The Digo People

 

The Digo people, an indigenous ethnic group in East Africa, are primarily located along the coast of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. 

As a subgroup of the larger Mijikenda ethnic cluster, the Digo people have a distinct cultural identity and language. 

They’re renowned for their skilled craftsmanship, particularly in woodcarving and basketry.

Here’s a summary of the Digo people.

The Digo Family Structure

Traditionally, the Digo lived in large fortified villages. 

They were centered on a Kaya, a unit on top of the highest hill in the tribal area—a regular Digo family comprised of a father, mother, and children. 

When the sons marry, they can continue living with their families or form homesteads.

The Digo Clans

The Digo have a single set of named matrilineal clans known as Fuko. The Fuko gives individuals among the Digo identity and membership. 

Maternal kinship and clan ties are the most important; however, paternal relations were also acknowledged.

The paternal lineage ties are known as Mbari. The Mbari recognizes the family one belongs to and traces back no further than grandfathers. 

Fuko, the maternal line, is traced back to the ancestors and founders of the particular Fuko.

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The Digo Dialects 

The Digo speak the Digo language, called Chidigo, which is a Bantu language spoken in Tanzania.

The Digo Age Sets

Culturally, the Digo had a series of grades that people went through from childhood to adulthood. 

Circumcision of males was between the age of eight and twelve. After that, they were initiated into an age grade termed Rika. 

The Rika is a group of circumcised males ages eight to forty and over.

The older age set underwent an orientation ceremony where they were taught to conduct rituals and customs of the community. 

After that, they were considered the council of elders (kambi). Additionally, each Kaya was divided by age and descent, and the age set progressed from childhood to adulthood.

The age sets existed on two levels where every four years, boys were circumcised. The Rikas ruled in turns as the members progressed to other senior levels.

The Digo Naming System

Newborns among the Digo community were given names through a ceremony. Childbirth was a blessing and was considered an important event among the Digo. 

Naming was done weeks after birth and was preceded by clan elders or their grandparents.

A male child was named after the grandfather, while a girl was named after the grandmother. 

The names given had to be according to the clan in which the child was born. That ensured that the clan name was carried on to other generations.

The Digo Marriage/Courtship

Traditionally, marriage was in different forms, but each involved the payment of bride price. 

The dowry to be paid to the bride’s family was four cattle, two goats or sheep, and palm wine. 

The various marriage forms included; for one, the least expensive one was Nyambura. This type involved the least extensive rights of the husband to the wife. 

The wife maintained strong ties with her maternal kin and would return to them if the marriage failed. 

In this case, the husband was not guaranteed the return of the bride price. The children would often stay with their mother in case of a divorce and inherit land from their mother’s brother.

The second form of marriage was King’ombe, a more expensive form. The husband had exclusive rights over his wife and children. 

This form of marriage weakens the wife’s ties with her maternal kin, and she would return to her father if the marriage ended. 

The children would inherit property from their father. In case of a divorce, the children remain with their father if they’re old enough to be separated from their mother.

The last form of marriage is known as Harusi Chidzomba. Thar came to be as a result of Islamic influence. 

It is a marriage officiated by a Kadhi and is recognized by Islamic law. In this case, the husband has substantial rights over his wife and children. The children inherit from their father and are not dependent on their mother’s maternal kin.

Polygamy

Polygamy was not practiced mainly among the traditional Digo. It was acceptable in cases of divorce or barrenness. 

However, with the emergence of Islam culture, a man was allowed to marry up to four wives.

Gender Roles in Marriage

A man among the Digo was expected to provide for his family. He was entitled to ensure that his sons acquired land to inherit when they grew up. 

Digo women did all the work around the household. Women were excluded from kinship and religious issues.

Single Mothers, Widows, and Widowers

Culturally, a divorced or widowed wife would return to her father’s home. Widowers were allowed to marry again on their terms. 

Marriage was valued, and single motherhood was not allowed. Wife inheritance was compulsory, but according to what the widow would decide.

Divorce

Divorce was rare, but if it happened, the woman was expected to either remarry, return to her maternal home, or her father’s home so that she can be able to inherit the land.

Inheritance

Historically, the Digo were a matrilineal community. The land was inherited by matrilineal descent. 

However, with the influence of Islam, they have since adopted patrilineal principles. Land and property are now inherited matrilineally and patrilineally.

Death

Death among the Digo involved certain rituals to ensure the deceased's spirit was pleased. 

When a person died in the community, the head of the family at that particular time informed ritual elders. 

The body of the deceased was then taken and prepared for burial. Female elders took over preparing a woman’s dead body while men cared for the men.

The departed was buried a day after they died. The body was washed with herbal medicine; the hair was cut and finally anointed with special oil. 

People mourned but were not allowed to wail while the body was prepared for burial. They were only allowed to if the elder gave them a go-ahead.

A burial ceremony for a woman lasted four days, while a man's was five days. The bereaved family shaved off their heads as a sign of mourning. 

The remembrance ceremonies were done after a month or three and lasted the same days as the funeral ceremony.