Revamping Indigenous Tanzanian Games

By Caroline Uliwa

At the Rede Bonanza organized by Sports for Change
TZ on Don Bosco grounds in DSM, 2018

There’s a Swahili saying that goes ‘mcheza kwao hutunzwa’ loosely translating him/her who plays for home is nurtured. Ironically when it comes to those who are playing indigenous African games in Tanzania & much of the continent the nurture element has been missing for decades. As these sports aren’t given much focus where even the Olympics despite being a world frontier for sportsmanship, doesn’t recognise them. 

“At the moment, Africans have a poor record at the Olympics. The reason is partly that the games are alien to Africans. However, adopting African sports as Olympic Games will give them global recognition.”An excerpt from an article by Kelvin Gitari proposing which indigenous African games like Capoeira, should make it to the Olympics 8 Traditonal African Spoets that should be in the Olympics

Lucy Protas volunteering on Sports day
for Ubungo Primary School kids in DSM in recent years

“Not every child is an athlete but the experience of play for children is vital. They learn through it, make friends. That’s what sports did for me I learned discipline it made me feel like I belonged.” Lucy Protas Michael, shares how growing up she was always drawn to being active through play. Here she was recalling her primary school days playing with her friends at Yaeda Ampa Primary School in Manyara, Tanzania.

Lucy holds an honorary B.Ed in Physical Education and Sports Science with a PgD. in Sports Management; she is the founder of the NGO Sports for Change Tanzania SFCTZ. That in 2017 & 2018 ran a sports bonanza in Dar es Salaam for the indigenous Tanzanian game ‘rede’.  A bonanza they look to as well run later this year, in previous years they partnered with TGNP-Tanzania Gender Networking Program, UMATI & DOT Tanzania; allowing the sport to be a social agent in advocating for girls reproductive health. 

 An iconic stamp depicting Tanzanian's traditional game
Mdako, which is now ratified with rules by CHAMIJATA

 “I wanted women to engage in a sport that they liked and believed in...When we were growing up we loved playing ‘rede’ not because we were pushed but because we liked it. It was even seen as the fundamentals for allowing a child to walk, so why aren’t we doing it nowadays? We push our kids to play soccer, tennis, basketball but then we forget these native games.” Lucy affirmed. This bonanza saw more than 200 people participate in it at the Don Bosco grounds in Dar. This year SPFCTZ is looking to set it further in the suburbs of the city, so as to attract a more robust crowd.

It’s true in Dar es Salaam the biggest city in Tanzania, the number of kids exposed to these traditional games is dwindling. With the subliminal message of them being ‘less than’ perpetuated as schools particularly private schools where the affluent take their kids to, haven’t formalised these games. 

Mr Nguchiro standing next to a fellow traditional
Archer from kenya (lady with the bow & arrow)
forgive the resolution this is a photo of a still.

In the pan African community this mindset is quickly seen to stem from our colonial & enslaved past.  Touching base with Prof Nampombe Saurombe she is currently at the Department of Information Science, College of Human Sciences at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in Pretoria, herself an East African native. She shared how she’s recently been involved with research focusing on undocumented practices of people in African communities, one of the aspects being sports.

“The decolonization drive has been to make known that which was portrayed as inferior in the past. Western games have become more prominent in our African societies rather than our own traditional games. Many of these games were used by communities not only as a source of fun, but for unification and teaching life lessons. They carried important messages. It is worrying that their knowledge is slowly perishing and that these games might become extinct.” She shared this of her own convictions "I think it’s very important that these games are known and they actually don’t disappear. They should gain more prominence as we continue with our decolonisation & pan African efforts."

The Secretary General of CHAMIJATA
Mr John J Nguchiro at his offices in Ilala, DSM

There is hope as the government in Tanzania as of last year December, made significant changes in its association for indigenous sports in Tanzania-Chamijata. This following the request made by the late president Dk John P. Magufuli to the Ministry of Information, Arts Sports & Culture in following CCM’s election manifesto of 2005-2010. 

“After the meeting on the 3^rd of June 2020, we were told to work on our constitution so we did. And in December 2020 Chamijata’s constitution was ratified by the National Sports Council and its stakeholders under the Ministry of Sports...” Mr John J. Nguchiro the current secretary general of Chamijata shared this on the new directive of this association in revamping indigenous sports in the country.

Chamijata has so far developed the rules and regulations of eight indigenous sports to meet international standards which include:- Swahili Bao, Traditional Wrestling, Kirumbizi, Mdako, Grating Coconuts, Weaving Ukili and Tug of war. As well Archery using traditional bows & arrows from East Africa, a sport that Tanzania has participated in international tournaments in 2008 & 2010. Other indigenous sports Chamijata is working to develop & ratify include Nage, Rede and target shoots with ‘manati’. 

Lucy Protas Michael currently posing at
her job's premises at Oasis sports club
in Mbezi, DSM Photo by ISMAIL 

Speaking with Mr Nguchiro it was to learn that it’s Chamijata’s mandate to guide the ministry in ensuring these sports, are incorporated in the school syllabus. However the association faces many challenges including funding as well as recruiting members to take up leadership positions in its regional offices. “See our annual work plan isn’t going in accordance to plan as we need more members. For here in Dar es Salaam and the Pwani region it’s easy. I myself have gone to meet with the Administrative Secretary of Pwani, he took me to the Education Officer dealing with sports, who then took me to the Sports Officer. They have understood and they have the request forms to recruit committee leaders for Chamijata in Pwani.”

In their work plan this year Chamijata looks to host games in October when the nation remembers its founding president, Hon Julius K. Nyerere in Dodoma. Athletes interested to play can submit their request at Chamijata offices (Ilala, DSM) National Sports Council TZ through their clubs or individually. The late president Nyerere was an avid player of the Swahili Bao, Chamijata looks to invite his wife as well former President Hon Hassan A. Mwinyi, to the games this October. Plans of which won’t succeed if concrete support isn’t poured into this association and its mandates.

The late first president of TZ Hon Mwalimu Nyerere (2nd right)
playing Swahili Baowhile his wife & former president
Hon Hassan Mwinyi follow with keen interest

Lucy Protas reminded me that sport is a billion dollar industry, with opportunities ranging from production of its tools, establishing and marketing of its rules & regulations to training of its mentors and the recruiting of its athletes. It fairs in pushing for these indigenous games the missing common thread, is our individual lack of conviction in their importance. Yet as the late president Hon Julius K Nyerere said “A country without its culture is a nation without direction, culture is the nation’s heart & mirror...”

n.b. This article was first published in The Daily News paper in Tanzania with this link indigenous games should be enhanced in TZ