Vugha or Vuga ( Mji wa kale wa Vuga in Swahili ) is historic village located inside Bumbuli District of Tanga Region in Tanzania . The settlement was established as the capital of the Kilindi dynasty .
84-461: The Shambaa first established a number of small clan chiefdoms, but they were imperiled by Mbugu, an influx of Cushitic pastoralists whose tribal institutions clashed with the local cultivators' structure. Tradition holds that Mbegha , a traveling hunter from Ungulu , was the old culture's savior. He subdued the Shambaa by using force, guile, diplomacy, and marriage into powerful families. His empire
168-488: A considerable number of recent Sambaa immigrants were entering the relatively safe mountainous area. The Mbughu and Nango refugee groups were particularly significant. They both originated in roughly the same region that eventually became known as the Masai steppe. They ran east to Pare Mountains and from there to Shume , which is the western border of Usambara. The Mbughu, an immigrant Cushitic pastoralist group, threatened
252-515: A monarch who could settle otherwise intractable internal issues, but they received little benefit from the state. The Kilindi who were deemed too dangerous to reign in Usambara were sent to the Bondei as punishment. Being remote from the capital, the Bondei received nothing in the way of redistributed goods in exchange for the tribute demanded of them. They were considered as foreigners and not allowed to enter
336-502: A period of cultural diversity within Usambara. The political structure of Usambara was reorganized with the arrival of Kilindi rule, but daily religious and customary practices remained unchanged. Rather than enforcing their own customs, the Kilindi actually had a tendency to adopt the ones they encountered. The fact that the Kilindi perform both the Nango and the Shambaa sacrifices to the ancestors
420-467: A result, he ran away and hunted till he reached Usambara. He met Shambaa there. Megha provided them with meat, and they fed him vegetables. They gave him a wife when he slaughtered the wild pigs that were destroying their crops. They made him their king after he killed a lion that had been attacking their cattle. The story contrasted the life of a hunter with an agriculturalist's, as well as meat with veggie sustenance, among its many levels of meaning. Megha
504-763: A royal descending clan descended from Mbegha's Shambaa wives, were associated with the governmental system. Their maternal uncles, who were commoners, held the sub-chiefs of the Kilindi in check. A council of commoners served the king. Life and death were in his exclusive hands. He had the authority to take things without paying for them and ladies without bridewealth . He collected tribute and gave it to his operatives. Only he had mastery over rain-making . The populace cried out at his official coronation, "You are our King, but if you don't treat us right, we will get rid of you." The distinction between Shambaa and stranger, hill and plain, farm and forest, and civic society, however, would not exist without him. The Shambaa's kingdom, which
588-444: A single hill, apart from those of other ancestors. The local populace offered sacrifices to the ancestors as a group. It was always possible for some individuals to relocate to a different village, and the relationship between the two villages would frequently lose significance. Despite this, it was evident that meeting and working together was important for the residents of multiple villages, even in cases where economic specialization
672-618: A tropical savanna climate with the Köppen climate classification of 49 and Aw. Western Tanga on the Handeni plateau is semi-arid and dry. Where are the Usambara mountains share a more temperate climate. Tanga Region receives annual precipitation level of 1,100 to 1,400 millimeters, often raining in April to May during the Wet season . Western Tanga Region gets less annual rainfall at 600mm annually, whilst some parts of
756-498: A war to get you back if he believed he was stronger than the chief one had fled to. As a result, slaves who fled Vugha and joined the king's army tended to become even more powerful since it was the most powerful chiefdom in Usambara. Furthermore, the requirement that every resident of the Vugha region own at least one house in the town increased the king's authority. In 1857, Burton and Speke learned that Vugha had 3,000 residents. There
840-449: A whole area were made by designated blacksmiths. The Masai people migrated to Tanzania from the north, probably in the early to late 1700s , and this contributed significantly to the development of more centralized political structures by teh Sambaa. Because of the risk of Masai raids and violence, settlement on the lower slopes became more precarious, and even in the highest areas, centralized towns were helpful for defense. Furthermore,
