Tonga community joined in mourning

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Created: Saturday, 22 August 2009 11:38

The two Tonga groups of musicians, Simonga from Siachilaba in Binga district in Zimbabwe and Maliko from Sinazongwe in Zambia, who formed a joint ensemble as one of the highlights of Parade at Linz 2009 Cultural Capital of Europe in May are going to continue their collaboration across the waters of Lake Kariba.

Unfortunately this years visit and performances at the annual thanksgiving Lwiindi ceremony end of July at the Malende site in Sinazongwe was overcast by the mourning for the late Jonah Syamenga Syankondo.

He was the "keeper of the shrine" and brother to Chief Sinazongwe and died shortly prior to the festive weekend. Therefore the Lwiindi ceremony was called off and the burial held instead with Simonga joining not only the sorrow but also the Ngoma Buntibe performances outside the morgue and on the way to the burial site. Actually the Tonga community is sharing and caring across the River mulonga.

read from the report of Sengamo Ndlovu:

Sinazongwe.Online / Re: Burial of the "keeper of the shrine"
on: August 05 2009
Started by sengamozm - Last post by sengamozm

Dear all,

Find a brief report on the Lwiindi and its cancellation. I will be documenting the processes of burying a person with the Malende spirit, which is different from a "normal" persons burial.

Warm regards, Sengamo

The lwiindi ceremony in Sinazongwe, Zambia came to an abrupt end due to the death of the keeper of the Shrines. The” Keeper of the Shrines” who happened to be a brother to Chief Sinazongwe, died on Saturday, 1st of August in the morning.

He had been complaining of a headache and some pains on his left back and chest since Friday. Up to sixteen chiefs were expected at the Lwiindi Maliko ceremony but some had to turn back on the way after receiving news of the death. “The ceremony cannot go on as he was the keeper of the shrines and carried the spirit that goes along with the job” said Chief Sinazongwe. This means that the next ceremony will be next year when a replacement has been found. Chief Siachilaba and Simonga from Binga, Zimbabwe had travelled for the ceremony together with the District Administrator of Binga District and the Artistic and Communications Manager of Tonga.Online, Sengamo Ndlovu.

The Funeral will be on Wednesday, 5th August and Simonga, together with Sengamo have remained to help in the burial of the late Chiefs brother. Only Chief Sinazongwe and his sister now remain in the family as one of the chiefs sisters died last year.

Sengamo's reporting continues:

After the death of the keeper of the shrine, Jonah Syamenga Syankondo on Saturday morning the Lwiindi ceremony was called off. The burial is set for today and, as I write, the convoy is on its way to Maamba to collect the body at the morgue. The late was a brother to Chief Sinazongwe...

The procession of seven vehicles is reaching Maamba now. The coffin is in one vehicle accampanied by close relatives and spirit mediums. One truck is carrying a buntibe group that started playing on arrival of the coffin in the late mans home...

As some men wash the body of the late Jonah, the Syanumba buntibe group is performing outside the morgue. They will continue all the way back to the burial site where they will be joined by sinazongwe buntibe group joined by Simonga of Siachilaba, Zimbabwe...

The body has been washed and placed in the coffin, inclined slightly to face left. After placement in the coffin, we were asked to leave and the doors closed.