Nyaminyami

There was a tribe of people that lived in the Zambezi Valley for many years with little contact with the rest of the world.

In 1950 the Kariba project began, instructing the Tonga tribe to leave the banks of the Zambezi and move to higher ground. This was the stepping stone for the river god to strike.

7 years into the construction of the dam wall and the Nyaminyami struck! The biggest flood ever seen by the Zambezi river had demolished much of the semi completed dam wall washing it away and many pieces of heavy equipment and killing workers in the process.

After a very intense search for the bodies of some of the workers had failed, they had no choice but to turn to the tribesman elders. Who in turn told them that it was the act of the Nyaminyami river god showing its anger.
In desperation they allowed the tribesman to go ahead with a ceremoney by slaughtering an animal and letting it float down the (crocodile infested) river.
In the morning with no suprise the animal had gone but mysteriously the bodies of the remaing workers were floating on the surface..

According to studies taken after the flood, there was a conclusion that this type of flood would only happen every thousand years or so.

A year later the Nyaminyami struck again with an even bigger flood washing away the coffer dam and parts of the main dam wall (so much for the research).
The Tonga tribe believed this to be the final blow of the Nyaminyami that would send the builders away and they could return, that was not the case! The completion of the dam wall happened and lake Kariba was born.

However to this day what very few Tonga people there are still believe that the Nyaminyami will strike again, as he has been separated by the dam wall from his wife and that the minor earthquakes is the Nyaminyami trying to reach her. The Tonga are still waiting for the river god to strike so they can be reunited with the banks of the Zambezi river.

This is a nyaminyami walking stick stick used by the tonga people.

The Handle is the Nyaminyami

The Tree is a Mopani tree which is found in the Zambezi Valley, the curves represent the waves on the Zambezi River,
the fish is representative of the food of the Tonga people
prior to the building of Kariba Dam, fished daily on the Zambezi River.

The Figures are the people on the Zambezi River banks during their ceremonial dances.

The Wooden Rings represents the bangles worn by the Tonga woman as a decoration during ceremonial dances.

The sign of the Hand represents the holding of the magical ball used by the Tonga fortune tellers to guard against evil spirits.

Women's Bubble Pipe is normally a long pipe made from a calabash and is used for smoking tobacco. In the past these pipes where used for smoking "dagga" - it is Tonga tradition

Since i was very young we used to go to Kariba for weekend holidays. All around the hotels there is the history of the dam wall being built and the legend of the Nyaminyami. I fell for the story as a youngster, with all its myths and mighty power.
As i grew older i began to realise that this river god does hold some significance in many other peoples lives not only to the Tonga tribe but to the people who make a living selling arts and crafts at the Kariba resorts, they sell the stone carvings small and large some for display and some for necklaces.

In a sense the Nyaminyami still has an affect on the lives of the people living at Kariba and to the tourists who go to view the dam wall, they can see the wooden sculpture of the river god looking over the dam watching and waiting.