Dr. Awuor PONGE |
| Special thanks to the Global leadership of EvalIndigenous, Dr. Fiona Cram and Serge Eric Yakeu-Djiam for the guidance throughout this development and to my various friends and academics who have gone through the article and given their feedback, to refine the article to its present published status. I also acknowledge the general guidance from EvalPartners Network, under which EvalIndigenous works. Last but certainly not the least, the support received from the Ford Foundation that has supported the various activities that I have been engaged in under the EvalIndigenous Global Network, namely:
|  Published in Journal of Climate Policy (JCP) |
- Ponge, A., Oduor, Wycklif Ochieng’., Odhiambo, Collins Oduka., Murigo, Grace Wanjiru., Awuor, Aisha Adhiambo., Nzai, B. T., & Kisioi, Alexander Koech. (2025). ‘Traditional Decision-Making as Evaluation: Developing Indigenous Evaluation Methodologies with Kenyan Communities.’ Nairobi: EvalIndigenous.
- Ponge, Awuor & Murigo, Grace Wanjiru. (2024). July 2023 – December 2024: Indigenous Evaluation: Chenda Chenda Celebrations 2024 – Traditional Decision-Making as Evaluation.
- Ponge, Awuor & Murigo, Grace Wanjiru. (2024). Indigenous Evaluation Blog: Chenda Chenda Celebrations 2024 – Traditional Decision-Making as Evaluation.
- January 2022 – December 2022: EvalIndigenous visit with the Mijikenda of Kwale County, Kenya 2022.
Indigenous belief systems are not peripheral, but foundational to sustainable environmental stewardship and climate adaptation
- Ponge, Awuor & Murigo, Grace Wanjiru. (2022). January 2022 – June 2022: Development of the Indigenous African Voices from Kenya Project: The Mijikenda of Kwale County in Kenya for EvalIndigenous Global Network and EvalPartners, in the capacity of Africa Regional Representative for EvalIndigenous Global Network.
- Ponge, Awuor., Oduor, Wycklif Ochieng’ & Murigo, Grace Wanjiru.(2021). January 2020 – June 2021: Development of the EvalIndigenous Network’s ‘Indigenous African Ethical Protocol for Evaluations.’ Ottawa: EvalIndigenous.
- Ponge, Awuor. & Oduor, Wycklif Ochieng’. (2020). January 2020 – December 2020: Development of the EvalIndigenous Voices Project (Africa) for EvalIndigenous Global Network and EvalPartners, in the capacity of Africa Regional Representative for EvalIndigenous Global Network.
The current article has just been published in the Journal of Climate Policy (JCP), Volume 5, Issue No. 1 (2026). It appears on pages 12 – 32 under the title: “Sacred Groves and the Supernatural: The Role of Indigenous Beliefs in Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa.” The article can be cited as follows, using the APA Style 7th Edition:
- Ponge, A. (2026). Sacred Groves and the Supernatural: The Role of Indigenous Beliefs in Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Climate Policy, 5(1), 12 – 32. DOI: 10.47941/jcp.3612
Sacred groves are biocultural conservation systems, outperforming state-managed protected areas in biodiversity and ecosystem services
In this study, I have drawn on comparative evidence across sub-Saharan Africa, to demonstrate that these sites sustain rich biodiversity, regulate microclimates, protect watersheds, and contribute to carbon sequestration, often outperforming conventional state-managed conservation models. This evidence underscores the central argument that Indigenous belief systems are not peripheral, but foundational to sustainable environmental stewardship and climate adaptation.
The EvalIndigenous Global Network Dissemination Mini-Grant has played a transformative role in ensuring that this research does not remain confined to academic circles. Instead, it has enabled the translation of complex findings into accessible, community-friendly formats, including a simplified report and digital dissemination across Indigenous networks. This approach reflects a fundamental shift in how knowledge is shared – moving from extraction and publication toward reciprocity, accessibility, and community relevance. It will ensure that the very communities whose knowledge underpins the research will engage with, validate, and benefit from it.
Indigenous beliefs and rituals sustain ecosystems and climate resilience through spiritual authority and community governance
At its core, this article challenges dominant conservation narratives by demonstrating that Indigenous belief systems – through taboos, rituals, and spiritual custodianship – are not obstacles to development, but powerful governance systems that often outperform formal conservation approaches. Sacred groves emerge not only as biodiversity hotspots but also as climate adaptation infrastructures: protecting watersheds, enhancing soil stability, regulating microclimates, and storing carbon. At the same time, the study highlights growing threats from modernization, cultural erosion, and policy neglect, calling for urgent integration of Indigenous knowledge into mainstream environmental governance.
In supporting this work, the EvalIndigenous Global Network is venturing into uncharted waters – redefining what counts as valid knowledge, who produces it, and how it should be shared. This is more than a dissemination effort; it is part of a broader movement to indigenise evaluation and reposition Indigenous worldviews at the centre of global conversations on sustainability and climate action. The Mini-Grant model sets a precedent for how research can be both academically rigorous and socially transformative, by prioritising culturally grounded dissemination and amplifying Indigenous voices.
Modernization and cultural erosion threaten sacred groves, calling for urgent integration of Indigenous knowledge into policy
This journey reaffirms that the future of climate resilience and biodiversity conservation will not be secured by external interventions alone, but through meaningful partnerships that recognise, respect, and elevate Indigenous knowledge systems. As we continue to explore these uncharted waters, the role of platforms like EvalIndigenous becomes ever more critical – not just in supporting research, but in reshaping the very paradigms through which knowledge, policy, and practice are understood.
 | Dr Awuor PongeSasakawa Fellowship Scholar, The Practice of International Development; Former Vice-President, African Evaluation Association (AfrEA); Africa Representative, EvalIndigenous Evaluators Network - EvalPartners; Senior Associate Fellow i/c Research, Policy & Evaluation, African Policy Centre (APC); Adjunct Faculty, Development & Policy Studies, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) |
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For generations, the Ogiek people have lived as caretakers and custodians of Kenya’s forests, especially the Mau Forest.
We belong to the forest
We protect the forest
We are the forest
There are no arrows on a map showing where the Ogiek came from — because we did not migrate here. We are the original roots of these lands.
We belong to the forest
We protect the forest
We are the forest
There are no arrows on a map showing where the Ogiek came from — because we did not migrate here. We are the original roots of these lands.
The Ogiek community has lived in harmony with the forest since time immemorial, deeply relying on it for food, shelter, and traditional medicine. The forest provided honey, wild fruits, and meat from animals like the gazelle nourishment that sustained generations.
 | This photo speaks for itself, capturing the breathtaking beauty of the home of Indigenous Peoples. It reflects the deep connection between the community and their ancestral land, where forests, rivers, and mountains are not only sources of life but also symbols of identity and resilience. The landscape tells a story of harmony with nature, nurtured and protected through generations. |
When illness struck, our people turned to the forest not to hospitals or clinics, but to the rich biodiversity around them. They searched for medicinal plants known to our elders, and within days, healing came through nature’s pharmacy. Our elders passed down this knowledge, and even today we trust in the healing power of medicinal plants. Nearly every Indigenous forest is a living pharmacy, holding remedies for health, wellbeing, and long life.
Even today, the Ogiek and many other Indigenous communities still believe in the healing power of medicinal plants. These natural remedies not only cure ailments but are believed to promote long life and a deeper connection to the environment. When you walk through the forest with Indigenous people, they will show you many medicinal plants you may have never seen before. It’s a powerful experience of learning and connection.
| Honey holds deep cultural and spiritual meaning. No ceremony is complete without it — it is unity, purity, and blessing. The honey and the beehive are therefore far more than sources of food they are symbols of heritage, survival, and harmony with nature. Honey is valued not only for its sweetness but also for its medicinal properties, used to heal wounds, soothe sore throats, and boost energy. The beehive itself represents community, cooperation, and the delicate balance of the ecosystem. Beyond its nutritional and medicinal value, honey is a bridge between generations. Elders teach the youth how to craft hives, read the seasons, and protect the bees from harm. In this way, honey becomes a living thread connecting the past, present, and future of Indigenous life. |  Honey |
For us, the honey bag is also more than a vessel; it is one of the most significant cultural items of the Ogiek community, symbolizing both livelihood and tradition. For generations, the Ogiek people of the Mau forest have depended on honey not only as food but also as a source of medicine, trade, and cultural identity. The specially crafted bag, often made from natural materials such as animal hides and plant fibers, is designed to store and transport honey safely from the forest to the homestead. Its unique craftsmanship reflects the Ogiek’s deep knowledge of their environment, as well as their sustainable practices in harvesting honey without destroying the delicate ecosystem that sustains them.
