The Basilwizi of Hwange
While Hwange is often viewed through the lens of the Nambya dynasty or the Ndebele state, the story of the region is incomplete without the Basilwizi - the People of the Great River. Known globally as the Tonga, their presence in the Hwange and broader Matabeleland North region is not merely a result of migration but an ancient, riverine civilization that resides across modern borders. To understand the community of Hwange, one must look past the standard narratives of displacement and see the Tonga for their sophisticated social structures and distinct cultural technologies.
The identity of the Tonga is anchored in the Kasambabezi - their name for the Zambezi River, meaning "those who know the river." While the 1957 construction of the Kariba Dam and the subsequent forced resettlement under Operation Noah is the most cited event in their history, overlooking their pre-colonial sovereignty is a mistake. Historically, the Tonga were never centralised under a single paramount chief, a deliberate political choice that confused colonial administrators. Instead, they operated as an equal alliance of independent lineages, or cisi, led by spiritual and community leaders like Chief Pashu, Chief Saba and Chief Siachilaba. In the Hwange district today, specifically in the north-western wards near Jambezi and spilling over from Binga, this decentralised structure remains a pillar of their resilience, prioritising consensus over autocracy.
Culturally, the Tonga possess one of the most complex musical traditions in Southern Africa: the Ngoma Buntibe. Often mistaken as simple celebratory drumming, Ngoma Buntibe is actually a sophisticated form of mass communication. The ensemble involves dozens of men blowing horn trumpets (nyele) of varying pitches, interlocking to create a "melody of the ancestors" that can signal funeral rites, spiritual ceremonies or community alerts. It is less a song and more a sonic coordinated system that defines Tonga culture. This music is frequently accompanied by the kuyando dance, a rhythmic expression of sorrow and solidarity that binds the community during times of mourning or the Lwiindi festivals - ceremonies giving thanks for the harvest and rain.
Perhaps the most visually distinct but misunderstood aspect of Tonga life in Hwange is the tradition of nchelwa (pipe) smoking among women. Far from a casual habit, the smoking of the bubbling calabash pipe is a symbol of matriarchal dignity and senior status within the homestead. It reflects a society where women hold significant spiritual and domestic authority, often serving as the custodians of the Mhondoro (lion spirits) or rain-calling rituals. Their craftsmanship is not merely decorative. The intricate nongo baskets, woven from the Ilala palm found in the Hwange vleis, are engineering marvels. Unlike the broader weaving styles of the region, a true Tonga basket is woven with such mathematical precision that it can hold water, a vital technology for a people historically living on the floodplains.
Today, the Tonga in Hwange are active custodians of a heritage that challenges the "big kingdom" history of Zimbabwe. Whether through the preservation of the ChiTonga language in local schools or the continued reverence for the Nyami Nyami (River God) even far from the water's edge, the Basilwizi remind us that culture is fluid. To visit Hwange and ignore the Tonga is to miss the rhythm of the land itself, a rhythm beaten out on the Ngoma drums, echoing a history that refuses to be silenced.