick porridge Wall Insima Nsima Sleeping place Ulo Ulo Mawelo go away Amwaya- Kabiyeni Nkoyani Our home Kunkufu Kumwesu Kwasu fibre-strip Luzizi Inzizi Nzizi Mud Mateke Mateke Matika Hoe Lukasu Kakasu Kambwili The Ciwetwe and Cikunda I have disappeared completely, the third column or the Cikunda II is spoken to-day. There are, however, many Ciwetwe words still in use, like Katemo = axe, Uitonga mtenje Maize, Kankoma = cow peas etc. 55 THE FAMILIES THAT CAME WITH MAMBWE. Mambwe came with three clan families from Uluba; Ng'oma family, Lungu family and the Mwanza family. They met with the Mbao clan family on their way. Many small families joined Mambwe because he was a strong chief. Such clans were the bakala, the Ngulube, the Mvula etc. The Mvula clan came from Mzenje, the Sakala came from Kacenga, the Ngulube came from Mpeta under Chief Mvuvye and many others came across the Luangwa to join Mambwe. Again the Nzovu came from Kalwani, the Lungu (another family) came from Ulondo under Cifuka, others ran from the Bisa war that was overwhelming Mwase's area and a few came from Kasungu, they were forced to move because of great enmity among themselves. All the mentioned people found a resting nlace in Kunda country and later they formed one tribe. The other Ng'oma clan came from Vunda, they were Senga Comeue of Lundazi, others came from Kabaza and these people joined with the men of Mambwe from Uluba. Another group of Mwanza clan came from Sopa. They had ran from their country cause of wars. After the wars a few returned but the great majority remained behind in Kundaland. The Ng'uni clan was a group of Ambo men from the other bank of the Luangwa; the Miti were Cewa from Cikomeni. The Mbulo, Ingo, Koni, Luwo, Kaubi, Mbuzi, Beza, Nzoka and Ng'ona were Bisa family clan names, but Wall were Bemba. 56 THE KUNDA ADVANCEMENTS. Mambwe men from Uluba cultivated cotton trees. They never knew how to make animal skin cloth but knew how to spin cotton and then to turn it into cloth which they wore. They planted a variety of cotton trees. This is how they planted the trees: seeds were sowed, when the plant grew it was given a name 'Cimbila', then they placed near it an instrument called 'Muomba' which was used for crushing the cotton to separate the seeds (this work was done by women), The men made a bow from the ligaments of cheetah and an arrow was aimed at a cottom tree and fired, that was done to prevent bad weeds from growing near the plant. When ready the cotton was collected and carried round a reed. The best cotton was called 'Mizinji'. Then the cotton were transferred from the reeds and made into a ball 'mitavu'. These balls of cotton were put in an open Winnowing basket called 'Kasangwalupe' as in large eating-dishes (made of reed or palms). The balls of cotton threads were used as a form of money. A man found guilty would pay balls of cotton thread or exchange them for another article. The next step was to spin the balls of cotton into good strong threads. They prepared a place where the weaving by hand was to take place. They dug four holes and placed four poles in them. Two poles ran on top from one end to the other. Then they put two threads running across the frame-work, one at the top and the other at the bottom. If they wanted to make a bir cloth sir big reels of threads were used but for a small cloth only four or three were used. The big cloth was called 'Cimbwe', the small was called 'Kaliyombele'. The cloth that was made from three reels of threads was perhaps the smallest it was called 'Kalimumu'. The cotton was weaved into cloth by a wooden needle 'Msumbu'. 'Sindo' = a mallet, was used for pegging the threads when weaving. The wooden instrument that was used for separating the threads was called 'Twetwe'. The thread linings were made firm by a liquid obtained from trees (like bees-wax). When the cloth was finished it was wetted and hammered with sticks or pounded in a wooden pounder. After washing it was dried and worn. There were three types of cloths: Cimbwe was 100 ins x 90 ins, Kaliyombele was 80 ins x 70 ins and Kalimumu 70 ins x 50 ins. One cloth of Limbwe would be exchanged for a girl between 12 18 years old, Kaliyombele would be exchanged for a young man. SOAP: Before the advent of the whites, Africans who lived here never washed their clothes but they knew hor to dye the cloths. When the cloths brought by Europeans were known and worn by many people the men began to wash them with Mzanga, mwamuna mzulo and Katangala. This is how they dyed their clothes: when a man had a white cloth, he dug the roots of mgonono tree, scraped the outer part and made it into a powder. The cloth was boiled in the mixture of the powder and water. It was dried without wringing and the mixture was left to cool again and was kept. This cloth was worn for three days, on the third day it was dyed in the same mixture again but this time black mud was added to the mixture. The cloth was left soaked in the mixture for a long time, from there it was washed in clean water. The cloth then appeared blackish. It was worn for a week. After a week the cloth was dyed again with the