 Honey bag | Beyond its practical use, the honey bag carries deep cultural meaning, representing the Ogiek’s close connection to the forest and their resilience in preserving their traditions despite modern challenges. It is passed down through generations as a heritage item, reminding the community of their responsibility to protect bees, forests, and biodiversity. In a time when Indigenous knowledge is at risk of disappearing, the honey bag stands as a living testimony of Ogiek identity, resilience, and their rightful place as custodians of the Mau forest. |
Ogiek women play a very important role in our forest-based community. They are deeply connected to nature and help support their families through traditional knowledge and daily work in the forest. One of their main roles is collecting firewood, which is needed for cooking and warmth. They also know how to find and collect medicinal plants from the forest. This knowledge helps the community stay healthy using natural medicine.
Ogiek women also take part in beekeeping. They carry beehives into the forest, where men hang them high in the trees. But not just any tree is used the dobea tree is one of the special indigenous trees chosen for this purpose. Through their work, Ogiek women protect our culture, take care of the environment, and pass on valuable knowledge to future generations
Ogiek women also take part in beekeeping. They carry beehives into the forest, where men hang them high in the trees. But not just any tree is used the dobea tree is one of the special indigenous trees chosen for this purpose. Through their work, Ogiek women protect our culture, take care of the environment, and pass on valuable knowledge to future generations
For the Indigenous Peoples, this land is more than just a place to live it is a heritage, a source of culture, and a reminder of the responsibility to safeguard it for future generations. Preserving its beauty means preserving traditions, knowledge, and livelihoods that continue to inspire and sustain the community.
Walking deep into the forest, the songs of birds fill the air, hives hum with life, and every stream tells a story. This is where we find peace, connection, and identity. Let us honour these sacred spaces and the knowledge that sustains them. Let us continue to protect our forests not just as a source of heritage, but as a living pharmacy for generations to come.
 | Alexander Kisioi KoechEnvironmental Activist and Freelance Journalist, EvalIndigenous member, Kenya |
Photo 1: The EvalIndigenous Representatives and the Ogiek Council of Elders addressing the Press in Mariashoni
On 23 May 2025, the EvalIndigenous Global Network, hosted an advocacy workshop with the Ogiek Council of Elders, community elders and representatives in the wake of the new Government of Kenya intention to redraw the Mau Forest cutline. A court ruling on September 30, 2024, upheld the legality of the 2001 cutline. And now the government has started implementing the long-awaited process of redrawing and beaconing the boundaries to separate forests and settlements of the six schemes created following the 2001 decision.
The right to Indigenous territory
A major issue raised is the lack of consultation with the Ogiek community in ongoing government plans, particularly the fencing of the Mau Forest. The fear of the Ogiek community is that this is a political process supervised by political leaders from other communities, while they don’t have a voice. This has raised concerns that they are likely to be evicted once again, given that there is no one to talk on their behalf. It is in this context that the EvalIndigenous Global Network has come in to stand in solidarity with not only the Ogiek community, but as a voice for all the other Indigenous Communities in Kenya facing similar challenges. Read the Advocacy Letter addressed to The Principal Secretary, Ministry of Interior and National Administration, Government of Kenya.
Emilly Kirui, one of the Ogiek Elders, highlighted the broader context which reflects ongoing challenges faced by indigenous communities in Kenya, including slow implementation of court rulings affirming their land rights and continued evictions under the guise of conservation efforts. Despite legal victories, such as the African Court’s recognition of Ogiek rights over the Mau Forest, government inaction and bureaucratic hurdles have left many families in uncertainty. The Ogiek and other Indigenous groups continue to call for the enforcement of legal protections, full implementation of court decisions, and the establishment of co-management frameworks for resource sharing and land governance.
A key demand from the Ogiek is the urgent implementation of court rulings affirming their rights to ancestral lands, particularly following a 2022 African Court decision in their favour.
Despite this legal victory, the community reports that enforcement remains stalled, leaving them vulnerable to forced evictions and continued encroachment. They are also advocating for the issuance of land titles to secure their homes and heritage, and for the integration of traditional governance systems into formal structures.
The right to free, prior and informed consent
| The Ogiek community emphasises that decisions are being made without their free, prior, and informed consent, a principle recognised in both local and international law. According to Elder Alfred Saibala, the Ogiek stress that meaningful participation must involve leaders who are genuinely recognised by the community, rather than individuals who may be acting out of self-interest. This exclusion from consultation processes places the community at risk of further disadvantage and undermines their rights as Indigenous peoples. As seen in a TV47 video (also right) of the event, Ogiek Council of Elders representatives highlight the lack of representation at both national and grassroots levels, which has left them without a voice in decision-making processes that directly affect their livelihoods and heritage. The key message from the KASS TV coverage (also right) centres on the urgent need to address this marginalisation of Indigenous communities in Kenya. | |
One of the Ogiek Human Rights Defenders, Alexander Kisioi Koech, highlights findings from a recent 2024–2025 study by EvalIndigenous Global Network, which demonstrate the critical necessity for policy reforms that align with both Kenya’s constitutional commitments and its international obligations.
The current frameworks are seen as insufficient in protecting the rights and interests of indigenous peoples, underscoring the importance of immediate government action to address these gaps.
| This KTN News Kenya clip (on right) highlights the deep concern of Kenya's Ogiek community regarding systemic neglect and exclusion from government initiatives, especially those directly impacting their lives and ancestral lands. The Ogiek point out that, under the current administration, they lack any representation in government positions, which has further suppressed their voice. They recall that the only time they had formal government representation was during the previous regime, when they had a nominated senator and a member in the Nakuru County Assembly. | |
This absence of representation has left them marginalised in critical national conversations and policy decisions.
EvalIndigenous and Ogiek Council of Elders representatives also urged the government to provide Indigenous communities with direct representation at the county and national levels, including the nomination of senators from these groups. Past experiences have shown that having nominated leaders enables Indigenous communities to effectively channel their issues to government authorities and advocate for their rights. The speakers implored the government to fill vacant nominated positions with qualified Indigenous representatives to ensure their concerns are addressed at the highest levels.
The right to traditional governanceDr. Awuor Ponge highlighted a central recommendation from the study; namely, the amendment of policy frameworks so they recognise and integrate traditional governance systems. Different speakers emphasised that Indigenous communities are increasingly sidelined in governance because they lack elected leaders who can represent their interests. They indicated that by formally acknowledging traditional decision-makers and incorporating them into the broader governance system, the government can ensure these communities have a meaningful voice in public affairs. Dr. Ponge also called for the allocation of dedicated development funds for Indigenous communities. Persistent challenges such as poor road infrastructure and limited access to essential services have hampered their development. Targeted funding is seen as vital for empowering these communities to pursue their own development priorities and improve their quality of life. |  Photo 2: Awuor Ponge |
The right to be recognisedThe Ogiek stress that their struggle is about more than land. According to one of the Ogiek Council of Elders member, Alfred Saibala, one of the community’s central grievances is the failure of the government to recognize the Ogiek and other indigenous groups as distinct ethnic communities in the national census. This lack of official recognition limits their access to employment opportunities and essential services. The Ogiek are calling for comprehensive policy reforms that would not only acknowledge their unique status but also ensure their full inclusion in national planning and development initiatives. According to one of the Elders, Ann Tunai, the struggle is a fight for identity, dignity, and a future in which they are seen and heard. They are urging the government to establish a task force to oversee the implementation of Indigenous land rights, amend policy frameworks to include traditional elders in decision-making, and appoint national representatives to speak for marginalised groups in parliament. These steps, they argue, are essential to ensuring justice, recognition, and meaningful participation in Kenya’s development. |  Photo 3: EvalIndigenous Team with the Ogiek Focal Persons at the Mariashoni Guest House  Photo 4: EvalIndigenous Team with Ogiek Focal persons |
ConclusionAccording to Stephen Lelei, the Executive Director of Mariashoni Community Development (MACODEV), the Ogiek community’s demands extend beyond land rights to encompass recognition, justice, and meaningful participation in national development. They urge the government to appoint representatives from Indigenous groups to parliament, integrate traditional leadership structures into formal decision-making, and ensure that all development projects affecting their lands are subject to their free, prior, and informed consent. These steps are seen as essential to safeguarding their cultural heritage, securing their livelihoods, and achieving equitable development for all marginalized communities in Kenya. |  Photo 5: EvalIndigenous Team pose with some of the Advocacy Event Participants |
Dawn Hill Adams told me the story below in an email and I got permission from her to share it in this blog. When Dawn talks in the opening sentence about 'these contexts' she's alluding to the difficult times being experienced by many Indigenous peoples around the world - Fiona
| One of the things I always think about in these contexts is an experience we had at a meeting in Palo Duro Canyon about 20+ years ago. At that time, Albert White Hat was on our board. He was a very highly respected Lakota Elder on the Rosebud Reservation. You can find various videos of him online at Youtube because he taught at Sinte Gleska (language and culture). Well, Lori Lambert was one of the people on this team and she brought a video her husband Frank had just made about the Salmon Nations. One afternoon we stayed in the hotel's small conference room and projected that to watch it together. There were about 8 or 9 people on the team. |  Albert White Hat |
In the video they showed this very famous set of huge rocks that used to stick out into the river like cliffs, and the men used to stand on them and spear the leaping salmon that were working up the rapids. These salmon were almost as big as a man. The people went to this place every year during the salmon spawn time and they got all the fish for their whole year, and dried them there. It was a big festival and ceremony time, their major one.