924-406: Is murder of his grandfather Mbogho established the true power of the Kilindi. Bughe stole the royal stool, the royal spear , and the headdress after the murder. For a fair evaluation, the founding narratives of the Usambara kingdom from both the Nango and the Kilindi must be taken into consideration. It is improbable that the kingdom was founded without violence, and there are additional tales from
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#17328767436191008-401: Is now silent." Kimweri, who ruled a conservative kingdom from a mountain capital far from the trade routes, was hesitant to see the value of firearms , but his border chiefs welcomed them and gained allies from outside the country. Semboja, one of Kimweri's younger sons, ruled Mazinde , which is located close above the trade route, and amassed troops and supporters. When Kimweri died in 1862,
1092-786: Is of high elevation, home to the Usambara Mountains with Tanga Region's highest point being Chambolo peak at 2,289 meters above sea level. The largest and longest river in Tanga Region is the Pangani River , fed by the Umkomazi River , Soni River and the Lwengera River . Tanga Region is located between 4 and 6 degrees south of the Equator. Another major river, the Mligasi River forms
1176-467: Is on the Usambara Mountains of Lushoto District , Korogwe District and Bumbuli District . They are native to the valleys and eastern Usambara Mountains of Korogwe District , Korogwe Urban District and western Muheza District of northern Tanga Region of Tanzania . The word Shamba means "farm", and these people live in one of the most fertile Tanzanian region. Shambaai in Kisambaa means "where
1260-456: Is one illustration of how they handle cultural issues. When it came to performing rites of passage, the Kilindi rose to prominence, but they always adopted the Shambaa rituals. The arrival of the Kilindi revolutionized Usambara's political life, but daily rituals such as birth, marriage, and death did not change. Throughout the majority of the kingdom's pre-colonial history, Usambara was led by five or six prominent chiefs. We may assume that there
1344-601: Is the 15th largest region by size with an area of 26,667 km (10,296 sq mi), after Songwe Region at 27,656 km (10,678 sq mi). An area occupying 3% of the country. In comparison, Tanga is larger than the African nation of Burundi at 25,680 square kilometers. The Tanga Region shares land borders with four other regions and three regions across the Pemba Channel namely; Pemba North Region , Pemba South Region and Zanzibar North . Tanga northwestern area
1428-692: Is the Sambaa word for the Shambala language , Wasambaa are the people ( Msambaa for a person), and Usambaa or Usambara is used for Sambaa lands. The Shambaa call their lands Shambalai . They are related to the Bondei and Zigua people, and the Shambala language is mutually intelligible with Bondei and Zigua , with the three groups sharing significant overlap in territory and a long history of intermarriage. The similarity between them has prompted some to refer to themselves as "Boshazi" (the first syllable from each of
1512-427: Is the biggest employer in Tanga Region. The coastal belt 0-15m above sea level covers most of Pangani district, a small coastal strip of Muheza district, Tanga and Mkinga districts. Crops grown in this Tanga coastal belt are coconuts , sisal , cashews , maize , cassava , rice and seaweed . Crops grown in the wet plains of Tanga are similar to the coastal belt minus the seaweed, but include cotton . Tanga Region
1596-628: Is the municipality of Tanga city. Located in northeast Tanzania, the region is bordered by Kenya and Kilimanjaro Region to the north; Manyara Region to the west; and Morogoro and Pwani Regions to the south. It has a coastline to the east with the Indian Ocean . According to the 2022 national census, the region had a population of 2,615,597. The region was previously known as Tanga Province and included Same and Mwanga Districts that are at present in Kilimanjaro Region . Tanga Region
1680-478: Is the story as the Kilindi intended it to be told. There is conflicting evidence , which is why the Mbegha story is shrouded in doubt. According to a Nango tradition, Mbegha was a popular and giving man but lacked actual authority. During Mbegha's reign, a strongman from Shume by the name of Mbogho led the Nango. Mbegha had a child named Bughe after marrying Mbogho's daughter. The legend continues by explaining how Bughe
