Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Moçambique

Gorongosa National Park, District Government, and surrounding Communities Pay Homage to the Spirit of Chitengo

Apr 17, 2008 - Gorongosa National Park

Chitengo Camp, headquarters of Gorongosa National Park in Sofala Province, occupies territory that used to belong to the Régulo, or local traditional leader, of Chitengo. Every year before the start of the tourist season, a traditional ceremony, or ntsembe, is held in the Chitengo Safari Camp.

The ntsembe is meant to evoke the ancestors of the region and ask for their blessing in order to ensure a successful tourist season in the Park. Ancestors are specifically asked to protect Park workers and visitors from wild animals and from supernatural events that exist in local myth.

According to the Director of the Department of Human Development, Mateus Mutemba, this annual ritual is also meant to bring together all of the partners connected to the life of the Park and strengthen ties among them. It is also a form of recognizing traditional local authorities and their important cooperation with the Park in a variety of ways, principally in the conservation of the local ecosystem.

 According to Mutemba, these traditional groups are the most important partners in the difficult struggle against illegal poaching and uncontrolled fires inside the conservation area. This problem of illegal fires, which destroy thousands of hectares of vegetation every year, is the Achilles Heel of the managers of the Park tourist resort.

“The Park owes these traditional leaders respect and admiration because they are the basis of local values and culture and thus constitute a precious source of information for the Gorongosa Park Management Team. These leaders are residents of the buffer zone around the Park, which is made up of small fragments of territory from 4 different districts of Sofala Province, namely, Gorongosa, Nhamatanda, Muanza and Cheringoma. These leaders are recognized by local communities and are thus privileged intermediaries for community mobilization in the defense and preservation of the ecosystems of which Gorongosa Park is a model.” Mutemba said.

The ceremony was led by the host Régulo, João Chitengo, and also relied on the presence of his counterparts in the Park buffer zone, namely Eugénio Almeida (Régulo Canda), Luís Sozinho Chuva (Régulo Nguinha), Abreu Chano (Régulo Nganguo), Jorge Francisco Afonso (Régulo Tambarara), Maneca Luís (Régulo Chicare) and Marcelino Manuel Charles (Régulo Sandjungira), along with some of the assistant chiefs, or Fumos, of the Régulos’ various regions.

During the ceremony, João Chitengo presented a short history in veneration of his predecessor, his deceased brother Régulo Traquino Chitengo, as well as the sacred Mutondo tree that was planted years ago. He also provided explanations of various local traditions such as: not sitting on tree trunks that are being used as firewood, not washing household utensils in the river - especially pans and plates that have been used on the fire, not defecating or urinating in the river, and not having sexual relations outside. He spoke about rules that should be strictly observed by everyone, or else rule breakers and others belonging to their communities run the risk of being devoured by lions. 
  
Nearly 400 participants, mostly workers in the Park, took part in the traditional festivities which took place last Friday, April 11. The festivities continued into Saturday, when the participants went on a pilgrimage to pay homage to the tomb of the deceased Régulo Chitengo, who is buried inside Gorongosa Park, just a few short meters from the entrance of Chitengo Camp.

Some members of the government of the District of Gorongosa, including the Permanent Secretary of the District, Lina Fafetine, also joined the cultural gathering.