At the end of the movie, they showed old photos from when a dam was built across the river to flood that area. The people were real unhappy about this, obviously, and they gathered near the stones as the water got higher and was going to cover them and flood them under the lake. There was an older woman Frank interviewed, who had been there that day as a child. She said that the dam people did not trust the Indians to leave the dam alone if there was a chance to reclaim that place. So she said that before the water swallowed the stones, the men from the dam place laid dynamite and blew them up so they were destroyed and could never be saved even if the dam was gone. As she told abou this, she started crying. This was at the very end of the film, so it ended within moments. By that time, every Indian woman in the room was crying in a bad way. And the Indian men had gotten very red in the face and had stood up, shoving their chairs from the table with their bodies rigid with anger. They began to yell things, and the women began to almost wail. It felt HORRIBLE, what had been done, and all the past feelings of badness were like the flood of that river.
And suddenly, in that crazy grief, there was a loud shout and a slam on the table. It was Albert, yelling, "STOP THIS!" Albert was a gentle man. That is the only time I heard his voice raised. He was not angry with us and yelling that way. He was yelling to be heard and also to be firm. He said, "This is how they destroy us! Sit down and stop this!" Then he said that they can do many things to us that are bad, but those things do not destroy us. Even blowing up those stones does not destroy us, however much it hurts. But our own actions, our own responses, DO destroy us. They cause us to drink alcohol and to be violent to one another. They cause us to have diabetes and heart disease and cancer. Then, Albert said, we do the work the white people want done. We finish what they only started. We do their work for them.
Albert said that of course these bad things hurt. But our focus must be the future, and our future people, and the future of All Our Relations. Not how sad or angry we feel about what those bad people do. Because if that is our focus, we give them control over us. And so we allow them to destroy us, which is why they do that stuff to begin with. They know this. It is their intention.
Dawn Hill Adams, PhD
Dawn is based at the Tapestry Institute, which she founded in 1998. As the Tapestry Institute's website says, "We are about the Land, and about the Knowledge that comes from the Land." Reports from the Tapestry Institute are linked below.
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Bhuban B Bajracharya, Chairman, Nepal Evaluation Society
Meeting with Uru Warige Wannila Aththo, Community Leader, Dambana Indigenous Community
Each of the EvalIndigenous Team members was welcomed in turn. Holding hands together with the community leader in their traditional style, each of the EvalIndigenous team member self-introduced to him. While talking to the Nepal members, he told that he met people from Tamang community while visiting Nepal.
Each of the EvalIndigenous Team members was welcomed in turn. Holding hands together with the community leader in their traditional style, each of the EvalIndigenous team member self-introduced to him. While talking to the Nepal members, he told that he met people from Tamang community while visiting Nepal.
Randhika and Chamathkara explained to him about the EvalIndigenous Team, Academic Symposium on M&E Education, APEA and its activities, and about the importance of EvalIndigenous world-wide. Along with Fiona, they presented him a copy of the APEA Toolkit on Indigenous evaluation..
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Uru Warige Wannila Aththo briefly introduced his community having hunting and harvesting jungle products as their main livelihood activities. He highlighted some of the challenges the community is facing at the moment - major ones related to the restriction rules of the Ministry of Environment and Wildlife affecting their livelihood activities. They do not have land rights also. Non-compliance to these rules can often take them for some legal actions also. He asked if EvalIndigenous and APEA could do anything in these matters.
Thanking him for his welcome remarks, Fiona, Co-Chair of EvalIndigenous, responded to him on what the EvalIndigenous and APEA could do. She explained that negotiation with the Government is quite important and key to solve the problems. For the negotiation process, consulting also with the UNESCO, EvalIndigenous and APEA can help in producing required documents based on various UN resolutions. Such a negotiation process with well thought out documents, the community can reach to the agreement with the Government.
He was not so hopeful about the talks with the Government. They have taken this issue to the Geneva Convention which in turn corresponded with the Sri Lankan Government to address to their issues and helping them continue with the age-old traditional practices. The Government has not responded to it so far.
Thanking him for his welcome remarks, Fiona, Co-Chair of EvalIndigenous, responded to him on what the EvalIndigenous and APEA could do. She explained that negotiation with the Government is quite important and key to solve the problems. For the negotiation process, consulting also with the UNESCO, EvalIndigenous and APEA can help in producing required documents based on various UN resolutions. Such a negotiation process with well thought out documents, the community can reach to the agreement with the Government.
He was not so hopeful about the talks with the Government. They have taken this issue to the Geneva Convention which in turn corresponded with the Sri Lankan Government to address to their issues and helping them continue with the age-old traditional practices. The Government has not responded to it so far.
The meeting has been very much helpful in understanding the difficulties that the indigenous communities are facing and are likely to face even more in future due to the conflict between their traditional practices / lifestyles and the government policies. Who need to change or who would have to change is the question, and in the process, the risk of eroding of the cultural identity would be looming large.
After the meeting, some of the community members demonstrated some of their routine and cultural practices. Some of them are:
After the meeting, some of the community members demonstrated some of their routine and cultural practices. Some of them are:
- Producing fire
- Dances expressing joys on hunting and killing the prey.
- Expressing sorrows at the time of someone’s death
- Marriage with elopement after boys convincing the girls on their hunting skills
- Dowry is given to the girls, and it consists usually of arrow, bow, axe, water pot and a live dog. They are regarded as enough for a livelihood based on hunting. Dog is helpful for safety, and for tracking the prey.
- Rituals for pleasing the Gods – taking place usually 4 / 5 times in a year
Members of the EvalIndigenous Team
- Fiona Cram, Co-Chair, EvalIndigenous
- Randika De Mel, Manager, Asia Pacific Evaluation Association (APEA)
- Dulmina Chamathkara, M&E Specialist, FAO
- John Njovu, Africa Representative, EvalIndigenous, Zambia.
- Ana Erika Lareza, Co-Founder, EvalYouth Asia
- Naomi Lee Be-ilan, Indigenous Member of the Ikalahan tribe, Philippines.
- Prabin Chitrakar, Chairperson, Community of Evaluators Nepal.
- Bhuban B Bajracharya, Chairman, Nepal Evaluation Society.
Related posts:
Part 1. About the Community
John T. Njovu's post about the Academic Symposium and visiting the Dambana Village
Part 1. About the Community
John T. Njovu's post about the Academic Symposium and visiting the Dambana Village
Author
Bhuban B Bajracharya, Chairman, Nepal Evaluation Society
Bhuban B Bajracharya, Chairman, Nepal Evaluation Society
When the Academic Symposium on M&E Education in Colombo, Sri Lanka, concluded on December 04, 2024, some of the participants from the EvalIndigenous team travelled to visit the Dambana Indigenous Village. On the way, we passed through Kandy and paid a visit to the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth). We then reached the Mapakada village of Mahiyangana in the evening of December 05, 2024. The following day, on 6 December, we went to the Dambana Indigenous Village, which is located within a protected forest. There, the we had a meeting with Uru Warige Wannila Aththo, Indigenous Community Leader.
About the Community
The Dambana indigenous community, also known as the Vedda community, is one of the oldest indigenous groups in Sri Lanka. They have a rich history and unique traditions, but they face several challenges today. Here are some of the salient features of their livelihoods and cultural identity:
Population Size and Its Trend
The Dambana indigenous community, also known as the Vedda community, is one of the oldest indigenous groups in Sri Lanka. They have a rich history and unique traditions, but they face several challenges today. Here are some of the salient features of their livelihoods and cultural identity:
Population Size and Its Trend
- Current Population: The Vedda population in Dambana is estimated to be around 350 families. This translates to approximately 1,000 individuals.
