Thread by @tlsibanda

1. THE TONGA PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE Part 3

A sad thread..

In this thread l seek to bring awareness of Tonga presence in the Zimbabwea plateau before the arrival of the Shona / Ndebele groups. Colonial /Shona/Ndebele cultural domination on the Tonga people will also be discussed.

2. While Tonga people are currently found in the Zambezi Valley there is historical & oral tradition evidence that they were settled in many parts of the Zimbabwe plateau before the Shona / Ndebele groups.

3. There are places accross Zimbabwe with Tonga names or modified Tonga names because of the take over of the places by the Shona/Ndebele groups.

4. Sazukwi in Matobo district was originally Sianzuki (meaning a person who likes bee honey). In Kwekwe there is a place called Mwembezi (meaning one who looks after goats / cattle). Mutare was Mutale of the headman who distributed land in the area to arriving Manyika people.

5. Lupane in Matabeleland North was originally Tupane (meaning let us share). Kariba was originally Kaliba meaning a place of crossing the river. Chirundu was Chilundu meaning a mountain. Marimasimbe under Chief Jiri was Balibasimbi meaning three girls.

6. In Gokwe there are places with the following Tonga names Musala, Lutotshani, Lukukwe, Manoti, Mazinyo etc Gokwe South has two Tonga chiefs Musala & Mukoka.

7. Tonga people currently reside in 7 districts of Zimbabwe : Nyaminyami, Gokwe North & South, Lupane, Hwange, Nkayi & Binga. The highest concentration of Tonga people is in Binga district.

8. Colonial/Shona /Ndebele domination resulted in many Tonga people having their surnames changed into either Shona/ Ndebele or meaningless names. Eg. Musanka became Zhou/Ndlovu. Mumpande became Sibanda/Mlalazi/Shumba. Mwiinde became Nyathi. Mudenda became Dube.

9. Other Tonga surnames were corrupted by registration officials into vulgar & humiliating words. Eg Siamatondo (one who loves ntondo fruits) was written as Siamtoto(meaning one who likes vagina or has a big vagina).

10. Siantome (one who likes tasting food) was written as Siantoni(one who likes a penis/has a big penis). Makonko (pole trusses) was written as Makongo (clitorises) & Mudimba was written as Mudidi (closer to mdidi : anus in Ndebele).

11. To this date Tonga people whose surnames /names were corrupted continue to carry IDs with Shona/Ndebele surnames, vulgar/humiliting surnames or just meaningless names & surnames. It is believed that the corruption of Tonga names worsened after independence.

12. It is also noted that other minority groups like the Shangani have suffered the same fate as the Tonga people. N'wanedzi was corrupted to Mwenezi, Phahlela to Pashera & Khazamula to Gazamura.

13. The Tonga people feel that they are despised & marginalised by the dominant groups in Zimbabwe yet the country benefits from their land & sacrifices. Victoria Falls/Kariba Dam/Hwange National Park/Binga tourism sites etc.

What do you know about the Tonga people of Zimbabwe?

14. SOURCES :
- Battling for cultural survival in a hostile environment : The Case of the myths about the Tonga people & their names in Zimbabwe : I. Mumpande
-Resuscitating Zimbabwe's Engangered Languages: Multi-disciplinary Perspectives on Tonga Language, History & Culture.....

Muwati I, Mberi N. E, Chabata E & Nkolola W. M (Ed's).
-Zimbabwe's Cultural Heritage: Phathisa Nyathi.

*the name of the headman