PICTURE: VaRemba representative in Checheche Mr Guvukuvu Muvindi Musoni
THE VaRemba people may be described as an ethnic group spread in Southern Africa but commonly found in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa. The VaRemba people are also called VaMwenye, VaSena and Black Jews although some scholars are comfortable with the term Muslim than Jews.
The VaRemba people’s forefathers are believed to have originated in Yemen and Oman. This is said to have happened approximately 2,500 years ago when a group of Jews left Judea probably for trading and settled in Yemen. There, they built a city which they called Sena. They became to be known as VaSena (the people from Sena).
When condition didn’t permit, the Sena people left Yemen for Africa. Under the leadership of Suleiman (now Seremani) and Zaid (now Saidi), the Jews are believed to have travelled by sea using the monsoon trade winds to their advantage. While some scholars suggest that the VaRemba people praise name of Musoni might have something to do with the pre-Islamic sect of Sunni, others think that Musoni is a corruption of Monsoon.
On arrival in Africa, the Sena people split into two groups; one which is believed to have settled in Ethiopia and the other group to have settled in present day Tanzania/Kenya. The groups later moved into southern Africa. In Mozambique, they established a settlement in Sofala which they also named Sena.
In Zimbabwe the VaRemba people are found in Mberengwa as Mposi, in Gutu as Hamandishe and Chekure, in Hwedza as Mutangadura, in Buhera as Chatora, in Masvingo as Majiri and Tadzembwa, in Nyanga as Katerere and in Chimanimani as Chikukwa.
The group of Zaid is represented by Mposi's people and the group of Seremani is represented by VaMwenye and VaSoni. While the two groups might claim Musoni as their collective identity and the Zhou totem whose animal is the mouse/rat (similarity of Zhou [elephant] and the rat being their long noses), the VaRemba are divided into several clans and sub clans which include Hasani, Hamisi, Mari, Sadiki, Madi, Bakari, Duma, Chidima, Nemanga, Ngabi, Tobakare, Sharifu, Hadzi, Fadji, Hwesa and Beta. It’s only the Beta people whose totem animal is Ishwa (flying ants), Chikukwa in Chimanimani as their chief and common surname as Dhliwayo.
The traditions
This publication spoke to Mr Guvukuvu Muvindi, one of the VaRemba people who reside at Checheche Growth Point in Chipinge South. On his identity, Mr Muvindi said: “I’m a Musoni, the original Mbeva. My mother is a Seremani. We hail from Chitsa in Gutu. Hamandishe is our leadership.”
On their common tradition, Mr Muvindi was quick to point out that VaRemba people are very strict on diet and marriage. “We don’t eat meat that is not slaughtered by one of our own. In fact, designated people usually do the slaughtering and hold certain rituals when doing so. The animal’s throat has to be slit and its blood left to ooze out. After that it doesn’t matter if a non-Remba person helps in the preparation of the meat. Above all, we don’t eat pork and all other animals forbidden in the Torah or Old Testament of the Bible,” continued the Musoni off-spring.
“We are not encouraged to marry outside the VaRemba people. This is done to preserve our identity. The other practice that we value is circumcision. A male has to be circumcised before he graduates into manhood,” echoed Mr Muvindi.
The doctors
Speculation is very high that the VaRemba were good in medicine. The Hamisi and Sadiki clans are said to have been experts in medicine that during the period of 1870 to 1894, they were revered doctors in King Lobengula’s empire. It is also believed that the VaRemba had medicinal expertise on the Shona people that led the VaShona christen the medicinal practice “ChiRemba.” Even a clinical doctor is referred as a "chiremba" in modern day Shona society.
VaRemba and tourism
The VaRemba people are linked to tourist attractions in Zimbabwe. The Great Zimbabwe ruins in Masvingo, Nyanga Terraces in Nyanga and the artifact Ngoma Lungundu found at a museum in Harare are all linked to the VaRemba history.
A lot of controversy surrounds whether the VaRemba participated in the construction of Zimbabwe’s greatest national monument, the Great Zimbabwe. Some scholars suggest that the VaRemba were the originators of monument that’s why it’s conical tower and chevrons resemble Arab type decorative patterns. Other scholars argue that only Shona groups built it without the VaRemba. Finally, some think the VaRemba came to Great Zimbabwe at a later date and were incorporated into the building possibly as designers, architects and builders of stone structures.
The Zaid group of VaRemba people is believed to be the builders of VaHwesa’s Nyanga Terraces (Katerere), another tourist attraction in Manicaland Province.
The VaRemba in Zimbabwe claim to be the rightful owners of an artifact which is being kept at a museum in Harare which is called Ngoma Lungundu. While the VaRemba people claim that the Ngoma Lungundu is the “original” biblical ark that was lost in Jerusalem, some scholars feel that it is just replica of the ark. Whatever it is, the artifact is a tourist attraction. Commenting on the artifact, Mr Muvindi said: “We grew up being taught that a sacred drum was brought here by our forefathers. I haven’t seen the “ark” myself but I am eager to see it one day. It’s a tourist attraction in its own right.”
The VaRemba people contribute to the tourism of Zimbabwe.