The Rwa or Meru sometimes Rwo (Wameru in Swahili) are a Bantu ethnic and linguistic group based on the south and eastern slopes of Mount Meru in Meru District of the Arusha Region of Tanzania, the Rwa population is estimated to number 198,000. They are culturally and linguistically related to the Chagga.
Overview Except for their shared Bantu linguistic group membership, the Wameru have no kinship links with the Ameru people of Kenya. The Wameru have a population of roughly 198,000 people as of 2015. The Meru have been active in intense agriculture and currently live on Mount Meru's southern and eastern slopes. The Meru are frequently referred to as 'Varwa,' which means 'those who climb' in the Kimeru language. 94 percent of the Meru are Christians (75 percent are Protestants and 25 percent are Catholics), and 3 percent are Muslims.
History When the Arusha first came on the slopes of Mount Meru in the 1830s, the Wameru were already there. In the 1830s, the Wameru also created the Arusha township. The Meru kept the name of one of their leaders, Rari II (also known as Ndemi), who ruled until 1887. The leader made substantial contributions to the economy, particularly agriculture, by introducing new crops such as millet, maize, and bananas. He popularized pottery and iron crafts.
In 1896, punitive expeditions were conducted by the German colonizers against both Arusha and Meru, during which a great number of Arusha and Meru were slain, their cattle confiscated, and banana groves were burned down to make way for European farmers. This land was soon colonized by Afrikaners who moved from South Africa. With the establishment of British colonial administration in 1916, the Wameru began to actively expand their towns and farms in the surrounding area, thereby expanding their agricultural crop planting area.Coffee had been the most profitable agricultural product for Meru farmers by the 1920s. They also cultivated bananas, maize, and beans.
Language The Kimeru language, spoken by the Meru, is a Bantu language that is closely connected to one of the dialects of the Chagga language of West Kilimanjaro. The Meru are culturally and linguistically related to the Chagga. According to most analysts, this similarity is not by chance: a historically large number of Wameru clans believed themselves the descendants of Machame and Siha/Ng'uni groupings affiliated with the Chagga ethnic community. One version claims that approximately 400 years ago, inhabitants from the Machame area traveled away from the Kilimanjaro slopes and toward Mount Meru.
Society Traditionally, the Meru are an example of a patriarchal society. The patriarchy, or institutionalized male domination over women and children in the household and society, was the norm for them. The Meru are organized according to the traditional clan structure, with 26 clans. Most experts assume that the bulk of Meru clans are descended from the Chagga, with only a few clans having Maasai ancestors, such as Pallangyo, Nko, and Sikawa.
The four most senior Meru clans all claim Shambaa ancestry (Mbise, Kaaya, Akyoo, and Sumari), while the rest of the Bantu origin clans are Chagga (Ndosi, Nanyaro, Urio, and Nasari). Researchers believe that the high-status clans purposefully insist on a non-Chagga origin. In this way, they attempt to distinguish themselves from the politically dominant and numerous Chagga neighbors. In this setting, the Mbise, Kaaya, and Sumari regard the Machame as sibling groups rather than ancestors.
Each Meru clan is said to be descended from a common ancestor, who was often an earlier inhabitant on Mount Meru's slopes. As a result, each part of Meruland has been identified with and named after a prominent and respected ancestor. Poli, Urisho, Sura, Sing'isi, Mulala, Nkoaranga, Nsupo, Ndati, Kimundo, Ndoombo, Akeri, Ikona, and Nkoanrua are some of the current localities.
Each region is affiliated with a specific clan. Poli, for example, is the home of the Sumari clan, whereas Kimundo is the home of the Kaaya. Although most clans live in a specific area of Meruland, certain clans may not have their own territory and may be distributed around the country. Two clans are used as examples: Urio and Kitomari.
Additionally, each Meru clan has been given a certain set of skills and tasks to accomplish for the public. Members of the clan Mbise, for example, were said to have the magical power of diviners and rainmakers (this clan occupied the highest place in the Meru's social system). The men of the Kaaya clan inherited political power and magical might, while the members of the Sarajija clan had life-giving power and their blessing offered security for dwellings and gardens.
The Maasai clan Sikawa was associated with blacksmiths and represented one of the lowest rung of the social hierarchy. It is worth noting that the blacksmith clan in the pastoralist Datoga society holds a similar low social rank. The Meru clan structure is currently progressively being dismantled. This is a result of the state strategy of Julius Nyerere's government in the 1960s, which was largely aimed at creating an unified Tanzanian country with a common language (Swahili) and cultural traditions.
Conflict with the Warusha The relationship between Bantu Meru clans and Arusha (Maasai) groups intensified beginning in the mid-nineteenth century. According to historical records, the Arusha came on the slopes of Mount Arusha when the Meru people had already established around Mount Meru. The Arusha people settled in the valley south of Mount Kilimanjaro and farmed cattle and corn. The Arusha, who lived close to Mount Meru, actively assaulted their neighbors, stealing their herds and enslaving them. The Meru attempted to repel military assaults by establishing their own military structures. By the end of the nineteenth century, the Meru and Arusha had developed an ethnic identity.