mixture obtained from powered zimwe with black mud added. The cloth now was dyed black. PERFUMES: The ancient Kunda got their perfumes from Nkula tree. They cut the tree and took from it the core (heart) which was made into a powder. They put the powder in a shell of Cizimbili fruit (African orange), oil was added and the lotion was applied to the skin after bathing. This lotion was called 'Pokwa'. Again they dug the roots of a big 'ndabo' plant. The roots were pounded and oil added. The lotion produced a beautiful scent. HOUSES; The Kunda built fine houses with a sort of veranda round it. The roofs had three or four 'mibalo' (stocks that serve for the same purpose as beams). It is said that women seeking for pardon from their husbands would by mentioning the beams be excused. Many would forgive their wives when only the last beam on top or the second from last was mentioned. The roofs were long and came too far down that people were forced to crawl when entering. They dug holes huts at times and put maize stalks in them. Some houses were built of mud, there were two poles at the door to which the door was fixed. Again they knew how to make beds. The Kunda never knew anything about smelting ore from stones. Their hoes were made from a tree called Kasalusalu. During Kunda-Tumbuka war the Kunda managed to steal many iron hoes from the Tumbuka who were iron-mongers. THEIR FOOD: The Kunda came with these foodstuffs from Uluba: Finger millet and cassava which was their main flour. Their relish were Nkunde, Kankoma and bnego. They brought a bulrush Millet from Lambo country called Nkambwa, later the same millet was called Nokosa (the millet became harder than before, perhaps on account of different soils). Even to-day millet seeds taken from other parts of Kunda country would become very hard that it cannot be ground without being pound first. Here are all the foods brought by the early Kunda: Finger millet, Indian hemp, brown cassava, maize, tobacco, brown rice, brown potatoes, some kind of monkey nuts, yams, sugar stalks (some of these sugar stalks are ready for eating in February) etc. The maize gets ripe by January, the maize with big cobs were called Mkwela. White rice and many other food stuffs were brought by Europeans. OTHER ASPECTS OF ANCIENT KUNDA LIFE Long ago a stranger was never given food. When a man decided to pay a visit to his relatives he carries his own food. The stranger started to great the owner of the place. 'Mtende' was the greeting word because they were awetwe at that time or the stranger would say, 'Taonamwe' (now 'Timuoneni') good-day the other answered, "Ee, tasaona ambaenda, nili pansi amwizyo" = good-day traveller, can I help you? The stranger was given no food, he had to eat his own food. After his visits he said, "Twali twaya lelo" = I am going to- day. The host then said, "Amwaya, mwaza kulyako makoko alimo mulibala cikata nkuonana" = Go well, seeing one another is better than eating one's food. That was the normal life among the Awetwe. When these men went for hoeing if a hoe of ny one fell off from the handle he called his friends and sai8, Awaya kunkutu, lukasu lwabenga" Let us go home the hoe says we musn 't hoe to-day, and everyone returned home. When in a certain garden some type of plant called mpesya was growing there. The owner had to make a beer ceremony for cutting the plant away from the garden. When the plant was cut the men came home to drink beer singing this song: Song: Shebele you have gone there for ever You have killed Mangwelengwele and Have made him not to look behind, In summer the Awetwe made trenches round their garden to stop running water from eroding their gardens. If an animal fell in the trench and got killed the Awetwe buried it without taking any part from it and said, "Twali, twalinda male apye" we are still waiting for finger millet to ripen. If the animal had horns they were left projecting above the surface of the ground. They did that to let them know that the animal has never been taken or stolen. When the finger millet were ready they exhumed the animal but found that all the meat was gone, only bones were there. They did this again and again, at last it was regarded as an Awetwe custom. ABOUT GARDENS: The Nsenga used to cultivate in low places called cipoka, they said that the lands beside the mountains were not fertile. They used to grow maize, millet, monkey-nuts, yams etc. Time and time again famine attacked them and they moved long distances in search of work for food. Here are the things that the Nsenga worked for: beads, hoes, cloths, mats, fowls and goats. When a family was really hungry they used to sell one of their child for food. A person would be bought with one basket-full of millet and five baskets of monkey- nuts. When hunger was no longer experienced the Nsenga who had slaves exchanged their own son again with two slaves of both sexes. When a man had very good harvest in a year he was called Ci Kumbe. Ancient men could not imagine that one man could have a very big garden. When they saw one, however, they thought that it belonged to many people. During famine times men hoed for a