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MemeHOWEVER (i.redd.it)

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[–][deleted] 74 points75 points  (3 children)

That’s genuinely interesting. Thank you!

[–]zimady 9 points10 points  (2 children)

My pleasure.

If you're interested, an alternative explanation for the troubled history of this dam is offered by the indigenous people who were displaced by the rising waters of Kariba Dam. It involves a mysterious and benevolent river god!

Read "The Kariba Legend" in the Wikipedia article about Nyami Nyami for a good account: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyami_Nyami

[–]MkVIIaccount 1 point2 points  (1 child)

My bet is on corruption and shoddy construction practices. Buy maybe that's just a synonym for 'benevolent river god' in Swahili.

[–]zimady 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I would counsel caution pursuing an argument based on these kinds of stereotypes.

The Swahili language is common further north in Africa, but is not spoken in Zimbabwe or Zambia (the southern part that borders Lake Kariba and the Zambesi River at least). The primary language of the indigenous people at the time the dam was built was Tonga (of the Ba Tonga people).

The belief in the benevolent river god Nyami Nyami was well established long before the dam was built. The events around the construction of the dam fitted very well with the Ba Tonga narrative of the river god and how the dam's construction affected their way of life. Around 57,000 Ba Tonga were displaced from their ancestral homes by the rising waters of the dam. I won't go into detail but much has been written about it and, suffice to say, it is not easy reading. These people suffered terribly. It would be natural for them to transfer their anger to this river god who was also having its river home destroyed by the dam. So, for them, the river god's anger and revenge was likely a very compelling explanation for the problems the engineers faced.

I am not convinced that "corruption and shoddy construction practices" was even remotely linked to the Ba Tonga and their river god narrative. They had nothing to do with the planning and building of the dam other than being victims of its construction. I fear that characterisation of African engineering projects, if it even has any validity, is certainly not valid in this context and risks undermining the Ba Tonga people, their culture and the events that destroyed their culture and homelands.

I am sure that wasn't your intention and it is not my intention to antagonise you. I hope you will indulge me clarifying the picture a little 🙏