Traditional lifestyle Because of the exceptional fertility of the local soil, Meruland is now characterized by high human density and agricultural specialization. Bananas, mangoes, avocados, coffee, tomatoes, legumes, and grains such as maize, rice, millet, and sorghum are grown on modern Meru. In addition, due to a severe dearth of grazing area, the Meru now have a limited number of animals. However, the Wameru kept enormous herds of cattle on the open pasture in the late nineteenth century. The shift in land use priorities can be explained by the early twentieth-century switch to cultivating a variety of products for sale (mainly coffee).
A farm ('kihamba') is a farmhouse of a single family that runs on the labor of its members. The soil of the household is not just used for agriculture; a portion of the land can be occupied by trees that provide wood for construction and fuel for the fire. Historically, the Meru erected spherical dwellings covered in banana leaves, but such houses are now rare in Meruland. The majority of the Meru live in masonry houses with galvanized iron sheet roofs.
The land in the homestead is passed down through the male line from father to son. Simultaneously, the youngest son gets the family household, comprising the parents' house and the majority of the land plot, while the elder sons take their land plots and must start from scratch to build a house and arrange the economy. When the father grows older, the eldest son must assume parental obligations and care for the younger children. The junior son never leaves his father's house and must care for his parents till they die.
Daughters also receive a dowry from their parents in the form of small and large animals, which the woman, her husband, and children can utilize after marriage. However, in polygamous families, cattle ownership and use is restricted to the woman and her progeny. Among the Datoga, similar rituals of acquiring animals for a woman are observed.
Family Polygamy has long been practiced among the Meru. Polygamous males had more children, which meant more laborers to manage more land. Women in polygamous families are also in a better position because all women share the workload and care for the children. As a result, polygamous families are wealthier and better off. According to Meru traditions, a male can have as many wives as he can support. His first wife later assists him in choosing subsequent wives.
All of the wives recognize her dominant position. At the same time, all children in a polygamous family receive an equal share of the inheritance (with the exception of the youngest son, who inherits the house and his father's land).
The Meru polygamous household has a separate house for the father (which is an analogue of said male house) where the father and each wife's grown-up boys live, as well as separate houses for each wife where women live with young children. Boys move to their father's house at the age of 10, while girls remain in their mother's house until they marry. The mother's status in Meru society was traditionally fairly high. The Meru, on the other hand, exclusively rewarded women who had three or more children.
Clothing was used to symbolize this transition: following the birth of her third child, a lady switches from a short fringed leather skirt to a long skirt made of long leather stripes.
Birth Traditionally, the birth takes place in the woman's home, with the assistance of a specially trained midwife. While resting on the bed, the woman gives birth. Disposable razors are used to cut the cord (special knife in the past). The afterbirth is buried near the bed in the ground. The average time between births is two to three years.
The birth ceremony is required. First, the woman's mother-in-law pays her a visit. She brings goodies such as milk and butter. Then her neighbors come to see her. They produce loud hooting sounds as they approach the house, indicating global joy. As a result, the entire district learns about a new member of society. A youngster is given a small quantity of mashed fried banana two to three days after birth.
Breast-fed babies live for one to one and a half years. During this moment, a child is sleeping in the same bed as his mother. According to Meru tradition, a kid must receive the name of a recently deceased family member, but the true name must be kept hidden from others.
Justice Family violence may occur among the Meru. A husband can beat his wife, but society does not condone it. In this scenario, a lady has the right to seek assistance from the elders. The assembled assembly of village elders will summon husband and wife to explain the reasons for their wrongdoing. Typically, the husband will pay a penalty to his wife.
The woman's relatives (father or brothers) will insist that her husband be punished. When her own relatives are far away, a woman may seek assistance from neighborhood elders or her husband's relatives. The Meru people's last Constitution, based on customary law, has a provision that expands female rights. It is specifically mentioned that if her husband drives her out of the house, she has the right to claim her husband's land or that her husband's clan must supply her with a piece of land. Furthermore, if her husband commits major physical abuse, he must pay a monetary punishment in the form of livestock.
Traditional education Both parents educate their children in accordance with the gender principle. The mother teaches girls, while the father teaches boys. Parents have the authority to discipline their children for a variety of infractions by using a stick (rod) or just slapping with their hand. However, certain guidelines must be followed: if the father is there, the punishment may be carried out alone by him. In his absence, the mother has the authority to discipline her children for wrongdoing. However, fathers cannot reprimand grown-up females because it is completely forbidden for the father to touch her. In this situation, the penalty is carried by the mother.
Initiation rites