1764-438: Is too young and inexperienced to exercise strong authority. Furthermore, it is prohibited for the Kilindi to enter certain towns in Nango. The king is not allowed to go inside the Nango towns of Tekwa and Wena, not even for food, save on one unique occasion. A woman by the name of Mboza Mamwinu was the oldest. Bumbuli chiefdom, who was the mother of the heir apparent. Bughe had three children of political significance. The eldest
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#17328767436191848-588: The Abushiri war. Due to Baumann's significant influence, Semboja was perceived by the Germans as an enemy as well as a bandit. Tanga Region Tanga Region ( Mkoa wa Tanga in Swahili ) is one of Tanzania 's 31 administrative regions . The region covers an area of 26,667 km (10,296 sq mi). The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of Burundi . The regional capital
1932-686: The African wild dog . The second national park in Tanga Region is the Saadani National Park , The only national park in the country that shares an ocean coastline. In the northwestern portion of the region is the Usambara mountains with the Amani Nature Reserve , home to the endemic fauna such as Amani Forest Tree Frog and Usambara torrent frog . In the forest, rare bird species like the Usambara eagle-owl , Usambara weaver , Usambara thrush and
2016-553: The Usambara double-collared sunbird are found. In addition, rare reptiles such as Usambara dwarf gecko , and endangered mammals such as the Usambara shrew are also found in the mountains. Just off the coast of Tanga is home to the Coelacanth . Tanga has one of the largest protected marine parks, Tanga Coelacanth Marine Park . The endangered Dugong is found off the coast in Mkinga District near Kirui Island. Tanga Region has
2100-446: The Usambara mountains receive up to 2,000mm annually. The average temperature range during the hot months of December to March is a high of 32 and a low of 26 degrees C. In comparison, the average temperature range during the cooler months of May to October is a high of 28 and a low of 20 degrees C. Tanga Region's population in 2012 was around 2,045,205. Lushoto District having the highest population of 492,441. Pangani District has
2184-448: The 250 growers, all of whom lived in Vugha. This Tanga Region location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Shambaa people Tanga Region ( Lushoto District ) ( Korogwe District ) The Shambaa people , also called the Sambaa , Shambala , Sambala or Sambara ( Wasambaa , in Swahili ), are a Bantu ethnic group. Their ancestral home
2268-423: The Bondei were able to capture was killed. The Bondei went from village to village in one area on the eastern border of west Usambara, asking the Shambaa where the Kilindi were hiding and executing them if they were discovered. Those Shambaa in this area who were not married to Kilindi betrayed the hiding places. Married relatives had loyalty to the Kilindi. It is of no doubt that very few people would have betrayed
2352-568: The British, who said that they had "dominated the entire Usambara District except the South Pare mountains ." During the British colonial occupation , The first Shambaa coffee plots were primarily in Vugha and Mlalo, but as land grew limited in the pioneer areas, the focus gradually switched to Bumbuli . In Usambara in 1930, The Shambaa held 35,324 coffee-bearing trees, 20,788 of which belonged to five of
2436-475: The German East African Company was encroaching on the coast, and an Arab by the name of Abushiri had declared war on them at Pangani. Semboja was sympathetic to Abushiri and opposed the end of the slave trade because of his significant trade connections with Pangani and his dedication to the alliance between coastal traders and inland rulers. Semboja seized 250 loads from Meyer and Baumann in favor of
2520-409: The Kilindi from these territories if you discover that they are attacking you, subjects." Shortly after, the mercenaries of Semboia assaulted Vugha and drove Shekulwavu away. Because "we are not their subjects but Kimweri's," the Bondei pleaded with him to allow them to drive out the Kilindi. The Bondei banished all Kilindi from Bondei once he gave his consent. When Shekulwavu died, his brothers continued
2604-510: The Kilindi if the Bondei had made it to Vugha. That is to say, the benefits of royal institutions increased with proximity to the kingdom's center for commoners. The most likely revolutionaries were the Bondei, who lived on the outskirts of the kingdom. Following the Kiva Rebellion, Bonde remained independent, the Shekulwavu survivors held east Usambara, and Semboja's followers held control of
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2688-593: The Mbugu of Gare in Usambara killed a Kilindi leader. The Kiva insurrection of 1869, which had its roots in the breakdown of the Shambaa state spurred on by long-distance trade, was the fourth and most significant popular movement. The insurgents were the Bondei people, who were subdued and assimilated into the Shambaa kingdom at the beginning of the nineteenth century and lived in the plains east of Usambara. The Bondei, who were formerly stateless, benefited personally from loyalty to
