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The Chagga people currently live on the southern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
Renowned for their agricultural expertise and vibrant cultural traditions, the Chagga have a rich history that dates back centuries.
They are known for successfully cultivating crops such as bananas, coffee, and various vegetables, taking advantage of the fertile volcanic soils of their mountainous region.
Here’s a brief history of the Chagga people.
Chagga Family Structure
The traditional Chagga people were family-oriented. They lived together on household land under the leadership of a man.
A typical Chagga home had a husband, wives, and their children. Wives had their own houses where they lived with their daughters and sons.
The husband had his hut as did his older sons. Each wife had an average of six children, and sons were of great importance for the continuation of the lineage
Chagga Clans
The ancient Chagga had up to 400 different clans, but some of them faded away, and only a few were recognized.
The different clans were ruled by chiefs (mangis).
Examples of the clan’s names include:
Moshi
Chao
Shao
Shayo
Mashayo Swai
Marealle
Lvimo
Mrema.
Chagga Dialects
The Chagga speak Kichagga which differs in dialect between the different Chagga regions.
However, despite the difference in dialect, they perfectly understand each other.
Chagga Age Sets
After the circumcision was when a man could identify with an age group, circumcision among the Chagga had no specific age, and they circumcised them during cooler months from June to August.
Those circumcised were referred to as Mangati, and they formed a generational ‘Rika’. The ‘rikas’ included Kimakamaka (youth), Mbarinoti (elders) and Merisho (old men).
Naming System
Traditionally, the Chagga naming was according to the decision of the clan. The first name was that which was given at home.
These names were used to connect children with their paternal and maternal lineages. More so, they were commonly used within the family and members of the village.
Children were also named after their circumstances at birth. These names became the personal names of the child.
Additionally, the baby was also named after calamities or after good times in the community.
The first son was often called after the paternal grandfather, and the second after the maternal grandfather.
Subsequently, children were occasionally named after other ancestors.
A young man chose his new name, called a ‘warrior name’ that his peers used. However, his parents continued using his original name.
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Marriage/Courtship
Traditionally, the Chagga marriage ceremony was a procedure that lasted a lifetime since dowry was paid as long as the bride was married.
After circumcision, a Chagga man was allowed to marry. Marriage was most of the time arranged by the parents.
However, the boy and girl were still allowed to voice their opinion. In other situations, the boy was expected to woo a lady to marry her.
Courtship involved gift-giving. A man would gift a girl with a necklace, and in return, the girl would dance naked all day for him.
The two will then continue gifting each other while the girl was expected to visit all her relatives.
After that, she was taken away for three months, where she was fed and treated nicely. Later, the dowry was paid.
A man was required to choose his best man who oversaw the whole marriage ceremony.
The best man was an important person in that in times of marriage conflicts among the couple, he acted as a mediator.
A ceremony was performed to mark the marriage, and later the bride was carried by the best man to her new husband’s house.
Polygamy
Chagga men were traditionally allowed to have more than one wife. However, they were to ensure that the wives were provided equally.
Gender Roles in Marriage
A Chagga man was required to feed domestic animals, build houses, hunt, and work on the farm.
A wife was responsible for taking care of the household, cooking, and raising children. The husband provided leadership in the family and also ensured their security.
Divorce
Divorce among traditional Chagga was uncommon, but it was possible. It was permitted on grounds such as adultery and prostitution.
Adultery was treated with much contempt, and those found went through punishment.
Inheritance
Chagga society followed the patrilineal rules of descent and inheritance. Only men were allowed to inherit land and wealth from a deceased person. Women did not customary inherit land.
Death
The Chagga people had different rituals that took place when a person died. Those married were buried in huts.
If a man died, he was buried in his senior wife’s hut under the milk store. The corpse was buried seated or lying facing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Family members would then shave their heads on the third day after the burial. The wealth of the deceased was then distributed.
After two years, the remains of the deceased were removed and taken to a sacred place in a banana grove.
Those unmarried children were not accorded a decent burial. The unmarried and childless bodies were put in the bushes together with their belongings. Children and the youth were placed in the banana grove (graveyard).
They offered animal sacrifices on the day of the burial. They would cover the corpse with the sacrificed bulls’ hide and place the body facing Mount Kilimanjaro.
They solely believed that the mountain was connected to the afterlife. Sacrifices would continue for nine days as they drank traditional beer.
After the sacrifices, it was presumed that the soul had finally crossed into the spirit world.
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