basket of millet for a day. During summer or rainy season the man with plenty of food did not demand for service from men but instead he exchanged his food with goats, cloths, hoes etc. When men had gone hungry for many days or weeks they would creep quietly to the men possesses much food, embrace him and bite him on the knee and cry for food saying, "I am your slave, give me some food to eat", or if such a man had children he would sell them to that man for food. Now after some years the off-spring of that man would still be called by their master as slaves because their father or grandfather had bitten the leg of the Cikumbe. DIVINING AND SHRINES: In olden days when the sister of the chief was sick the people said, "Let us go to a diviner, we want to know the cause of this sickness." When they came to the diviner they told him what they wanted. The diviner would say, "I have seen a very tall man and a woman, they say they want beer." The men then would say that was easy therefore they went back to brew beer. In the evening of that day the men gathered at one place to hear the message from the diviner. The people always followed his advice. In this case beer was to be made. The grand-children (made up or real) were told to build shrines. The gourds and earthen pots were brought to the shrines. After this the Uncle of the Chief stood in front of the shrines and began to propitiate to the spirits saying, "We have brought some beer for you to drink, you spirits you are a God because you keep us here on earth." During the prayer some men clapped hands, the grand-children danced and fowls were slaughtered. The following day they visited the shrines to see whether the spirits drank the beer. When the beer was drank they said, "Ahi Ahi come and see how spirits and God drink Yi! Yi! Yi! Yi!" The men shouted Wi! Wi! Wi! the spirits have drank our beer." On reaching home they began to dance Nyelewe dance, or Combe and Ulimba. There are three kinds of grand-children; there are those of friendliness, those made up by clan names and direct birth grand-children. 58. ABOUT MWAVI. Long ago before the advent of Europeans in the country the people used to drink Mwavi poison. If a person was found guilty of theft, adultery, witchcraft or any other offences he was taken before a chief. If the convicted man claimed that he was judged unjustly he was given Mwavi poison to drink. This is how it was performed; if a person died a sudden death the men drank Mwavi to find the person who caused death or who bewitched the dead person. The next morning the barks of Mwavi tree, pounders and winnowing baskets were carried to the well. The barks were pounded and soaked in water, the liquid was poured on a sieve to separate the fibrous stuff from the liquid. The poison was then poured into big pots ready to be :iven to people. If a man did not vomit the stuff or if his stomach did not swell up he was killed because that showed that he was a witch. If a man vomited he was saved and he was given a slave as a present for drinking the poison. When such a man returned home they bathed him and slaughtered fowls and goats for him cause of escaping the mwavi tragic. The men in the village danced for the whole night. Another way of finding witches was this; a mans hands were dipped in a pot full of water and the pot was placed on fire. If the water boiled very quickly he was killed, if the water took a long time to boil he was set free and paid. The Mwavi was not a perfect way of judgement. The men often got killed because they were generally hated. PUBERTY CEREMONY: When a girl reached puberty stage the parents of the girl cut the string beads worn around the neck and took it to the chief to show that their daughter was matured. The chief in turn told them to brew beer for the feast day. The beer made for a puberty girl was called 'cilizya ng'oma' = the drum player. The sorority group shared the beer to the people and the drum player and the women wardens were given beer alone. This initiation for girls has great advantage in that it teaches girls to behave themselves and to know how to handle their families later on in life. In those days if a girl recently initiated met a woman going for water she took the pot from the woman and went to draw water for her. When she met a man she knelt down and continued her journey after the men had passed her. NSONGW'E DANCE: In those days a dance called Nsongwe was very popular. It was danced by women when they had a first child. Firstly they informed the chief, the sorority guardians or wardens and then they made beer. The drum players were called and the dance was staged. This dance was devilish in that women danced naked. There were many cases on which husbands were annoyed cause of the nudity of their wives, that they murdered them straight way on spot of the dance. The women acted like lunatics. At times a husband of the danced woman was locked up in a house to. stop him from killing his wife. PREGNANCY: When a woman was pregnant her husband observed strict sexual abstinence. It was believed that if the husband committed adul- tery the wife was going to die