2772-462: The Nango and Mbughu attempted to preserve their individual identities and arrived in sizable, well-organized groups. Up until the era of colonization, the Mbughu people lived in isolation. In the tall forests above the Shambaa farming, they took care of their cattle. The Nango migrated throughout the entire Shambaa settlement, assimilating into the language and absorbing much of the customs while upholding
2856-410: The Shambaa bestowed upon him wives and crowned him king of all Usambara. During the more than a century that the Kilindi ruled Usambara, anyone who suggested that the Kilindi's rule was the result of cruel conquest , cun-ning, or threats faced the risk of death. To challenge the Mbegha narrative was to challenge Kilindi authority. So, even though the story might be true, we have to keep in mind that it
2940-488: The Shambaa state also meant to repeat the wars that had brought about "the time of rapacity." The kingdom's difficult power relations were the one thing that was unquestionably conventional about it. Only one of the groups that fought for Kimweri ya Nyumbai 's inheritance was represented by Kinyashi. He was an old, feeble, introverted, and superstitious man who was scared of witchcraft, persuaded that Vugha would kill him just as it had killed his father and grandfather, and who
3024-468: The Usambara king was able to maintain authority over a vast region. The fear of a father's curse prevented his sons from disobeying their father with ease. The hardest part of a king's reign was always the beginning, when he had to try to unseat his own sons and remove the sons of his predecessor, which meant removing his brothers. He could be removed with ease if his brothers banded together to oppose him. Because he had served as chief of Bumbuli while awaiting
3108-525: The Zigua warriors, and his body lay next to that of his friend and king. The kingdom of the Shambaa comprised large parts of Pare to the west and Bonde to the east of Usambara in the nineteenth century. The reason the kingdom did not spread further south, where Kilindi power was much closer than it was at Bonde or Pare, is not easily explained. It is possible that the Zigua killed Kinyashi, the warrior king, and thus permanently gained their independence. Furthermore,
3192-456: The area surrounding the lower Pangani is one example of tribal aggregation that so perfectly exemplifies the procedure that it merits more in-depth discussion. The old quarrel over the Shambaa kingdom's limits was brought back to life as a result of its restoration. The Zigua residents in the valley below the southern mountain face, according to the British, had recognised the king at Vugha "as their Overlord or Paramount Chief ," according to
3276-473: The art of producing rain. At his official coronation, the people screamed out, "You are our King, but if you don't treat us right, we will get rid of you." However, without him, there would be no distinction between Shambaa and stranger, hill and plain, farm and forest, or civic society. Intercultural mingling produced the Shambaa's monarchy, which represented the apex of Bantu-speaking Tanganyika's civilization. Following Mbegha's demise, his son Bughe ascended to
3360-482: The banana's thrive". In 2001, the Shambaa population was estimated to number 664,000. The Shambaa lived on one of the numerous isolated mountain blocks of the Usambaras in the northeast, a "green island in a brown sea." According to their historian, "The Shambaa" are inhabitants of a distinct botanical habitat that was unique to that region. Its native name, Shambaai , literally translates to "where bananas thrive," and
3444-553: The beginning of his conflicts with Mshihwi, Kinyashi ruled through war. "Kinyashi, the lone wanderer" was his name in Shambaa. The Zigua war was his most recent conflict. From Vuga, Kinyashi desired to expand his dominion southward across the Pangani. In Vugha, he passed away. One heartwarming tale concerns Kivava, the king's friend, who was devastated to see the dead king and could not bear to go back to Vugha, where he would never be welcome at his heir's court. Kivava killed himself by taunting
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3528-412: The chief misbehaved, his father would issue a warning or possibly remove him. They could then file a complaint in Vugha. The Shambaa king was served by a council of commoners. He alone held the power to determine life and death. He possessed the power to take both females without bridewealth and things without paying for them. He gathered tribute and distributed it to his agents. Only he had mastered