- Trend: Historically, the Vedda community was much larger. However, over the past few decades, the Vedda population has been on a decline. This is attributed to the pressures of modern society, loss of traditional lands, and the younger generation moving away from traditional practices, and integration with other communities.
- Current Efforts: There are ongoing efforts by both the government and non-governmental organizations to support the Vedda community and preserve their cultural heritage. These efforts aim to stabilize and potentially increase their population by improving living conditions and promoting cultural education.
| Livelihoods
|  Cultural demonstration |
Cultural Identity
- Language: The Vedda people have their own language, known as Vedda, which is distinct from Sinhala and Tamil, the country's official languages.
- Spirituality: Vedda spirituality is closely tied to nature, with beliefs in spirits residing in natural elements such as trees, rocks, and animals. They have traditional rituals and ceremonies to honor these spirits and seek their blessings.
- Music and Dance: Vedda culture features unique forms of music, dance, and storytelling. Traditional musical instruments include drums and flutes, and dances often depict hunting scenes or celebrate aspects of nature.
- Oral Traditions: The Vedda community traditionally lived in small, close-knit groups led by elders who passed down oral traditions, cultural practices, and knowledge of the land to younger generations.
Current Status
The Vedda people of Dambana are in the process of modernization, which has led to a loss of their traditional identity. Many have integrated into neighboring Sinhala or Tamil communities. The younger generation is particularly influenced by modern media and technology, leading to a shift away from traditional practices. The community has access to media, including a community radio station called Dambana Radio, although it is not fully operational and does not fully meet their needs.
The Vedda people of Dambana are in the process of modernization, which has led to a loss of their traditional identity. Many have integrated into neighboring Sinhala or Tamil communities. The younger generation is particularly influenced by modern media and technology, leading to a shift away from traditional practices. The community has access to media, including a community radio station called Dambana Radio, although it is not fully operational and does not fully meet their needs.
Government Initiatives
Efforts have been made by both the Sri Lankan government and non-governmental organizations to support the preservation of Vedda culture and improve the livelihoods of community members. These efforts include land rights initiatives, cultural education programs, and sustainable development projects. However, the community still faces significant challenges, including loss of traditional lands and socioeconomic marginalization.
The Vedda leaders have sometimes rejected government sponsorship for cultural events, preferring that funds be used for community development projects and education. The government has expressed willingness to reallocate funds for these purposes, but the implementation of such initiatives has been inconsistent. The Vedda community continues to struggle with maintaining their cultural identity while adapting to modern influences. The preservation of their language, traditions, and way of life remains a critical concern for both the community and those working to support them.
Efforts have been made by both the Sri Lankan government and non-governmental organizations to support the preservation of Vedda culture and improve the livelihoods of community members. These efforts include land rights initiatives, cultural education programs, and sustainable development projects. However, the community still faces significant challenges, including loss of traditional lands and socioeconomic marginalization.
The Vedda leaders have sometimes rejected government sponsorship for cultural events, preferring that funds be used for community development projects and education. The government has expressed willingness to reallocate funds for these purposes, but the implementation of such initiatives has been inconsistent. The Vedda community continues to struggle with maintaining their cultural identity while adapting to modern influences. The preservation of their language, traditions, and way of life remains a critical concern for both the community and those working to support them.
The regulations of the Ministry of Environment and Wildlife in Sri Lanka, while aimed at conservation, have posed significant challenges to the traditional livelihoods of the Dambana indigenous community. Here are some key ways these regulations impact them:
- Restrictions on Land Use
- Prohibition of Hunting and Gathering
- Limited Access to Resources
- Forced Relocation
Impact on Cultural Identity
The enforcement of these regulations can erode the cultural identity of the Vedda people. As they are forced to abandon traditional practices, there is a risk of losing their unique cultural heritage and knowledge passed down through generations. While the intention behind these regulations is to protect the environment and wildlife, it is crucial to find a balance that also respects and preserves the rights and traditions of indigenous communities like the Vedda. Efforts to involve these communities in conservation planning and decision-making can help create more sustainable and inclusive solutions.
The enforcement of these regulations can erode the cultural identity of the Vedda people. As they are forced to abandon traditional practices, there is a risk of losing their unique cultural heritage and knowledge passed down through generations. While the intention behind these regulations is to protect the environment and wildlife, it is crucial to find a balance that also respects and preserves the rights and traditions of indigenous communities like the Vedda. Efforts to involve these communities in conservation planning and decision-making can help create more sustainable and inclusive solutions.
Also see:
Part 2. Visiting the community
Blog by John Njovu, about the Academic Symposium and visiting the community
Part 2. Visiting the community
Blog by John Njovu, about the Academic Symposium and visiting the community
 | AuthorBhuban B Bajracharya, Chairman, Nepal Evaluation Society |
I flew into Colombo in Sri Lanka on Sunday 1st December 2024 as an African representative for EvalIndigenous. Colombo that evening was adorned in bright decorative lights depicting Christmas trees, stars of David and reindeers. The music piped out in many places heralded the coming of a saviour. I was as an agent of a network attending a major and first-time Symposium in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) education. It was held in at the Ramada hotel, with the opening graced by the Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and renowned Evaluator, the Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya
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The guidelines from the event organisers stated that the dress code was to be formal. I was in a flat mood as my suitcase had not accompanied me on my flight to Colombo. An hour's delay departing from Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on 30th November was probably the reason. I learned from a fellow participant at the symposium that I was supposed to have been sent $200 by the faulty airline to enable me to pay for a set of new clothes. However, neither airline helped with any financial compensation to enable me to quickly buy 'formal attire'. If I was an ostrich, I would have buried my head in the sand for appearing in my t-shirt and sneakers at an official grand occasion. The alternative would have been to wear a bed sheet or tablecloth and loop an end over my shoulder, toga style. I needed sandals and bling-bling of a heavy gold chains and armlets to pass as a royal from a distant land far away across the African Ocean. However, I didn’t have enough cash for this sort of 'form'. I was very apologetic and explained to people that I exchanged greetings with that I had not yet got my suitcase. The suitcase arrived two days later without any apology or financial compensation, but its arrival didn’t lift my melancholy state; I had missed once in a lifetime major photo opportunity.
During the session on Indigenous M&E in education (Session#10), Dr Cram moderated in her pyjamas. Her aim was to make a point about not being judgmental as evaluators when we go to premises of Indigenous people. Based on academic, personal and professional experiences we all advocated for inclusion of Indigenous and culturally responsive evaluation practices in the M&E curriculum.
Dalada Maligava (“Temple of the Tooth”)
After the Symposium, we visited Temple of Tooth Relic in Sri Dalada Maligawa. It is of major spiritual significance to Buddhists as it has a tooth of the revered Buddha and the World Buddhism Museum. The Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama or Shakyamuni, lived in South Asia in the 6th or 5th century BCE. He is the founder of Buddhism, a religious faith followed mainly in many countries of Asia and the Pacific. There were flowers and incense vendors on the ground near the temple and security was visibly tight. We bought a pass into the main Temple, leaving our shoes at the entrance. I was worried about the heat of the concrete encased pathways so I kept my socks on. It is common in many cultures when in a sacred place for people to take off their shoes.
Dambana Village
As Coordinator of the EvalIndigenous Voices and Atlas Projects, I had already been to the Dambana village. My first time in Sri Lanka was from 14th to 20th September 2018, when I attended on the eve of the EvalColombo2018 conference of the Global Parliamentarians Forum for Evaluation (GPFE). I met the King, Honorable Wannila Aththo and the village Coordinator, Mr. Rathnapala, of the Vedda to learn more about their ethnic group and to witness their spiritual ceremony. My guides during that visit also passed on to the King an invitation to the assembly (see picture of that visit on the left below).
The members of the team to Dambana during my second visit consisted of myself, Dr Fiona Cram, Bhuban and his wife, Prabin and his wife and son, Brian, young evaluators Randi, Chama of Sri Lanka, and Erika and Naomi of the Philippines, and a crew of two. Seeing the young members of EvalIndigenous in the field very much gladdened my heart. The small spark of decolonising M&E lit during the launch of EvalIndigenous in Bishkek in 2017 had lit flames in hearts of similar thinking indigenous people. Seeing the torch that we brought to Sri Lanka in 2018 being carried by local emerging evaluators gave me great hope that the fight would be sustained.
