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African Traditional
Methods In Tanzania: A Case
Study Of The Wamakua, Wamwera, Wamakonde And Wayao.2
Presented by A.M Hokororo, Senior lecturer at the Center for
Foreign Relations in Dar es Salaam.
In Tanzania, the
research findings centered on four tribes; the Wamakua, Wamwera,
the Wamakande and Wayao.
Historically the
four tribes belong to the same blood community and they all
crossed River Ruvuma from South Africa into Tanzania in the
latter part of the 19th century after the incursions of Shaka
Zulu.
The four tribes
believe in the existence and effectiveness of the spirits of the
dead, that is "Mahoka" a name given to people
when they die. They believe that these Mahokas are
supernatural beings that can intercede for human beings to God
and can also punish human beings for their wrongdoing. These
tribes believe that God comes first and the Mahoka comes
second. The Almighty God himself and the Mahoka keep the
countries from plagues and diseases and from being invaded by
the enemy. But, if the country is hit by plagues, famines, wars
and floods or attacked by marauders, the elders of the Wamwera,
Wamakua, Wayao and Wamakonde will meet to assess the situation
and devise ways of solving this apparent problem.
- First they have to accept the
fact that perhaps they have offended the Almighty God and
the Mahoka.
- Then the elders decide on
steps to be taken like fasting by all adults in the clan.
- They also organize a ritual
ceremony for resolving the conflict with God and the Mahoka.
In case of
conflict over a farm boundary or over a child, the council of
elders must establish the facts of the case and provide a
solution. This may take several days to decide and later the two
parties are reconciled. A meeting for reconciliation is convened
and the parties involved are summoned together with the
witnesses. Each of the two parties takes a calabash of water and
sits on haunches in front of the crowd and then sips from it,
and promises to abide by the decision made by the council of
elders.
- Taboos are also customary ways
of telling people what to do and what not to do. Any breach
of a taboo is punishable in one way or another.
The problem that
is confronting us, is how to tell the public that it is feasible
to use African Traditional Methods in Conflict resolution. There
must be a way of sensitising the people that there is another
way in solving conflicts without necessary going to the courts
or the police.
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