3612-421: The chiefs could punish someone was if they accepted their error. At Vugha, the only person with the authority to decide a case by force without a confession was the king. This was how many cases came to Vugha, and as a result of the fines he levied, the king acquired cattle and slaves. A sizable share of the slaves and cattle belonged to the king in case the chief indulged. Sometimes witches were brought to live with
3696-482: The clan that corroborate the idea that force was employed. It may be true, though, that many Shambaa enthusiastically contributed to the creation of the kingdom. The Kilindi put up a formidable defense because the Masai posed a serious threat. It is even possible that a large number of Shambaa thought Kilindi rule was preferable to Nango authority. Furthermore, the Shambaa may have welcomed rulers who could resolve conflicts through force rather than just negotiation during
3780-540: The country and abroad have found economic opportunities in Tanga Region, including Indians and Arabs . The majority of Tanga Region residents practice Sunni Islam with elements of African traditional faiths since the introduction of Islam to the Tangan coast through trade during the Swahili era in the 9th and 10th centuries. Tanga is one of East Africa's largest agricultural producers, especially Citrus fruits. Agriculture
3864-445: The district office finally agreed with him that "the chief and elders [of Vugha]...have the right to turn out an unsuitable sub-chief" and removed the sub-chief of the long-independent Mlalo for insubordination in 1942. The British then established a council of chiefs in 1933 and referred to it as the tribal system after their attempt to impose supremacy over this largely stateless people failed. The establishment of indirect rule into
3948-441: The elders from a wider region would get together to talk about the situation. There was some economic cooperation and specialization at the same time. It was evident that an entire neighborhood benefited from shared irrigation works. The only way to obtain shell ornaments, which were required for some rituals, was through coastal trade . A few locations on the plains produced salt, which was traded throughout Usambara. Iron tools for
4032-496: The forests at the top of the mountains. The Shambaa were still clearing forests when European settlers arrived in the late nineteenth century. It appears that the immigrants started by chopping around the mountain's edge and continued all the way up to the higher, more central areas of Usambara. There was obviously no central political authority in those days, and people from villages a mile apart would be wary of one another. Typically, all of an ancestor's descendants would reside on
4116-412: The governmental system. Their maternal uncles, who were commoners, held the sub-chiefs of the Kilindi in check. Cattle-keeping had been vital to both the Mbugu and Nango, and the Masai had threatened their lives and means of subsistence. The majority of the previous immigrants to Usambara were small-family groups from Zigua, Pare, and Taita , and they assimilate into Sambaa culture quite easily. However,
4200-410: The hilltop capital at Vuga in the Usambaras. The kingdom reached its greatest extent under Kimweri ye Nyumbai . After he died in 1862 a civil war broke out over the succession, fueled by competition for the new wealth that the caravan trade in the Pangani valley had brought to the region. The Kilindi originally arrived in the Usambara, which was in disarray due to the start of recent Masai raids and
4284-487: The inflow of a sizable number of immigrants from a foreign culture. The Kilindi, a group of royal people, arrived in this environment. Mbegha was the name of the first Usambara king. All throughout Usambara, his story is told and repeated. Mbegha was a hunter in Ngulu, where it all began. After being driven from Ngulu by his relatives, he embarked on an extended journey of hunting and wandering. Mbegha came to Usambara to hunt near
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#17328767436194368-459: The king in Vugha, and other times they ran away to find safety there. At Vugha, there resided witches, thieves, and slaves who served as the king's standing army. The decree allowing anyone to seek sanctuary at Vugha led to an expansion of the standing army. Seeking shelter in a town meant that the chief of that town was more powerful than the one the person was running from, according to traditional Shambaa politics. The chief one escaped could start
