travelling & touring:with Burzil Dube
WHOEVER introduced paternity testing currently known as deoxyribonucleic (DNA) test will always deserve special mention in modern science annals as this has brought dramatic changes within families.
The words “till death do us part” are no longer a couples catchphrase as in some cases DNA results could prove the other way round.
As the saying goes in our various African lingo, the only person who is fully aware of the source of the pregnancy is the one carrying it.
A number of marriages have been destroyed by this DNA “creature” while some family unions are left hanging by a thread as close relatives would try to salvage whatever could have been lost.
Before the advent of this specialised testing exercise, our forefathers had their own paternity testing mechanism and some of them are currently practiced even to this day.
Traditionalists have their own unique way of determining whether off springs are paternally theirs or “contact tracing” would need to be activated.
However, thanks to modern and advanced technology such paternity results are determined with the urgency they deserve and results could have far reaching consequences.
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Such consequences is what had in the past happened to the Yemeni-Jews, who are locally known as BaLemba/Remba.
Their claim to Jewish ancestry continue to send tongues wagging, but the proverbial bottom line is that indeed they are of Semitic ancestry.
Thanks to DNA testing.
For all intents and purposes, the BaLemba claim to have been chief architects in the construction of Dzimbabwe now known as the Great Zimbabwe ruins.
Such claims have also been buttressed by leading researchers and scholars who retraced this tribe’s stonework ingenuity to some Middle-East countries where similar structures are still in existence.
However, questions continue to be asked on BaLemba’s claims that their lineage dates back to the biblical Israelis during their flight from Egypt to the promised land of Canaan.
The controversy continues unabated despite researchers indicating that there is indeed some veracity in assertions by BaMwenye (Lemba) concerning their Jewish ancestry barring any skin colour.
BaMwenye is the other name of the Remba tribe and is thought to be more pronounced in Mozambique where some of them permanently settled following their migration from Yemen.
Some settled in Zimbabwe while others proceeded southwards and found a safe haven in Limpopo province in South Africa where they initially kept a low profile.
When Paul Kruger was the South African president, he publicly declared that the BaLemba, who were settled in that particular country were of Jewish lineage.
Kruger was the president of the South African republic from 1883 to 1900.
The declaration brought scepticism from certain quarters as this tribe was considered to be from the so-called original Bantu.
Such pronouncements resulted in the tribe being dubbed “Kruger’s Jews” and could have been a gradual turning point for researchers and scholars to embark on DNA investigations.
Laboratory tests were later conducted whose results seemingly caught those of incredulous disposition flat footed as the outcome proved that the BaLemba had indeed traces of Semitic parentage.
Without going into the nitty-gritties of the whole DNA process, it was however discovered through a genetic system known as Y chromosome that indeed the BaLemba are partly Jewish.
However, according to researchers, the tribe’s origin was traced to the Middle-East and the BaLemba were discovered to be descendants of early Jewish priesthood.
This priestly role is reported to be present among one of the Lemba’s 12 ethnic clans, who are somehow categorised according to their area of specialisation. Interesting indeed.
Some of the clan names are Bhuba, Hamisi, Bakari, Seremani or Suleiman, Tovakare, Ngavi Zungunde, Mhani, Mbulengwa Hadzhi, Sadiki, Sarifu, Nemange and Hasani.
As for the clans’ domain, let us leave it for another day, but let it be known that the Tovakare were main architects in Dzimbahwe construction.
Those who are familiar with DNA paternal testing will agree with me that the system is foolproof even though challenges could be encountered just like any scheme in terms of weaknesses.
Next time if one comes across or bumps into a BaLemba person, just remember that you have met one of the biblical tribes of Israel and thou shall not treat him or her with contempt.
To those of a Christian upbringing unlike yours truly, should “feel honoured” to rub shoulders with a member of God’s hallowed tribe. Some of us who used to pass through church premises on our way to the dip tank without giving a thought about heavenly tidings.
However, things have changed, thanks to being born again and now a firm believer on Israelis (read Lemba) migration from Egypt as it is clearly stated in the Book of Exodus.
Besides DNA testing, the Lemba tribe have various customs similar to Jewish tradition such as circumcision, not eating pork related products, allowing blood to drain from an animal before consuming it, adorning some tombstones with Stars of David among others.
The Yemeni-Jews have of late been gradually gaining prominence as evidenced when on 31 October 1999 several Lemba elders were invited by Thabo Mbeki the then South African president.
The invitation was for a meeting at his Pretoria residence and it is said that after that particular meeting, the Lemba’s recognition as an African-Jewish tribe became more pronounced within Southern Africa in general.
In that same year, an American-Jewish by the name of Yaacov Levi came to South Africa to primarily teach the local Lemba tribe normative Judaism.
This later led to many American-Jewish organisations donating aid as well as thousands of books to the BaLemba community.
Gradual recognition indeed.
Before signing off yours truly would like to pay tribute to Simon Nhongo whose input on Va Remba issues is irreplaceable and Hillary Zhou whose critical analysis of this column is highly commendable.
The same also applies to Ndabezinhle Mfandaedza, Samuel Chinyoka and Penny Beattie.
Beattie was prepared to offer me the book; The Lost Ark of The Covenant by Tudor Parfitt. However, our major hindrance was the more than 700km distance that separated us.
I am looking forward to attending one of the Lemba Cultural Association meetings in the not so distant future.
Yours truly’s microscopic contribution towards this biblical Israeli tribe could be done and dusted. Unless otherwise.
Adieu.
Till we meet again in the next column.
l Comments always welcome on: [email protected]