on the birth day. This was called destroying pregnancy. The case was often very serious. When a woman died on the birth day the husband of the woman approached his relatives and explained that he had a case. The relatives of the man could say no word but the guardians of the girl had right to demand for anything from their friends. If the couple were cousins or if the husband was related to a chief, the guardians of the woman would say, "Give us a portion of your country so that we may become chiefs too." To an ordinary man they told him to bring his sisters to replace thebad woman. If he had no sisters he was killed. If the man came from a well-to-do family they paid a lot of things to the claimants until they were satisfied, and declared that the case was squared. This custom was began at the time of Zwangendaba (Mpundi), when men began to loose their homes and live in foreign lands, hence to this day if a woman dies before birth in Nsenga country the man is fined a good sum of money. ABOUT ADULTERY: Long ago when a man committed adultery the case was very serious. At times the man and woman were killed. When the man had many relatives the charge was as follows: they presented one man each to the offended person, the man would then get about five to ten men as slaves. If the offended person was stubborn he took all the sisters of the offender and turned them into slaves. If the offender could not stand it all his brothers were killed to end the case and sisters were freed. MARRIAGE SUCCESSION; Long ago when a man or woman died the remaining person was always in trouble. When the man died the widow was said to have caused the death of the deceased because of being unfaithful. If the woman had Uncles they paid for the case but when the woman was poor she was turned into a slave by the family of her husband. When the relatives of the woman had enough goods with which to pay for the woman they freed her without difficulties. The same thing is also true to the man. Sometimes for a case like this land may be given to free one. Thats what Mambwe Citenje and Pendwe Kazumbezube did. When the married couples were somehow related or cousins there was often no serious case. The side that lost a member agreed to get pay steadily and they may give the man another girl to marry again. This is also true to a widow, she can be given a husband. The case finished in that manner, they feared to charge their neighbours heavily because one day the case might fall on them and their friends will not compromise with them. ABOUT POLYGAMY: Once in olden days a man had two wives who left us this story here. In those days men married even five women. Between the two married women one was very lazy and the other was not. This is what she used to do; When there were strangers the man would say, "Cook food". The woman answered, "What have they brought for me that I may waste my food?" Another day the man said, "Let us go for hoeing". The wife replied, "I am paying a visit to that village yonder." Again the man said, "Cook some food for me". The woman said, "You will eat at your other wife." The husband was annoyed and promised that he would not go to her house again. The man went to stay with the quiet woman. One day he said to her, "Let us go for gardening". The woman accepted. When he demanded for food or for a warm bath the woman did the work without a question. The nagging woman now wanted to be divorced. She complained that she had no clothes and that the man did not cultivate for her and that the man was not staying with her in her home. The man's answer was a divorce statement, he added that she was a lazy woman. The guardians of the woman came and the man told them that he was divorcing their sister. The sorority group turned to their sister and said to her, "Do you hear that you are divorced?" The man gave them divorcement beads and the marriage ended. ABOUT THE DOGS: A man possessing dogs was respected by his friends in ancient ages. Such a man used to hunt with his dogs during the time when bushes were burnt. He killed these animals: duiker, rabbits, wild-pigs, warthog, mongoose, kudu etc. The dogs were given medicine to enable them to catch these animals. When a man killed a dog for somebody in those days the owner reported the case to the chief. The case was held on the following day. Then in the morning the people gathered round the chief and the man who killed the dog was asked to explain how and why he killed it. That man may say that the dog ate my meat from a pot. The chief told the man that he should have taken the pot of meat to the owner of the dog and he would have paid. Then the dog-killer paid in the end to the owner of the dog for killing it. The owner of the dog was happy and went to his house satisfied. During the time when the bushes are burnt, the owners of the dog. went to the man who killed his dog and said, "See you killed my dog now I cannot go for hunting, give me my dog or you will pay me again. I told you to count its hair and to pay me that number. The cases where dogs were involved did not end, they only came to a stop when the owner of the dog died. |