4452-433: The king's ceremonial capabilities. It was impossible to win. As soon as the king himself died, the Bondei refused to ally themselves with Shekulwavu's faction, maintaining their independence but reverting to statelessness . Kiva had been traditionalist in motivation and destructive in action, far from having any revolutionary elements. It exemplified the constraints on long-distance trade-related political change. One of
4536-458: The kingdom was divided. Shekulwavu, his grandson and successor, had little authority over the sub-chiefs who served as his uncles. He had an argument with his older uncle in 1868, who afterwards supported Semboja as a potential heir. Shekulwavu's response was to ask Bondei for assistance. He is believed to have said to them, "My uncles the Kilindi of Shambalai and here in Bonde dislike me. You can drive
4620-446: The legitimist cause and concocted a new scheme with the Bondei, who were worried about Kilindi retaliation. The Kilindi were welcomed back to Bondei and promised protection, only to be slaughtered. Then the Bondei invaded Usambara, liberating slaves, killing the Kilindi, and exhorting the common people of Shambaa to rise. However, as they drew closer to Vugha, resistance grew stronger until Semboja's men eventually drove them out. Semboja
4704-462: The locals used it to distinguish it from the nearby nyika , or dry plains. In eastern Tanganyika, where the contrast between the mountains and the plains is stark, this categorization by adaptation to a particular habitat was typical. The Bondei , or "people of the valley," were the Shamba's lowland neighbors. Below 1,000 meters, malaria is endemic, and it is seasonal in many higher locations. Since it
4788-526: The lowest population of 54,025. Tanga is home to around six major indigenous ethnic groups. It is the ancestral home to the Bondei people located on the central east coast of the Tanga Region, the majority in Pangani district and Muheza District . Most of western Tanga is home to the Zigula people , the majority in Handeni District . The Sambaa , the largest ethnic group in Tanga Region, are mostly found in
4872-403: The majority of the ancient clans of southern Usambara assert that they made their way up into the fertile hills. They benefited from greater rainfall and hardy banana trees after relocating to the highlands. They built extensive irrigation systems. Some made their home at the edge of the plains near the base of the mountains, while others moved higher up the hillsides and cut their way through
4956-733: The most spectacular moments in Shambaa history was the Kiva Rebellion. Because Kiva was a violent popular uprising amid a world of dynastic intrigue, it was unique. Chanyeghea succeeded Shekulwavu following his death. Chanyeghea allied with the Bondei and contributed to the Kilindi's death in eastern Usambara. No doubt the Bondei had long harbored grudges against the Kilindi, the alien rulers. For Kimweri ye Nyumbai, Bonde had been far too foreign and remote to prevent his sons from misusing their position of authority. While Kilindi rule had strong indigenous roots throughout western Usambara, it seemed, as in Pare, to be an alien conquest state in Bonde. Every Kilindi that
5040-441: The mountains' southernmost point. When the Shambaa spotted him, he descended to find out who the stranger was. He gave the Shambaa meat in an incredibly kind gesture. The discovery of a hunter capable of eliminating the wild pigs that were despoiling all the crops thrilled the Shambaa. Mbegha proceeded on a victorious tour throughout Usambara, executing pigs, mediating conflicts, and giving away free meat. In appreciation and thanks,
5124-452: The nineteenth-century towns along the Pangani had easy access to the new gun trade, making the conquest of Zigua even more challenging. The new gun trade was the preferred methods of attacking slave traders or greedy chiefs. These took place in the northeast between 1870s and 1880s, when the Pare of Mbaga assaulted a colony of slave traffickers at Kisiwani in the modern-day Same District and
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#17328767436195208-582: The northern Tanga Region in the western Usambaras, Lushoto district, western Korogwe District and northern Muheza district. The Digo people and the Segeju people are a small minority within Mkinga District in the northeastern Tanga Region. Lastly the Ngulu people are native on the southwestern corner of Tanga Region's Kilindi District . Other smaller ethnic groups in Tanga Region include Mbugu and Pare people . More recently in history, immigrants from other parts of
5292-511: The religious customs they had carried with them. Large numbers of Nango had to periodically return to Shume to perform certain rituals. The head of all the Nango was a man of some influence who resided in Shume. The WaSambaa were ruled by the Kilindi dynasty from the mid-18th century to the end of the 19th century. The founder of the dynasty was Mbegha , who was from Ngulu and his son Bughe established
