What is the Nyami-Nyami? A legend for all and activities for kids

The Zambezi river is one of Africa's biggest rivers.  It flows all the way from Zambia, then goes through Angola, along the borders of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe and then to Mozambique and into the Indian Ocean.  

On the river there is a dam called the Kariba dam - you will find it between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The Tonga people believe that there lives a spirit of a traditional god .  They call him Nyami-nyami and he is also known as the Zambezi River God or Zambesi Snake Spirit.

                   

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Nyami-nyami is believed to protect the Tonga people and give them help in difficult times.  Nyami-nyami is described as having a body of a twisting snake and the head of a fish.

A lot of people make jewelry, or wood carvings or carvings and jewelry from stone or bone with this image.  It is worn as a good luck charm.

The Tonga people believe the building of the Kariba Dam in the 1950's upset the Nyami-nyami because the dam wall separated him from his wife.

There were regular floods and many accidental deaths during the time of the dam construction and it is believed it was caused by his anger.

The Tonga people believe that after the dam was completed, the Nyami-nyami withdrew from the world of humans and that is the reason why a lot of people these days have bad luck.

Complete the activities

• Find a map of Africa - find all the countries on the map mentioned in the piece and also see where the Zambezi river flows?
• Do you think this is a true story?  Why do you say that and what do we call these types of stories?
• Read the extra information on the Nyami-nyami on http://www.the-safari-guys.com/nyaminyami.htm
• watch the video on the legend of Nyami-nyami

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• Try and re-tell the legend of Nyami-nyami to your friend - if you cannot remember and have to watch the video again, do that.
• Find your own information on the Tonga people - where do they live, what do they wear, traditional food and believes.  Read it or make a collage of this interesting tribe.