Rev Mezuwa says time to restore Tonga way of life as Goodall backs formation of heritage
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe has backed the formation of ethnic cultural associations, saying they foster unity and development in the country.
Gondwe made the remarks on Saturday at Chintheche Airfield in Nkhata Bay when he presided over the launch of Nkhata Bay-Tonga Heritage.
Gondwe views samples of Tonga meals on Saturday
“Heritage associations enhance unity among people and are a tool for developing the country. As government, we want Tonga heritage to be sustained so that the culture of Nkhata Bay is preserved,” he said.
The Reverend Maxwell Mezuwa Banda, who headed the organising committee of the launch, said the tribe along the northern shoreline of Lake Malawi is determined to restore its way of life which has been diluted by foreign influences.
“We have lost our Tonga culture,” he said. “We want to preserve Tonga language which was dying. Women have forgotten our way of dressing. They now wear pair of trousers. We want to restore our traditional dress too.”
Senior Chief Mkumbira envisions the new cultural group uniting what he termed “the divided tribe” which is believed to have migrated from Egypt.
The event was spiced by Tonga foods like nsima ya vigawu (a meal made of cassava flour), roasted cassava, groundnuts and roasted green bananas.
On traditional dances, the Tongas showcased their traditional dances such as honala, malipenga, and chilimika.
awa apapi widu mukughanaghana umampha kukhumba kutigumatizgazgaso pamoza,. Tawana winu taluwa mutundu widu.
I wish l was there on that launch day
My fellow Malawians don’t you think it’s high time Goodal retired from active politics? Adada awa sono uchekulu wabasanga. Tingalindizgamga kuti wazakawa yayi mphanyi walekela wa nyamata. Enya ndarama yikunowa Kweni yikuzakafika pakuwawa. Mudala ryani pension yino pumulani.
What has Gondwe’s age got to do with Tonga heritage?
Kuzgeba vyakuyowoya uku.
I personally welcome this initiative as a proud Tonga. However I have some misgivings to the name of the group. Nkhatabay is not the only place where there are Tongas. Everyone who knows Tonga will agreed that they stretch from Bua River that is approximately over 7okm from the southern boundary of NkhataBay District, All the people from Bua river to Dwambazi River are basically Tongas and this area is not administratively under NkhataBay. We even have a Senior Chief Kanyenda who history shows that he is a Tonga. So lets revise this name because not all of us are from NkhataBay and Nkhatabay is not the only district that has Tongas. We want to associate ourselves with the group that has purely ethnic features than geographical features. Unless the initiative is for Tongas who are from Nklhatabay ONLY and not for ALL TONGAs regardless of where they are.
Ada vwo mwakamba mbunenesya nadi, mphanyi tosi ta Tonga have been incorporated in this grouping. Viwongu
Much as I appreciate the importance of establishing a Tonga Heritage, I would however, like to correct the distorted history you have presented about the Tongas. History of Malawi is silent on any traditional chief who is Tonga by tribe. This simply means there is no known Tonga chief in Malawi. It is a total misrepresentation of facts to say that TA Kanyenda is Tonga. That’s a total lie. Which history book says that TA Kanyenda is tonga? By alluding to the point that TA Kanyenda is tonga, you are infact defeating the point made by yourself that it should be the ethinic feature that should define who is Tonga not geographical. Kanyenda is very senior chief in Chewa history ie Maravi Kingdom. The fact that he is to far north of Nkhatabay does not make him a tonga. Please note that all known chiefs in Nkhatabay are chewa by history. Fukamapiri, Kabunduli, Malanda, Malengazoma, Mkhumba are all chewas historically. They cannot be made tongas now because they r found in Nkhatabay. History is what defines a tribe not geographical featurers.. Would you please revisit your history books to find out the truth about who is tonga or not. Chewa names such as Banda, Phiri, Nkhoma, Mwale etc are mostly used in Nkhatabay not by accident but because Nkhatabay is a shared district between chewas and tongas. Tongas names are Longwe, Manda, Mhone, Chirwa and others.