5376-442: The royal capital, was created as a sizable Shambaa town and was thought to have 3,000 residents in 1857. The Shambaa state was founded on kinship . The monarchy aimed to undermine the strength and morality of the clans, but lineages arbitrated internal conflicts and assumed collective responsibility for their members. The Kilindi , a group of people with royal ancestry who were Mbegha's offspring according to Shambaa wives, represented
5460-417: The small clan-chiefdoms that Shambaa had initially established since their tribal structures were incompatible with the local cultivators' organization. Tradition holds that Mbegha, the roving hunter from Ungulu, was the old culture's savior. He subdued the Shambaa by using force, guile, diplomacy, and marriage into Shambaa noble households. His empire was a living example of the previous way of life. Vugha ,
5544-531: The southern border between Pwani Region and Tanga Region. Tanga Region is also home to largest cave system in East Africa, the Amboni Caves located a few kilometers north of Tanga city. Tanga is home to rich biodiversity of plants and animals. Tanga Region is home to two major national parks, Mkomazi National Park , shared with southern Kilimanjaro Region. The park is home to the endangered Black rhinoceros and
5628-539: The three groups). Sambaa belongs to the North East Coastal Bantu languages . This is a group which includes Swahili ; however, Swahili is not mutually intelligible with Sambaa. Some members of the Sambaa community assert that they have lived in the Usambara mountains for all of recorded history. Other groups claim to have arrived much earlier than the Kilindi . During famines in Zigualand, usually in Ngulu,
5712-413: The throne and ended the Nango chief's authority in Shume. However, Bughe also married a Nango, who happened to be the mother of the heir apparent. Probably around this time, the Nango and the government worked out a general accommodation. Within the chiefdom of Bumbuli, the local headmen are comparatively autonomous because the chief is typically a young man aspiring to be king. Typically, the heir at Bumbuli
5796-477: The throne, the new king's duties were made easier. This implies that he would have an ally as soon as he ascended to the throne if he decided to place a son in Bumbuli. Actually, the chiefdoms of Bumbuli and Vugha made up a sizable area of densely populated territory that was challenging to conquer. After the king was established in Vugha, his authority was augmented by his unique standing in Shambaa law. The only way
5880-410: The town when they visited Vugha. Kimweri ya Nyumbai , who reigned the Shambaa kingdom from approximately 1815 to 1862, brought it to its pinnacle, yet it was already under jeopardy. The lowland Zigua people obtained weapons in the 1830s, took over the Pangani valley, and posed a threat to the mountain empire. Burton stated in 1857 that "the watch-fire never leaves the mountain" and that "the war-horn
5964-506: The unreachable Mshihwi with him. Mshihwi was repeatedly attacked by Kinyashi's forces, but it remained unassailable. From this point on, Maghembe and his ancestors controlled a fully autonomous Kilindi kingdom in Mshihwi. Consequently, Usambara saw the rise of a second monarch, one who had the authority to execute his subjects. When the Germans arrived, the kingdom of Mshihwi was still intact. From
6048-663: The west, including Vugha. In an effort to find allies, both sides turned to foreign politics. Shekulwaru's brother Kibanga attempted to enlist the aid of the British consul as well as missionaries to Central Africa. As a rebel against the Sultan of Zanzibar , Mbaruk of Mombasa assisted in the invasion of Semboja's lands. In response, the Sultan supported Semboja. Slaves were sold, and both sides made money. In 1888, two notable German explorers, Baumann and Meyer , arrived on this site of sporadic fighting. Upon reaching Mazinde, Semboja learned that
6132-475: The western plateau. The interdependence of kings and subjects had been shattered by trade and firearms. Chiefs now relied on gunmen who bought weapons with slaves rather than tribute and spearmen. While Bumbuli, the customary chiefdom of the heir apparent, was raided by its own ruler, a Yao slave, Semboja used Maasai to raid Vugha. For twenty years, the conflict between the kin of Semboja and Shekulwavu dragged on without resolution. Both sides had weapons and some of