When it was my turn to greet the King, I stretched both my hands and held his lower arms below the elbows in traditional greeting style. “Greetings, your Royal Highness. I bring greetings to your land, yourself and people from my land of Africa and people across the African Ocean. I come here once more as a fellow member of the indigenous peoples across the globe. I am glad to see that our children followed my footsteps from my first visit and have been working closely with you these past years.” The King usually receives a lot of visitors and there were people outside the gazebo waiting to see him. Apart from being a traditional leader, he is also a renowned herbalist.
The emerging evaluators of Sri Lanka had embarked on a program of working closely with the people of Dambana. This had resulted in the preparation of a Toolkit to guide evaluators in carrying our indigenous evaluations across Asia and Pacific. The Toolkit was presented to the King by Dr Cram. It was pleasant to witness an occasion of evaluation practitioners going back to the community that they have worked with and presenting their leaders the product of that work. Often, evaluators and researchers do not go back to communities where they have been doing their work. They instead present to donors, technocrats, politicians and government officials in flashy premises away from poor communities.
The King reported to the team the challenges of his people. They had been promised by the government to have their traditional rights over their land restored so they would be able to hunt wild animals and collect wild plants. He asked whether there was a way EvalIndigenous could assist his ethnic group to get their government to act and honour its pledges. Dr. Fiona answered that EvalIndigenous could assist by writing to the Members of Parliament and the Prime Minister to urge the government to honour its promises on land protection and hunting rights. The challenges of Dambana over the land ownership and hunting rights are common to most indigenous people. Independent governments have inherited laws from colonisers. They were meant to disadvantage indigenous communities. Naomi narrated that in the Philippines they had overcome such disadvantages by signing agreements between the indigenous communities and the government.
Performance by village cultural and drama group
In a clearing in the dense forest there was an arena. The village cultural and drama group put up a splendid cultural art performance there for our visiting team. They mesmerised us with their drama of sketches, dances, drumming and songs on their traditions and culture. We even joined in a spiritual dance to their ancestors.
In a clearing in the dense forest there was an arena. The village cultural and drama group put up a splendid cultural art performance there for our visiting team. They mesmerised us with their drama of sketches, dances, drumming and songs on their traditions and culture. We even joined in a spiritual dance to their ancestors.
Our many thanks to the peoples of the Dambana Village for a wonderful visit with them
Also see related blogs by Bhuban B Bajracharya, Chairman, Nepal Evaluation Society:
Part 1. About the community
Part 2. Visiting the community
Part 1. About the community
Part 2. Visiting the community
 | John T. NjovuEvalIndigenous, Zambia John T. Njovu is a renowned Zambian Economist, Indigenous Evaluator, Author, Film Producer, and Civic Activist. He has been for the past three decades an active member of the development evaluation community. He has served in both the public and private sector. His civic involvement in non-profits has enhanced those he has been involved in locally and abroad. He is a founding member of the EvalIndigenous Global Network. He is the Co-convenor of the African chapter of EvalIndigenous. He is a collector of indigenous knowledge mainly related to evaluation, governance, male hood and education. His stories, therefore, focus on the history, socio-economic developments and future of indigenous communities, knowledge and evaluation. His documentary contributions to the enhancement and sharing of indigenous evaluation knowledge can be mainly found on the EvalIndigenous’ and JTN Arts’ YouTube channels as well as the EvalIndigenous’ website. His writing on various social and economic issues has been published in his country and abroad in various media. |
A blog post from Awuor PONGE & Grace Wanjiru MURIGO
On Saturday, 7 September 2024, we travelled to Kilifi County in the Coastal region of Kenya to complete our study on the Mijikenda Kayas. The Study was titled: ‘Traditional Decision-Making as Evaluation: Developing Indigenous Evaluation Methodologies with Kenyan Communities’ and was part of the second phase of the Ford Foundation funding for EvalIndigenous Global Network through the International Organization for Collaboration in Evaluation (IOCE).
| On day 2 of fieldwork, Monday, 9 September 2024, we took part in the Mijikenda Cultural event dubbed the Chenda Chenda Celebration, that brings together all the 9 Sub-tribes from the 9 Kayas of the Mijikenda, to celebrate their cultural identity and unity and to reflect on their past performances as a community and make decisions regarding their future. During the Chenda Chenda 2024 celebrations, we captured the essence of the celebrations and getting general perspectives of the relationship between the celebration and community aspects of TATHMINI – Evaluation or reflection and decision-making. |  Awuor Ponge posing with one of the event banners. |
The Chenda Chenda 2024 Celebrations at Kaya Fungo Giriama represented a mix of cultural pride, environmental awareness, and community challenges, reflecting the multi-faceted nature of contemporary Mijikenda society, while still retaining the indigenous nature of the society. The celebrations were marked by several significant highlights. The Chenda Chenda festival is usually held annually on September 9 (Nine-Nine or Kenda Kenda in Kiswahili, Chenda Chenda in Mijikenda, representing the nine tribes oof the Mijikenda) is a crucial event for the Mijikenda community. It serves as a platform to celebrate and preserve the rich cultural heritage of the nine Mijikenda tribes. The nine Mijikenda tribes are: Chonyi, Duruma, Digo, Giriama, Jibana, Kambe, Kauma, Rabai and Ribe.
 The Research Team posing with some of the traditional entertainers at the event |  The Research Team joining Traditional dancers in a photo session after enjoying their dance |
The theme for the 2024 festival was "Our Culture is Our Pillar". This theme was chosen to emphasize the importance of cultural values and to address the concern that many youths are not familiar with their cultural roots. The festival aimed to educate younger generations about their heritage and traditions. A key highlight of the 2024 celebrations was the focus on environmental conservation. The Kaya elders had set a goal to plant 20 million trees, though they managed to plant 10 million. This initiative was part of their efforts to raise awareness about climate change and the importance of environmental preservation.
| The festival featured traditional music and dance performances, showcasing the vibrant cultural expressions of the Mijikenda people. These performances played a crucial role in fostering cultural appreciation, especially among the younger attendees. Activities were also designed to foster cultural appreciation among younger generations, especially cultural performances and exhibitions and acrobatic displays by the Mijikenda youth. |  Young Mijikenda acrobats doing their art to entertain the participants |
In the lead-up to the 2024 festival, there were strong calls for unity within the Mijikenda community. This emphasis on unity was particularly significant as there had been attempts by some leaders to organize parallel festivals, which the Kaya elders strongly discouraged. Unfortunately, the 2024 celebrations were not without controversy. Some chaos erupted during the festival, with political rifts overshadowing the cultural celebrations. This underscores the complex interplay between cultural events and political dynamics in the region.
| Renowned traditional Namba dancers, such as Kapombe Kashuru and Kadzo (also known as Mama Namba) from Magarini, were present at the celebrations. The Namba dance is an important cultural element that these performers use to convey messages of peace and unity. The event also featured various cultural exhibitions and performances that allowed attendees to experience and learn about Mijikenda traditions. These exhibitions included displays of traditional artifacts, costumes, and demonstrations of cultural practices. A variety of local Mijikenda cuisines were presented at the festival. This culinary showcase allowed participants to taste and appreciate the traditional foods of the community. |  Mijikenda women demonstrating how they used to pound food using mortar and pestle |
The Chenda Chenda celebrations demonstrated traditional decision-making as part of evaluation processes. The festival was spearheaded by the Coastal Kaya elders, who used the occasion to address crucial issues and outline plans for regional development. This reflects the traditional role of elders in community decision-making and planning.
| The festival served as a platform for evaluating and preserving valued cultural traditions. By showcasing traditional music, dance, and other cultural practices, the community collectively decides which elements of their heritage to highlight and pass on to younger generations. The festival was also used as an opportunity to advocate for important social issues like girl child education and supporting the elderly. This demonstrates how traditional gatherings are used to evaluate community needs and make decisions on priorities. |  Mijikenda women demonstrating the traditional method of grinding maize floor |
The celebrations aimed to bring together the nine Mijikenda sub-tribes, fostering unity. This reflects traditional methods of using cultural gatherings to evaluate inter-tribal relationships and make decisions about cooperation. Trees were planted as part of the festival, showing how traditional events are used to evaluate environmental needs and make decisions about conservation efforts.
