Famous Tales from the Chagga Tribe of Kilimanjaro-Tanzania: Famous Chagga Stories

By Onesiphorus Henry Tesha and Stella Evelyne Tesha

The book consists of lore as told by the Chagga tribe which lives at the foot of Mountain Kilimanjaro Tanzania. The tribal lore has been passed down from many generations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jan 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781728397986

Onesiphorus Henry Tesha

Ambassador Onesiphorus Mtuweta H. Tesha, B.A. (Hons) History (London.) was born in Kilema, Moshi District, Tanzania in September 1936. After university education he joined the diplomatic service of his country in 1962. Before his retirement at the end of 1991 he was Tanzania High Commissioner to India, concurrently his country’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka, and Ambassador to Indonesia and Nepal. Following that he was Managing Director of the Twenty Century Enterprises, Limited, a business with publishing as one of it’s ventures, until the time of his passing in September 2004. There is much that is unwritten about the past of African people. Through these Famous Chagga stories the author has delved into the culture of the people below mount Kilimanjaro to give his readers a glimpse of how society ticked, and in particular how the elders brought up the youth as well as made the best use of their time with stories for entertainment for themselves and lessons to all. Overall the text offers some food for thought for many of us today.

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© 2020 Onesiphorus Henry Tesha & Stella Evelyne Tesha. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  01/17/2020

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9796-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9798-6 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

1     If only I knew

2     The day of accidents with pots

3     He stopped beating his wife

4     A settlement with market women

5     A fortune built on agriculture

6     A spoiled daughter – Imana Lyiomere

7     Look before you leap

8     Blood is thicker than water

9     Give no thanks for what you have not eaten

10   Loaning cattle at a loss

11   Time is money – Komkya Komiila

12   The fate of leaders

13   Reward and punishment from an old lady

14   Laziness spelt disaster for Kimawenzi

15   Stories in song and dance

16   Sambu’s Adventure (By Mercy Pamela Karanja)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book was written by my late father H.E Onesiphorus Henry Tesha (1936-2004), who dedicated his life to serving his country (Tanzania) as a diplomat from 1962-1992.

My father was one of the best story tellers. After his office work he would come back and take a rest before going to do some shamba work, then later in the evening he would spend most of his time by telling us stories while drinking home made mbege or his favorite whiskey. Me and my brother and Sisters (Joyce, Mak, Grace and Doris) enjoyed these times so much. I like all our children and future descendants to hear some of the favorite tales he used to tell us.

Therefore, today I choose to republish his work because I know he would want more people to read the stories which are dear to the Chagga people of Kilimanjaro so as to understand more about our culture.

Next time you decide to take a Safari and climb mountain Kilimanjaro, make sure to have a copy with you. The people are always happy to share a good laugh and would be quite pleased that you know something about them and their Chagga language.

Thank you for taking time to read,

Stella Evelyne Tesha, daughter of Onesiphorus Henry Tesha and Marriet Tarsilla Lyaruu-Tesha

1

IF ONLY I KNEW

SAMANYA ILASONGUWO

ONE DAY IN KITANDU A hungry mad man was roaming in the village in search of shelter and food. He drew a plan of survival. Meeting a man, Kishoiyo they made a deal. Having terrorised him he proposed that no danger would befall Kishoiyo if he became his guest and was well-fed. About his family the stranger replied that neither him nor his company of four others like him would harm anybody. Kishoiyo rather gratified took him home to the bewilderment of his wife. But he calmed her with sweet words that the deal of peaceful coexistence with the stranger was a guarantee that nobody would come to harm. The animals would also be safe. ‘’What about the children!’’ his shocked wife exclaimed. ‘’There is this deal’’, he replied as a matter of fact. ‘’Please do the cooking; the risk does not exist’’.

She cooked day after day. But there was no gratitude from the stranger who seemed to develop greater appetite for eating. Like her the three children did not take a liking to the greedy man. The chickens they liked so much were being stolen one by one by the mad man and eaten privately without any cooking. Even the fat colourful cock that was their time-keeper had fallen victim to the unwanted guest.

All complaints reached Kishoiyo who could not take a decision to dislodge the stranger. Neighbours cautioned him about the risk of keeping a mad man unchained but he rarely listened to advice let alone understood.

One day the wife went out early in the morning before sunrise to draw water from the common stream. Kishoiyo had gone earlier for his regular drink – Mbege. The hungry stranger entered the house and attacked one of the children in bed. He pulled his right hand and bit off a piece of flesh from its upper end. As the child cried loudly the attacker ran away for good to save his own life. Kishoiyo returned home just as his vicious guest had made his exit. He suddenly understood his folly and the gravity of the calamity that had hit his family, the pain for his only son and his own shame. Shortly later his wife arrived. She nearly fainted with shock but said nothing to the relief of her restless husband. Neighbours also came. ‘’How do you tame a mad man,’’ they ridiculed Kishoiyo, ‘’see now the fruits of your folly. We had warned you’’, they insisted. The injured child was taken there and then to the village doctor. In several days he had healed enough to return home. Only a scar has left where the mad man had bitten. Kishoiyo now took his wife’s advice to show no trust in strangers whatever their persuasion. He had learned his lesson rather late – Samanya Ilasonguwo.

2

THE DAY OF ACCIDENTS WITH POTS

EARLY ONE MORNING KIMOSEO, A teenage girl in Kitandu, was sent by her mother, Makuna to draw water from a spring for cooking. She ran fast, confident that by returning early with a full clay pot her mother would give her more than her proper share of the sweet food she was cooking. She reached the famous spring called Chele where cold sparkling water comes out from the rocks. As she lowered the pot to fill up it slipped from her soft fingers and went crashing to the bottom of the deep pool of water. There was no way she could recover even part of it. She went back home crying. Makuna did not like her story because the lost pot was new and expensive. ‘’How many pots can we afford to lose’’, she sighed. She allowed her to pick another pot for the same errand.

Kimoseo balances the vessel on her head and walked fast. She filled the pot. She was half way home when Makuna called at the top of her voice to tell her to double her speed. The pot on the fire was drying up, she warned. As the girl speeded up she slipped over a rock on her path –nalekapa tuliya – nearly fell down, and lost half the water in the pot. Both mother and daughter were disappointed. Makuna shouted vehemently: ‘’Go for more water before I lose my temper’’. She complied dutifully. As she drew water from the spring she spoke to herself – ‘’This is not a good day for me. Or which day could be worse! Losing a pot, spilling the water, and mother losing her temper!’’

Soon Makuna was calling her again, her loud voice filled with irritation. The girl walked faster with a full pot on