6216-523: Was a fierce hunter who was outside the bounds of civilized civilization until the Shamba gave him vegetable food and introduced him to their way of life, civilizing him. The dichotomy between cultivated land and the wilderness of the nyika and the mountain rainforest that they had been clearing for generations was important to Shambaa views of civilization. The Shambaa people speak the Shambala language, also known as Kisambaa, Kishambaa, Kishambala, Sambaa, Sambala, Sambara, Schambala, Shambaa. Kishambaa
6300-400: Was a living example of the previous way of life. Vugha, the royal capital, was created as a sizable Shambaa town and was thought to have 3,000 residents in 1857. The state was founded on kinship. The Shambaa monarchy at first aimed to undermine the strength and morality of the clans, but lineages arbitrated internal conflicts and assumed collective responsibility for their members. The Kilindi,
6384-483: Was a tendency toward independence from the Simba Mwene , the lion-king, since some chiefdoms were fairly remote from Vugha. Every significant chiefdom possessed a unique rain magic. Local disputes were resolved by each chief. The armed might of the Usambara state was composed of individual men, each armed with a bow and arrows, and the king's orders traveled only as fast as a man on foot. By appointing his sons as chiefs,
6468-591: Was a woman named Mboza Mamwinu. Maghembe , the Mulungui chief, was the next, and her full brother. The next was the heir apparent, Kinyashi of Bumbuli, who was the great wife of Nango. Following Bughe is demise, Mboza Mamwinu arrived in Vugha and demanded that Maghembe take the throne. She was supported by the Vugha people, who feared this strong woman. But Kinyashi was crowned king because the Nango of Bumbuli exerted too much pressure. Upon discovering that, Mboza Mamwinu became enraged, left Vugha, located Maghembe, and fled to
6552-489: Was denied the throne in Usambara because his brothers wisely chose his little son because they wanted a weak ruler. Royal authority waned. Vugha was downsized to a single tiny settlement. Each chiefdom virtually became independent after a period of anarchy known locally as pato , or "rapacity." The fight involved coastal traders and Taita , Masai , and Zigua mercenaries, just as it did in the Southern Highlands and on
6636-411: Was frequently fatal to the young and crippling to their seniors, it was probably a significant population growth restraint and another reason why people preferred the highlands. The highlanders of Shambaa were aware of the link between malaria and mosquitoes and were afraid to stay even one night in the nyika . When a Shambaa left the mountains, he frequently lost his identity as a Shambaa. Civilization
6720-430: Was never a chief whose council members were Kilindi. Since commoners occupied every position of power within the chiefdom, a lot of emphasis is placed on the democratic aspect of the monarchy. However, the chief had the power to remove and replace officials at will, while the officials were powerless to remove the chief. In the event that the local chief was the king's son, the people in a minor chiefdom could turn to him. If
6804-464: Was not the source of cooperation. The person conducting the ritual in rites of passage and ancestor sacrifices had to be unfamiliar with the host village. Marriage served as a bridge between two communities. Although the men of a single village were remarkably self-sufficient in their daily activities, the early Shambaa's religion mandated frequent meetings and communal drinking, feasting, and dancing. When there were disagreements between two villages,
6888-444: Was so aware that he was in power because of British favor that he kept his pay in order to return it when he was overthrown. He abdicated again in 1929, and the British went to the opposing faction to install two of Semboja's grandchildren in succession. Additionally, the previous argument about the degree of the king's authority over regional sub-chiefs was brought back by the kingdom's reconstruction. After twelve years of struggle,
6972-476: Was the pinnacle of the Bantu-speaking peoples of Tanganyika's civilisation, was the result of intercultural mingling. The British rediscovered the Shambaa kingdom in 1925. Since Kinyashi's abdication in 1902, akidas had taken the place of the Shambaa kingdom's institutions. The rains stopped and a lion entered Vugha for the first time in a long time prior to Kinyashi's return to power in 1926, but to reconstruct
7056-402: Was the result of a people's environmental adaption. Mbegha , the hero credited with founding the Shambaa empire, was the subject of a fantastic legend among the Shambaa. According to the legend, he hunted wild pigs in the nearby region of Ungulu . Because he had cut his upper teeth first when he was a baby, his kinsmen withheld his inheritance because they believed he was mystically dangerous. As
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