Awuor PONGE & Grace Wanjiru MURIGO
EvalIndigenous members, Kenya
 | Awuor PONGE, PhDSasakawa Fellowship Scholar, The Practice of International Development; Vice-President, African Evaluation Association (AfrEA); Africa Representative, EvalIndigenous Evaluators Network - EvalPartners; Associate Fellow i/c Research, Policy & Evaluation, African Policy Centre (APC); Adjunct Faculty, Gender & Development Studies, Kenyatta University P.O Box 6314 – 00100, Nairobi, Kenya E-Mail: [email protected] | [email protected] | [email protected] Mobile: +254 721 962 660 | Home: +254 735 962 660 ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6656-1818 |
A 4-part blog series about the drought in Zambia, by John T. Njovu
Also read: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Part 4. The disempowerment of clan heads by British colonialists
Many headpersons wallow in extreme poverty while they are by tradition the custodians of their ancestral land and its resources. Arguably headpersons are the clan leaders and custodians of Indigenous land. However, the government concentrates on maintaining good relationships with chiefs and offers them many gifts. The tradition of giving gifts to chiefs when one visits is abused. Kavula mu kamwa (a Nsenga adage for opening one’s mouth) is a tradition of giving gifts to traditional leaders as an inducement for them to speak to a visitor. Neither customary law or modern law is specific on what is a reasonable gift for the traditional leaders and that they should declare it or submit an annual declaration of assets as demanded from public servants. Chiefs are built palaces, paid allowances and entitlements to security by government. Clan heads don’t get the same treatment from government! Some have complained about this anomaly. They argue that their counterparts in Mozambique are on government’s payroll.
The institution of chief was introduced in Nyalugwe chiefdom by British colonisers in the 1930s. It should be the clan heads who should have elected a chief among them. Like in many other tribes, the appointments by colonisers were meant to help them rule. A foreigner was appointed based on his hospitality to the British District Commissioner that visited the area. The colonisers appointed even the Swahili who were former slave traders (e.g. in Lamba speaking communities) and other prominent people in the villages. They made foreigners to be their allies. The foreigners were trusted to keep village registers accurately and assist in collecting the hated poll tax from Indigenous people.
The Chewa and Bisa (now forming the Nsenga tribe) then came under the rule of the Tande-Shona from Zimbabwe. The hunter Tande group were allies of the Ngoni in the area. They purportedly helped the Ngoni to come into Zambia when Shaka the Zulu was pursuing them. The Tande used to live at the confluence of the Zambezi and Luangwa River before the Ngoni crossed the Zambezi. The village of Chisobe in Luangwa (formerly Feira) was their first settlement in the Luangwa basin. Most people mistakenly think Chisobe is a Chikunda village and falls under chief Mphuka. No, despite the residents mostly speaking Chikunda, it is a Tande village and marks the southern tip of the Nyalugwe chiefdom. The Chikunda was a group composed of runaway slaves from Portuguese plantations that got involved in the slave and gun trade. They raided nearby tribes in what seemed to be revenge attacks for being sold into slavery to the Portuguese by their folks and tribal leaders. They expanded through intermarriages with other tribes around the confluence and became a new tribe in Zambia.
A lot of smaller tribes like the Tande had claimed to be Ngoni before the British defeated the Ngoni. After the defeat, the name no longer evoked fear and warriorlike ruthlessness. So, they reclaimed their ethnic identity.
The current laws on traditional governance and land are inherited from the colonial system. The laws give a lot of power to traditional chiefs on villagers and land. Thus, seeds of conflicts were sown by the colonisers and have been propped up by post-independence governments between Indigenous people and foreigners amidst them. They usually flare up during times of succession when a chief passes on. The many wrangles on the post of chief is due to the perception that the position gives one easy access to riches, government gifts and security and royalties from businesspeople. There also many wrangles on the extent of the territories of chiefdoms. The colonial 1958 map of tribal territories in Zambia has been a cause of numerous tribal disputes. The colonisers purportedly did not consult local people when drawing the map. There are, therefore, attempts by the government to remap tribal chiefdoms. However, some chiefs have opposed the move.
Politicians vying to become councilors and Members of Parliament for the area have been campaigning to get the road graded and bring modern developments to the area once they are voted in. However, none has ever done so or returned to the area to explain why political campaign pledges are not fulfilled. They usually reach remote villages that have no good roads with their 4x4 vehicles and helicopters when campaigning for seats into parliament.
Governance evaluation
The elected and traditional leaders are currently able to get away with bad governance and representation. Traditional leaders were made to adhere to good governance practices in the pre-colonial era as they were evaluated by their subjects using traditional evaluation systems. For example, the annual tribal thanks giving ceremonies of the tribes to their ancestors served as evaluation space for ordinary subjects. Some chiefs had court jesters, poets, singers and dancers to remind them to adhere to good governance. Through poetry, singing and dances they were able to inform their leaders how the tribe rated their leadership and management of the tribe. The chiefs had to be good leaders for their subjects to be able to respect them and gift them with the first fruits of their harvests. They were tokens of appreciation for good leadership of the tribe and stewardship of the tribe’s ancestral land. During the time of abundant virgin land, tribal members fled bad leadership and management. They could choose a new leader who would lead them to go and settle elsewhere. Now traditional leaders do not depend on royalties from their subjects but investors in the chiefdoms and from government. The focus on individual interests has led to the death of the Ubuntu spirit. Chiefs are no longer dependent on rating of their performance by the tribe and on their subjects’ good will, but that of politicians and businesspeople. Therefore, the plight of most of their subjects is of no concern to them as they are sustained by high net-worth individuals and organisations. Their subjects, in turn, are unable to hold them accountable on stewardship of ancestral lands and chiefdoms. Bad tribal leadership is even being perpetuated by the government, church, businesses and external donors.
Equally, the modern elected leaders in local and national governance are alienated from their constituents. The constituents only chance to evaluate their performance on public service delivery is during local and national elections. Due to lack of civic awareness among most citizens and the predominant tendency of voting on tribal lines, many politicians have gotten away with poor performance. Aided by evaluators who have not been helpful to constituents to raise civic awareness and evaluation skill of most citizens, the nation continues to have social and economic challenges. Adherence to the rigours of the western evaluation methodologies have perpetuated bad governance in Zambia and other poorly governed nations. The call by the UN of not leaving anyone behind and that of EvalIndigenous to decolonise evaluation, recognises the factors hindering good national and institutional governance.
The failure of African democratic governments to be financially independent and provide good governance has left many citizens disillusioned and mistrustful of their leaders. Many African nations lack of progress in social and economic development has led to a return of military coups on the continent. Seven west African nations have had their civilian governments overthrown. Ordinary citizens have flooded streets in jubilation to greet the soldiers. Doesn’t this make one think of the fatigue in voters hoping for good change in governance?
There is need to go behind the donors’ and politicians’ rhetoric to enhance civic awareness and participation of citizens and especially Indigenous peoples. The government, evaluation community and community-based organisations should enhance the participation of most citizens in governance and especially evaluation. For example, they can teach score carding of the performance of local and national leaders to citizens on a grass root level. The current trend of chiefs and national leaders surrounding themselves with relatives and cronies as advisors, ministers and public assets managers is proving unhelpful to national development. The compromised national governance institutions and civil society do not provide the needed checks and balance. The political parties are legal gangs. The African elites have become the fronts for the perpetuation of colonialism or keys for the entrance of neo-colonialists. The current democratic systems and remnants of colonial governance systems have not served the majority of the people of Africa. They replaced colonisers with the elite of Indigenous communities that are controlled by former colonial masters. They prop up the colonial inequality and white supremacy.
It is time for citizens to get more involved in civic affairs to ensure good governance. The Indigenous evaluators and holders of traditional knowledge have a major role to play. It is time that the Made in Africa and other Indigenous evaluation methodologies became part of the toolboxes of development evaluation. Interests of Indigenous communities, lands, environments and ways of life shall then be safe guarded. Their aspirations realised.
Government distribution of Relief Food
| The call by most of the people of the Nyalugwe chiefdom that I met during my study tour was for more supplies of food from the DMMU (Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit). They also called on their high net-worth relatives, civil society, and well-wishers to come to their assistance. TUpon returning from the Kasansamula, I joined the big crowd of villagers that had gathered at Chamilala Primary School. The next distribution point to the one in Chamilala was about 40-50 km away at Uyanya Primary School. They were on Great East Road and some 3-5 kms from the Luangwa bridge. |  SMS to all Zambian citizens’ phones from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit of the Office of the Vice President of Zambia on Friday 7th June 2024. |
Patiently waiting for relief food distribution at Chamilala Primary school Photo by Ngosa Banda @JTN 2024
The Zambian government, through the DMMU, is supplying relief maize to vulnerable communities in the country. Headman Tiopa had pointed out that all plants had wilted and not just maize.
