WOMEN are the bedrock of any society. They play an important role in the family.
Culture also plays an important role in many aspects such as in the way women perform their roles.
To this effect, women have used special tools to ensure they are productive in the family setup.
Some of the tools BaTonga women brought to their homes when they got married are winnowing baskets (rusero), fishing baskets, motar and pestle (duri nomutswi) grinding stones (guyo nehuyo) reed mats of different size (mhasa), blankets, a hoe, a small axe (kaleba), two earthenware cooking pots – one for the relish and one for sadza (shambakodzi nembiya), a gourd for drinking water (mukombe), basket, a large earthen ware pot for storing water and a plate to be used by her husband.
These tools and utensils are symbols and essence of womanhood.
Due to the succinct and profound nature of these tools and utensils, they are also often seen as a sign of matriarchal significance.
There are also special miniature hoes called katemo kavamwali which are mandatory for every Tonga woman.
These are symbols that show a woman has undergone female initiation called mwali in Binga and Western Zambia.
Katemo kavamwali literally means ‘the hoe of the female initiate’. The blades of this hoe are carved from wood or forged by an ironsmith.
Some of the hoes have a rare ivory blade, as well as seven ringed ivory laminated sections on the upper blade.
The winnowing baskets are used for sifting sorghum and other small grains.
Fishing baskets are used by women to catch fish, which form a major source of relish. The basket is a requirement as the woman must cook and provide for her family.
The mortar and pestle enables the woman to process food for her family.
Some of the foods ground in the mortar include maize to make samp, while the grinding stone is also necessary as it is a multi purpose tool used for grinding sorghum, rapoko and finger millet.
These are essential ingredients in the brewing of bukande traditional beer.
Groundnuts are also ground on the stone to make peanut butter.
Reed mats of different sizes (usually) are also used for sleeping on in the bedroom hut.
The other is used by the woman as a sitting mat in the kitchen, while the other is given to the in-laws as a token of appreciation and for welcoming her in their home.
A blanket is used by the woman to keep her warm at family gatherings and funerals.
It also signifies that she is a married woman.
A hoe is used by the woman in the fields.
The hoe is complemented by a small axe called kaleba and the woman uses it to cut small twigs at her homestead. It is also a defence tool.
BaTonga women are supposed to have two earthenware pots (hari) which they use to cook for their families.
The collection increases over time, but it is a requirement that she brings two pots, a wooden plate as well as a gourd for her husband to use when drinking water or beer. Complementing these is a large earthenware pot used to store water or traditional beer.
The woman also brings an assortment of beads that are worn around the waist, neck, ankles and arms.
These adornments are meant to enhance her beauty and improve on performance in the bedroom.
Tools, utensils and other property the women would have acquired are given to the woman upon divorce or handed to her family when she dies.
The man often remains with nothing as all the property is believed to belong to the woman because of the matriarchal system.
However, despite being highly matriarchal in the BaTonga tradition, gender inequality has never been an issue as women remain highly subservient to their spouses although they are regarded as community and family leaders under the system.
They also ‘inherit’ the man’s tools and property and take full control of everything, including spanners and bicycles. Unlike in other communities, the women are mandated full control of affairs.
Leaders are selected by a caucus of women (matriarchs) before the appointments are subject to popular review.
Their traditional ‘government’ is composed of an equal number of men and women.
The men are chiefs while the women are clan mothers.
As leaders, women closely monitor the actions of men and retain the right to veto any law they deem inappropriate.
Note that they not only hold the reins of leadership and economic power, but also have the right to determine all issues involving the trying of community offenders.