Matumbi

The Matumbi have long inhabited the hills and forests south of the Rufiji, in a territory that gave its name both to the people and to the highlands where they live. Their language is closely related to those of neighboring peoples, such as the Ngindo and the Ndengereko.

In the early twentieth century, under German colonial rule, they were forced into unpaid labor, and those who resisted were punished with the lash. This suffering led the Matumbi to play a prominent role in the revolt against colonial government, remembered as the Maji Maji Rebellion, which left its mark on Tanzania's memory.

Most families live from subsistence farming, growing mainly rice and coconut. Those who live near the coast and the islands also fish, and some keep small shops along the main roads. Life takes place in villages, where houses are usually made of poles with palm-leaf roofing and, where means allow, reinforced with cement.

Family and neighbors shape social life. Honesty and independence are highly valued, and knowledge of the forest and its medicinal plants is a source of pride. The farming cycles and the religious celebrations of the Muslim calendar set the rhythm of the year in the communities.

The great majority of the Matumbi are Sunni Muslims. They follow the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet, and practice the declaration of faith, the five daily prayers facing Mecca, the fast of Ramadan and almsgiving, and those who are able make the pilgrimage. They gather at the mosque on Fridays and celebrate the great Eid festivals.

A small part of the people still follow traditional religions of the region, and Christians are very few. Religious practice marks the families’ calendar, from daily prayers to the great communal celebrations. Faith and belonging to the people go together, and for that reason speaking of another faith is often delicate within the family and the village.

Kimatumbi is a language with a written form, and God’s Word in it is very recent. Bible portions appeared first, and the New Testament arrived only a short time ago, still without the complete Bible. The material can be read and heard in Bible apps, and the film on the life of Jesus also exists in the people’s language, which allows them to hear the gospel in the language of the heart.

For the Matumbi, being part of the people and being Muslim are closely intertwined, and Islam is lived out through the customs of the community. For this reason, someone who becomes interested in Jesus may be seen as turning away from family and village. Added to this are the very small number of Christians in the region and the fact that Scripture in Kimatumbi is so new that it is still little known.

Many families depend on rice and coconut farming and on fishing, and they value practical help in daily life. The people need to experience God’s power and love in a practical way, in the care of the land, the harvest and life in community.

There is also a need for disciples and for communities of faith that grow within Matumbi culture itself. Those who come to know Jesus need companionship, teaching in their own language, and friends who walk beside them with patience and respect.

There are concrete reasons for hope: the New Testament in Kimatumbi was recently completed, and parts of Scripture had been available for some years before. The Word can be read and heard on a phone, and the film about Jesus also exists in the people’s language, so that a Matumbi can hear the gospel at home, in the language spoken with family.