115 by 50 Kg bags of maize were being distributed. A bag per household. According to the DMMU, there were 115 households in the area between Chamilala and Pitala villages. However, the local distribution committee’s leadership estimates that they are more than that. Therefore, the committee was redistributing on the basis of what it considered to be a spirit of Ubuntu hospitality. One bag to the elderly and one bag divided between two households to the rest of the settlers. A 50 kg bag of maize should produce a 23-24 kg of milled maize (commonly referred to in Zambia as mealie meal). An average household has about six members. They on average consume three to four bags of mealie meal per month. The mealie meal is only for nshima (porridge), however, to have a full meal and a balanced diet, the nshima is accompanied by relish. The relish is mainly consisting of meat, fish, vegetables and legumes.
50 Kg bags of maize distributed to residents of Chamilala ward by DMMU Photo by Ngosa Banda @JTN 2024
The DMMU has not in the emergency food distribution included other types of food, e.g. lentils (e.g. Nyemba (Indigenous beans)), vegetable (Chiwawa (dried pumpkin leaves)) and other nutritious and energy foods. Therefore, recipients of the DMMU’s relief maize must find other sources of food for the shortfall.
The DMMU officers were not sure if and when there would be a next consignment. They requested, in their discussion with the representatives of the local distribution committee, that Zambians should be selling their maize to the government’s Food Reserve Agency (FRA) instead of private companies. It’s the FRA that is helping to supply the relief maize to the DMMU.
According to the DMMU officers, people that are considered able to afford food, such as teachers and hospital workers in the area, were not to be included in the list of recipients.
The presence of the DMMU in the area shows the total breakdown of the traditional sustenance system of the Nyalugwe chiefdom and our Zambian culture. Many tribes in Zambia hold annual thank giving ceremonies to ancestors and share their harvest with their chiefs as the key representatives of their ancestors. The Nyalugwe chiefdom holds annual Tuwimba ceremony in conjunction with other Nsenga tribes. A chief’s granary is supposed to be the granny of a whole tribe. It’s from the chief’s granary that the tribe used to get relief food in times of drought and hunger.
Conclusion: A call for assistance, unity and ceremony
The UN, EvalIndigenous, other voluntary development associations and some individuals and philanthropists have been calling for respect of Indigenous community rights. They have called for a major shift in the evaluation practice, its decolonisation. The freeing of the evaluation discipline from the hold of white supremacists needs concerted efforts of well-meaning stakeholders both in the south and north, developmental institutions, practitioners, Indigenous communities and businesses. This shift needs more research in Indigenous knowledge and the development of the curriculum in Indigenous evaluation. The admission of Indigenous knowledge and evaluation methodologies in the evaluation practice will be a realisation of the major shift.
EvalIndigenous has embarked on enhancing the visibility of Indigenous evaluators and their communities. It has also been strengthening them to assert their rights in the the development evaluation process. It shares it ‘Ten Questions to Ask Evaluators and Development Intervenors. It has also developed an African Evaluation Protocol. Its work with Indigenous communities is being highly appreciated. Like many non-profits, it has the organisational and environmental challenges. They mightily block the full realisation of its programmes and projects. Therefore, it needs help from well-wishers to overcome them. Otherwise, it shall become another addition to the statistics of failed UN decades of development. Become a casualty of the historical walls against marginalised Blacks, people of colour, Indigenous and poor peoples of the world. It can become a casualty of its own grand ambitions.
Resource mobilisation is a major challenge of non-profits during the corona and post-corona pandemic era. Therefore, I very much thank the Ford Foundation. It has offered the much-needed help to EvalIndigenous, its members and their communities. Now we can make progress in the decolonisation of evaluation. I am a recipient and very grateful for that help. I am now able to be present in my community in its time of need and contribute to finding viable solutions.
Due to civic activities, there is a call on me by some Nyalugweans to lead them in finding a lasting solution to many of the developmental challenges of the chiefdom. Some believe that I could use my global network to find donors to fund emergence food supplies as well as viable drought resistant agro-schemes in the chiefdom.
There is also a call for a unifier to bring the different ages and sectors of our people together. I have been proposed to lead my extended family back to our Indigenous ways of Ubuntu. The emphasis is now setting aside individual interests and getting back to placing at the centre of all our actions and thoughts only communal interests. Unity and unselfishness are recognised as of cardinal importance in solving communal challenges. What is your education and professional expertise for if you cannot find solutions to the developmental needs of your community?
The call for a unifier is also a call for the holding of a traditional ceremony. A communal mass to request for our ancestors’ forgiveness for having turned our backs on our Indigenous ways. The idea scares me. Why choose me to lead the process? A Tuwimba is ordinarily led by traditional leaders and sages. The financial, infrastructural and organisational demands of holding a tribal ceremony are very much beyond my personal abilities.
Indeed, the chiefdom needs to foster a spirit of unity and altruism to find communal solutions to the challenges brought about by climate change.
Most of the people of Nyalugwe chiefdom need urgent help to be able to have food until the end of the next farming season. They need help to avoid starving to death. The DMMU that is assisting them has insufficient food. It’s also only supplying starch (maize for mealie meal) but no other food stuffs required for a person’s good health. It, therefore, need the help of other institutions and well-wishers. Soup kitchens need to be set up in the vulnerable settlements, especially for children, different abled, mentally challenged and the elderly.
For long term solutions, the government and its partners need to start educating farmers to start planting drought resistant crops, venture in communal water retention’s ventures and use equipment that shall raise the production of food crops from their land.
There need for a change of behavior from the current sense of entitlement among national and traditional leaders. There’s currently a winner take all attitude. Subjects and citizens also need to change their behaviour. They need to be civic aware and proactive. They should be assertive and be demanding good governance from their leaders.
Traditional land is held by the chiefs on behalf of all members of their tribe. State land is held by the republican president on behalf of all Zambians. However, in most cases, traditional or Indigenous land is treated as the private property of a chief and not that it’s held on trust on behalf of the tribe. Their subjects are also not strong enough and politically empowered to question this anomaly and fight for their rights.
Therefore, just a few members of royal establishments and the elite that live in royal opulence amid squaller and abject underdevelopment. Imagine the difference it would make to a poor Nyalugwe communities if those benefiting from the resources of their Indigenous land instead of spending their income on owning planes or expensive vehicles or many residences in town or lavishly clubbing, they could spend that money on reducing poverty including hunger in the community or developing the chiefdom.
The Nyalugwe chiefdom is not in a conflict zone. Zambia is a peaceful nation and richly endowed with numerous and abundant resources. With good leadership, a return to patriotism and the Ubuntu spirit, the chiefdom and Zambia can overcome the current challenges.
 | Author - John T. Njovu, ZambiaJohn T. Njovu is a renowned Zambian Economist, Indigenous Evaluator, Author, Film Producer, and Civic Activist. He has been for the past three decades an active member of the development evaluation community. He has served in both the public and private sector. His civic involvement in non-profits has enhanced those he has been involved in locally and abroad. |
Gratitude on data collection assistance on climate change in the Luangwa valley
There is not much data on the effects of climate change and economics of climate change in Zambia or the rest of Africa. I have been using my own resources to start studying and filming the effects of climate change in the Luangwa basin. I am grateful to receive a pledge of support from EvalIndigenous to support my efforts. This has been made possible through its receipt of a 2024 grant from the Ford Foundation.
There is not much data on the effects of climate change and economics of climate change in Zambia or the rest of Africa. I have been using my own resources to start studying and filming the effects of climate change in the Luangwa basin. I am grateful to receive a pledge of support from EvalIndigenous to support my efforts. This has been made possible through its receipt of a 2024 grant from the Ford Foundation.
A 4-part blog series about the drought in Zambia, by John T. Njovu
Also read: Part 1, Part 2
Part 3. The shadow economy
I kept a look out for the signs of not usually spoken about and hidden social and economic matters during my May 2024 visit to the chiefdom. In national underdevelopment and chaos there is an orderly game and powerful hidden forces in control.
Charcoal burning causing deforestation
Driving from Lusaka to Nyimba, I noted a lot of charcoal bags for sale. The roadside communities are coping with the loss of livelihood by turning to charcoal burning. The government has banned charcoal burning.
Charcoal burning leading to deforestation Photo by Ngosa Banda @JTN 2024
Some of the people in the chiefdom like in other rural areas of Zambia have resorted to charcoal burning. There is high demand for charcoal as a result of inadequate electricity supply in urban areas. Loadshedding introduced by the national electricity corporation to ration electricity is for 8 to 14 hours a day. There is inadequate water in the Kariba dam to ensure sustainable generation of electricity and meet the demand. The trade in charcoal is worsening the deforestation and related climate change. There is need to sensitise people against engaging in charcoal burning as it adds to deforestation and adverse climate change. Long term measures need to be found quickly by the governments, civil society, businesses, and citizens to save lives and ensure sustainable communities.
