__NOTOC__ The Ha, also called (''Waha'' in Swahili) or Abaha, are a

Bantu Bantu may refer to: *Bantu languages, constitute the largest sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages *Bantu peoples, over 400 peoples of Africa speaking a Bantu language * Bantu knots, a type of African hairstyle * Black Association for Nationa ...

ethnic group found in

Kigoma Region Kigoma Region (''Mkoa wa Kigoma'' in Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The regional capital is the city of Kigoma. Kigoma Region borders Kagera Region, Geita Region, Katavi Region, Tabora Region, DRC and Burundi Accordin ...

in northwestern

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

bordering

Lake Tanganyika Lake Tanganyika () is an African Great Lake. It is the second-oldest freshwater lake in the world, the second-largest by volume, and the second-deepest, in all cases after Lake Baikal in Siberia. It is the world's longest freshwater lake. T ...

.Ha people
Tanzania In 2001, the Ha population was estimated to number between 1 and 1.5 million, making them one of the largest ethnic groups in ethnically diverse Tanzania.Languages of Tanzania
/ref> Their language is a Bantu language, and is called the

Ha language Ha, also known with the Bantu language prefix as ''Giha, Igiha,'' or ''Kiha,'' is a Bantu language spoken by the Ha people of the Kigoma Region of Tanzania, spoken on the eastern side of Lake Tanganyika up to the headwaters of the Mikonga. It i ...

, also called ''Kiha'', ''Ikiha'' or ''Giha''. It is closely related to the

Kirundi Kirundi, also known as Rundi, is a Bantu language spoken by some 9 million people in Burundi and adjacent parts of Rwanda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, as well as in Kenya. It is the official language of Burundi. ...

and

Kinyarwanda Kinyarwanda, Rwandan or Rwanda, officially known as Ikinyarwanda, is a Bantu language and a dialect of the Rwanda-Rundi language that is spoken in Rwanda and adjacent parts of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda (where ther ...

spoken in neighbouring

Burundi Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French: ''République du Burundi'' ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the junction between the African Gr ...

and

Rwanda Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...

, and belongs to the Niger-Congo family of languages.

Society and culture

The Ha people call the lake bordering the area they live in as Buha, and the region consists of grasslands and open woodlands. The Ha people share the northwestern part of Tanzania with the Sukuma, the Haya, the

Zinza The Zinza are a Bantu ethnolinguistic group from the southwestern Islands on Lake Victoria, Tanzania. The Zinza people also lived on the shores of Geita Region and Mwanza Region. In 1987, the Zinza population was estimated to number 138,00 See als ...

, the

Hangaza The Hangaza are a Bantu ethnolinguistic group based in Kagera Region in northwestern Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the Africa ...

and the Subi ethnic groups. The Ha people grow sorghum, millet, corn (maize), cassava, yams, peanuts and other crops. Wherever the

tse tse fly Tsetse ( , or ) (sometimes spelled tzetze; also known as tik-tik flies), are large, biting flies that inhabit much of tropical Africa. Tsetse flies include all the species in the genus ''Glossina'', which are placed in their own family, Glo ...

problem is minor, the Ha people raise cattle, goats and other livestock that are highly valued in Ha society and gifted at marriage. In the northern parts of their territories, where the tse tse fly problem is significant, they hunt and gather honey.

Kingdoms

Historically, the Ha were considered politically as one tribe, divided into the Following small kingdoms Based on two districts;

Kasulu District Kasulu District is one of the 8 districts of Kigoma Region, Tanzania. The Kasulu District is the rural district council to the Kasulu Town Council which separated from the Kasulu District Council in 2011. It is bordered to the north by Burun ...

: Heru, Kunkanda, Nkalinzi or Bujiji and Bushingo Kingdoms.

Kibondo District Kibondo District is one of the six districts of Kigoma Region, Tanzania. It is bordered to the north by the Kakonko District, to the east by the Tabora Region, to the south by the Uvinza District, to the west by the Kasulu District and to ...

: Muhambwe Kingdom and Banyingu Kingdom. They use a common language and have similar cultural customs. Bujiji was geographically separated from Kasulu District and became part of Kigoma District. According to the 1948 Tanganyika census, the Ha were the third largest tribe in Tanganyika Territory.

Social structure

The Ha people live in dispersed homes, typically as a joint family whose male members are related by their lineage. Since about the 18th century, the

Tutsi The Tutsi (), or Abatutsi (), are an ethnic group of the African Great Lakes region. They are a Bantu-speaking ethnic group and the second largest of three main ethnic groups in Rwanda and Burundi (the other two being the largest Bantu ethnic g ...

people have lived among the Ha people, but as a small minority (2%), but typically in an aristocratic role. The two ethnic groups substantially share language and culture and there is some intermarriage. The Ha women share some cultural traditions with neighboring ethnic groups, such as wearing the Kitindi, or coiled bracelets made of copper wire worn near the elbow. The Ha people are animists who revere their ancestors as well as nature spirits. Their traditional religion includes ''Imana'' deity as their supreme being and creator. They have witnessed Islamic missionary activity from the Arabs since the pre-colonial era and Christian missionary activity during the German and British colonial era thereafter from Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, and others. In later years, many men from the Ha people have gone to the Tanzanian coast to work at

sisal Sisal (, ) (''Agave sisalana'') is a species of flowering plant native to southern Mexico, but widely cultivated and naturalized in many other countries. It yields a stiff fibre used in making rope and various other products. The term sisal may ...

plantations there.

Notable Ha people

Ali Kiba Ali Saleh Kiba (born 1986), best known as Ali Kiba or sometimes King Kiba, is a Tanzanian singer and songwriter. He is from Kigoma and the owner of Kings Music label. Ali Kiba released his album ''Cinderella'' which broke record as the best- ...

Diamond Platnumz Nasibu Abdul Juma Issack (born 2 October 1989), popularly known by his stage name Diamond Platnumz, is a Tanzanian bongo flava recording artist, dancer, philanthropist and a businessman of Ha heritage. He is the founder and CEO of WCB Wasafi ...

Literature

* J.H. Scherer, ''Marriage and Bride-Wealth in the Highlands of Buha (Tanganyika)''. Diss. Utrecht University, 1965.

References

External links

Ethnologue entry for Ha

Official government report on Kigoma region containing information on the Ha
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ha People Ethnic groups in Tanzania Indigenous peoples of East Africa