Myths and
realities of the yesteryears from a mysterious Africa
By Lina Lorentz
Last weekend the Wairaqw tribe from Manyara Region organised a
festival at Makumbusho Village in Dar es Salaam to celebrate their culture. The
festival was officially opened by Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye and the first
day was also attended by the Minister in the President’s Office Civil Service,
Dr. Mary Nagu.
The festival brought together Wairaqw tribesmen from all over the country
meeting to remind themselves of their origin, their traditions and culture as
well as looking at the future. On the agenda was the importance of abandoning
outdated practices and preserve the good ones for future generations.
One of the topics debated concerned the practice of marriage. The Wairaqw have
three modes of marriage. There is the conventional method, where two families
meet and agree on a bride price and a formal send off party is held.
The other two means a much more controversial, such as the practice where a girl
is ambushed and abducted by a boy. But Michael Gobre, a Wairaqw historian, says
they are fighting this tradition because it spurs the spread of HIV/AIDS.
“If a girl doesn’t like a boy, but the boy is determined to have her as his
wife, he will prepare an abduction together with his friends. The strongest
friends are selected to stage an ambush along the way where they know the girl
will pass. Then they abduct her by force and take her to the boy’s house,” said
Gobre.
“But people who do this are not ordinary men; they are either witchdoctors or
tribal leaders. They are feared yet respected in the community. When the girl is
taken and is forced to have sex with the boy, it means the end for the girl. She
is no longer regarded as a girl but a woman, and is therefore no longer
attractive.
However, the MP from Mbulu constituency in the region, Philip Marmo said that
progress has been made in the war against marriage by abduction and that only a
small clan of rain makers with special magic powers still practice it.
“These rainmakers are respected and they use magic powers to abduct women. They
don’t use force. The gentlemen from the rainmakers’ clan touches the girl with
special oil and then the girl follows automatically,” said Marmo.
Another controversial way of marriage is practiced when a family without a son
buys a girl and hires men to father children with her. This practice is called
Ndoa ya Kivuli or shadow marriage.
According to Gobre this practice is still popular and acceptable. “This method
of marriage applies when a family doesn’t have a son or the father of the family
has passed away. The family use money to buy a woman and then pay young men to
come and sleep with the woman to get children,” he said.
Because most young Wairaq go to school and grow up in towns, it is hoped that
some of the more harmful practices will disappear naturally.
Still there are practises that though not accepted by the wider society is
highly debated among the Wairaq, such as the beating of women. Gobre said many
women do live in violent relationships and if a man is found guilty he is just
fined and divorces are very rare.
Many Wairaw would like to see and end to this, he continued.
Yet, there were women who defended the practise. Beatrice Ombay, a qualified
nurse, said it is acceptable for a man to show authority as he is the head of
the family.
“If you are beaten and go back to your family demanding to divorce, your parents
will laugh at you. A husband as head of family has the right to show his
authority. But he cannot hit you in the head and if you start to bleed, he will
be fined many cows,” she said.
During the festival there was the opportunity for everyone who wanted to say
something to have their voice heard. Members from the audience criticised or
made suggestions and those with authority had to defend their stance.
Gobre has traced the history of his people and has found that the community has
its origin in present day Iraq. The tribe’s history have been past to
generations orally. During the festival there were those who questioned the
accuracy of this means of history recording, and suggested that more
‘scientific’ means of tracing the tribe’s history should be applied.
However, according to senior Wairaqw, oral tradition remains a valid link to the
past and reveals much more insight into what took place centuries ago.
“According to oral history and our speech habits, the colour of our skin and
hair, we are from Mesopotamia,” said Gobre.
“Then we moved to Abyssinia and through Somalia to Northern Tanzania where we
settled where we encountered a reception from the Masaai. Masaai moran destroyed
our houses and stole our cows”
The festival moreover showcased the particulars of the Wairaqw tribe, such as
traditional dancing, prayers and cooking of traditional meals.
It remains to be seen if what practises will be discussed when the members of
the Wairaqw meet again, hopefully a larger number of community members will
agree to do away with the more harmful practices.