Mahale Mountains National Park | Summary of Resource Base

4. NEIGHBOURING COMMUNITIES AND
ANTHROPOLOGICAL HISTORY
The anthropological history of the Mahale peninsula and hinterland is one of
successive waves of immigration from across the lake in Congo, south from the
Malagarasi River basin and north from Ufipa and northern Zambia (Hatchel, 1941).
In most cases, the immigrants either conquered or absorbed the inhabitants they
found in the area.
Until 1974 the Baholoholo or Wasowa people inhabited many parts of the Mahale
Peninsula. These people came from what is now the DRC 16 generations ago, having
been driven out by the Wemba tribe who were being driven north by the Angoni. The
Baholoholo drove the original inhabitants, the Wamahare (Wanyakungwe) from the
lake shore up into the Mahale Mountains and later absorbed them entirely (Hatchel,
1941).
The area to the south and east of Mahale from the Lubugwe to Karema and inland to
Katavi, was formerly known as Ubende or Ukabende. The people of this area
originated from Congo or came south from the Malagarasi Valley (Hatchel, 1928).
The area north of Ubende and east of Mahale was known as Tongwe and was
inhabited by the Waganza and Wagalawa people, who also came across the lake
from Congo around the same time as the Baholoholo.
In 1925 when the British Administration established governmental control over
Tongwe and Ubende, there were dozens of small chieftainships in the area and no
cohesive tribal identity. This has changed considerably, and today the Baholoholo,
Waganza and Wagalawa speak a common language know as Tongwe and are
collectively know as the Watongwe. However, dialectal differences are still evident in
slightly different names and/or pronunciations used for animals and plants in
disparate parts of Mpanda and Kigoma districts inhabited by Tongwe speaking
people.
In more recent times, members of the Bembe, Tabwa, Ha, and Sukuma tribes have
also immigrated into the area searching for favourable land and well-stocked fishing
grounds, or fleeing military conflicts.
Legends of the Mahale Mountains
A chief called Mkungwe once quarrelled with his son, Lubadyu, and in his rage,
picked him up and threw him across the lake. Lubadyu disintegrated when he fell, so
his form can be seen in the Lubadyu Mountains, but not his shape. Mkungwe, tired
from his exertion, lay down to rest and never rose again, forming Mt Nkungwe and
the other Mahale Mountains. It is said that from the north one can clearly see the
shape of Mkungwe reclining, his head positioned towards the water, his knees raised
and his hands clasped across his stomach.
The notch that is visible in Mkungwe’s head was cleaved by another tempestuous
son, Katavi. In return for disfiguring him, Mkungwe banished Katavi to the east,
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