A roadblock was established on Wednesday the 15th of May at Uyanya village to stop motorists ferrying charcoal across the Luangwa bridge. The opening ceremony was attended by Chief Nyalugwe and his headpersons. There is a police and council roadblock at the Luangwa bridge market for livestock and aliens, and a military one a short distance west of the market for the much sought after hard wood, mukula.
The production of charcoal is very labour intensive. Firstly, cutting of the trees. Secondly, gathering and piling them in one place. Thirdly, covering the pile with soil and leaving vents for firing and air intake. Fourthly, setting the pile on fire. The charcoal burners have to sleep at the kiln to ensure that the wood does not over burn and turn into ash. Lastly, when they are certain that the wood has turned into charcoal, they remove the soil. Then wait for it to cool down and start packing the charcoal into 25 kg sacks.
Like in any dusty industry, there is silicosis. The charcoal dust causes difficult to cure respiratory illnesses. The villagers are aware that the prolonged exposure to wood smoke and charcoal dust harms their health. However, they argue that they have no other choice of a sustainable livelihood.
While the trade in charcoal involves the poor, the trade in the hard wood involves sophisticated traditional leaders, politicians and foreigners. Just like when there was much poaching of the elephants for ivory in the 1980-90s leading to the depletion of its elephant population in the Nyalugwe chiefdom, mukula trees that used to be plenty are now very hard to find in the chiefdom. There is also no sign of owls and nightjars during starry night drives. Where could we find answers on such matters? Is it a taboo to ask questions on the disappearing communal resources? I have observed that we generally censor ourselves and are unable to talk maybe due to taboos and superstition. By bewitching ourselves with fear and expecting others or good supernatural forces to intervene for us and correct wrongs, negative forces take advantage. A researcher needs a lot of patience and a long time with a Nyalugwe villager respondent to be trusted and told what actually is going on.
Wood cutters and charcoal burners should be encouraged to replant trees in their areas of operation. It would help reduce deforestation. They should think of future generations as well and leave an inheritance of good forests.
In search of hidden gold
I had heard about the shadow economy in the chiefdom. So, I drove to Kasansamula village to find out more. Though it is an open secret, however, it is taboo to talk to strangers about it. Exposing clandestine economic systems can be very dangerous for individuals. Where the financial stakes are very high, people thought to be endangering the main players’ income can get into trouble. In an underdeveloped nation like Zambia, where the majority may be financially challenged, money talks and the truth sayers are hated. Even if a person collecting data is trying to correct financial and social wrongs in order to protect rights of communities from abuse by powerful forces, poor people can turn against that person and protect their abusers. Poverty can make Judas Iscariot look like a saint.
I had heard of the gold belt from Shona land in Zimbabwe that runs through the Muchinga escarpment. From the confluence of Zambezi and Luangwa Rivers in the south to the Rift valley of East Africa. Nyalugwe chiefdom from the confluence of Lusemfwa and Luangwa River and up to the confluence of Luangwa River and Nyimba stream near Luembe has been known to have deposits of gold.
Clandestine mining Photo by Ngosa Banda @JTN 2024
The infamous fugitive, John ‘Changa changa’ Clark, and equally infamous investor, Cecil Rhodes, are said to have eyed the gold in the Luangwa valley, especially in the old Petauke area. Petauke then stretched from a place that was called Nyakolwe (now Luembe chiefdom) to Charter land (the area around Minga up to Mozambique in new Petauke district). Nyalugwe chiefdom was part of Petauke district under the Ngoni. The Ngoni chief fled after learning of the massacre of Ngoni impis and the British District Commissioner entered the area. The Commissioner was appointing chiefs among the friendly people and traders.
Cecil Rhodes had set out to weakness the most feared tribe that controlled the area and trade, the Ngoni. With the help of the British army that was stationed in Malawi, he was able to eliminate the threat against his domination. The Ngoni impis armed only with spears were no match against guns in the 1898-9 war. Prince Singo and his wife were executed to send a chilly message to the other tribes. Singo was the commander of the impis (Ngoni warrior). The day of his execution, 4 February 1898, is a tribal day of mourning. He is now considered as a national hero and one of the first freedom fighters. Being unable to raid weaker tribes for food as weaker tribes sought British protection, King Mpezeni was forced to sign an agreement of subjection to British rule. Without their herd of cattle, the economic mighty of the Ngoni based on cattle instantly diminished, and they sought work in the mines and farms owned by the British. Some of the impis were conscripted into Rhodes’ police force and sent to control their war cousin tribe, the Ndebele of Zimbabwe. They were considered a threat to British access to the coal field in Zimbabwe and copper regions in Zambia.
The forsaken settlement of beautiful Luangwa River
Kasansamula is about 10 km west of Tiopa Mukamwa village and perched on the eastern bank of Luangwa River. The road to it from Great East Road, a stretch of 10 km has not been maintained for almost 40 years. The village is usually forgotten by politicians until days nearing the general elections. That is when its residents become the darlings of politicians vying for votes for seats in the local council and national assembly.
There is a roadblock of game scouts (forest wardens) about 3 km from the junction of Nyalugwe and Great East Road. The road also leads to two safari camps.
Poster of Kasansamula primary school Photo by Ngosa Banda @JTN 2024
Kasansamula’s main road’s entrance looks like time has ignored it. The compounds are still having a precolonial look. Grass thatched mud caked circular buildings in small open areas. Not many iron roofing sheets in sight. Modern building materials though perceived by many villagers as signs of wealth are an addition to the carbon footprint.
Forgotten Kasansamula village Photo by John T. Njovu @JTN 2024
The signs of modernity are a water pump, a primary school and the deputy headmaster’s home. Headman Petulo’s home is not different from the other low-level structures. It was mostly built from local forest products. I had noted the same about Headman Nyalugwe’s home when I visited it at Nyalugwe HQ.
Self-poisoning
The pre-historic looking Kasansamula village had an abandoned look. A classroom of pupils and a lot of young men mingling at a small store probably selling alcohol were the main signs of residence. Behind that profound façade of underdevelopment, we discovered an invasion of mostly urban aliens. The young men at the store were part of the illicit gold buyers from urban areas. They were camped in tents around the village. Some were renting the huts. Most of the villagers had shifted into the nearby forests and dry riverbeds. They were the miners. They were enduring hard labour and the extreme cold nights in the valleys of streams and hills. Hope of striking it rich one being their driver.
Gold mining camp Photo by Gilbert Munkombwe @JTN 2024
The process of extracting gold from the ore involves using mercury. The villagers are oblivious to the dangers of using the chemical. The miners’ health and drinking water was at risk of mercury poisoning. It is the same case with the use of agro-chemicals. Most peasant farmers are unable to read the warning on the packs of chemicals. They inadvertently harm their own health and the health of their ancestral lands. The resulting strange illnesses are mainly attributed to witchcraft. Specialised hospitals are far away in the capital.
Like in other parts of Zambia where mining is going on, except for the royal establishments and politicians and their cronies, the locals have not much to show for their ancestral land being richly endowed with minerals and wildlife. They remain abjectly poor and their settlements lacking good roads, telecommunication facilities, and other infrastructures while the aliens that buy mining products from them at very low prices or operate businesses in their land show rich rewards for engaging in commerce, mining and tourism.
Read Part 4. The disempowerment of clan heads by British colonialists
| | Author - John T. Njovu, ZambiaJohn T. Njovu is a renowned Zambian Economist, Indigenous Evaluator, Author, Film Producer, and Civic Activist. He has been for the past three decades an active member of the development evaluation community. He has served in both the public and private sector. His civic involvement in non-profits has enhanced those he has been involved in locally and abroad. |
Gratitude on data collection assistance on climate change in the Luangwa valley
There is not much data on the effects of climate change and economics of climate change in Zambia or the rest of Africa. I have been using my own resources to start studying and filming the effects of climate change in the Luangwa basin. I am grateful to receive a pledge of support from EvalIndigenous to support my efforts. This has been made possible through its receipt of a 2024 grant from the Ford Foundation.
There is not much data on the effects of climate change and economics of climate change in Zambia or the rest of Africa. I have been using my own resources to start studying and filming the effects of climate change in the Luangwa basin. I am grateful to receive a pledge of support from EvalIndigenous to support my efforts. This has been made possible through its receipt of a 2024 grant from the Ford Foundation.
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