THIS column was somehow missing in action this previous week as I was laying to rest my dear wife even though the bungling of a local funeral assurance and services company (name withheld) may be destined to enter the history books as the worst in the country.
travelling & touring:with Burzil Dube
Despite yours truly always ensuring that the funeral policy monthly subscriptions are normally paid six months in advance, little did I know that despite considering myself a super client, the opposite was certainly true as far as service provision was concerned.
The funeral assurance company should in future endeavour to advise clients that one has to foot his or her own bill on removal of dead bodies from home and also that they take their time to disburse cash payments to the policy holder.
I later discovered that I was not alone on this ordeal.
If one is to define a spade as a spade, yours truly is of the firm belief that there are no more than two reputable funeral service providers in Zimbabwe. That aside.
Today yours truly has decided to revisit the Tonga cultural norms and values, thanks to Canaan Sianyuka, a Tonga researcher and writer who provided interesting puberty stage insights.
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This time around one looks at the upbringing of the Tonga girl child especially those who are predominantly based in the southern province in Zambia. These Tonga-speaking people are segmented into fives groups.
Tongas of the Kafue plains are known as the Batwa/Twa while those from the Gwembe valley are referred to as the Bawee/Wee, the Baambwe/Mbwe from West of Monze, and the Ila from Namwala.
The other Tonga group are known as the Ba Bihi from the plateau.
The difference in the Tonga language is found in the way they are grouped.
There are also the Lenjes and the Soli among the Bantu Botatwe ethnic group.
Most Tonga-speaking tribes depend on agriculture and cattle rearing as their livelihood.
Cattle are the major source of income and a symbol of wealth, hence the adage Kona bula mukowa, koombe kokwete, meaning Better to have cattle than relatives.
Due to their decentralised way of living, each chief is allowed to change or amend practices to the benefit of his or her subjects especially when it comes to marriage and traditional practices.
The marriage ritual of a Tonga-speaking girl emanates from within the family unit.
When a girl reaches adolescent age, this developmental period corresponds roughly between the ages of 10 and 19 years and she is usually advised that she may feel like crying without any reasonable cause.
She could also encounter some blood soiling of her underwear and this will be an indication to her parents that the daughter has come of age.
This signals the advent of the menstrual cycle and the way of life will never be the same again.
The mother has to call the paternal aunt who will in turn teach the girl how to look after herself during the menstruation period.
Kuvundikwa is an initiation occasion of secluding a virgin girl during the Nakalindu process which is only done to those who have come of age and is called Kamwale.
A virgin in Tonga lingo is known as Nakalindu and it is of paramount importance in marriage rituals as many heads of cattle up to 10 or more can be paid as bride price particularly for her virginity.
This bride price is called Cibbunta maaya.
During the period of seclusion, the girls are sneaked into a hut and will be trained on various Tonga traditional ethics.
This girl is not to be seen by other people during this initiation and seclusion period.
The girl is taught by elderly women how to traditionally show respect to in-laws when they get married as well as hygiene, sex abstinence, cooking and adaptation to adult life.
They are also taught how to make husbands happy by way of dancing and this has to be specifically erotic.
The end of the initiation process occurs at an occasion known as Nkolola.
Events leading to the closing of this initiation programme occur at least two days before these girls are released from their seclusion.
Before the girl is released from seclusion, elderly women fill a clay port with water which is known as chibiya.
The water is poured on the unsuspecting girl and she is not expected to shriek or show shock, but to remain quiet, calm and composed.
Doing this, for a girl symbolises a strong character of a growing courageous woman who will be able to deal with obstacles in her adult life.
Then comes Nkolola which is day where the secluded girl is set to be released.
Scores of people would be gathered to celebrate this important event through singing, and beating of traditional drums known as zinamoondonga, indandala, nyeele, mpito, budima and bukonkoolo.
Various dancing styles such as chingande, katazula or kukweza are performed while a cow would have been slaughtered to feed the crowd who would be celebrating through the whole night.
In the morning, Kamwale is led out of the secluded hut by the elderly women, covered in a blanket.
The recently graduated girl sits on a reed mat with two elderly women by her side while the father will later be called to customarily remove the blanket to reveal the Kamwale to the public.
Enough of cultural tourism.
l Comments always welcome on: [email protected] or Twitter: @DubeBurzil
