The gods of rain are awake in this city

DEAR nephew Milambo,

Warm greetings to you from the bustling and often bewildering city of Dar es Salaam.

I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits in our beloved village of Ukumbisiganga, surrounded by the warmth of family, friends and the familiar landscapes of our ancestral land in Tabora region.

As I sit down to write these words, my thoughts travel back to the quiet paths of the village, the wide-open skies and the comforting rhythm of life that we all cherish there. First of all, I pray that you and everyone at home are doing well under the watchful protection of our Nyamwezi ancestors.

May the spirits of those who came before us continue to guard the village and guide the young ones like you. I especially call upon the strength and wisdom of the mighty Chief Mirambo, whose courage and leadership remain a source of pride for all Nyamwezi people.

His spirit, along with the blessings of the Nyamwezi gods Limatunda and Liwelelo, should always remain close to your heart and to the hearts of everyone living in Ukumbisiganga. Remember that our traditions and our ancestors are the roots that hold us firm no matter where life takes us.

Here in the confused city, life continues with all its noise, movement and confusion. Every day it seems as if the number of cars on the road’s doubles.

The traffic jam is becoming worse by the day and sometimes what should be a short journey of a few minutes’ turns into a long struggle lasting hours.

Compared to the peaceful mornings in Ukumbisiganga, when the only sounds are birds singing and people greeting one another as the sun rises, the mornings here can feel overwhelming.

Despite all this chaos, we are managing well. Your aunt sends you many greetings. She often speaks about the village and remembers the times when she visited and sat with the elders listening to their stories. She misses the fresh air and the sense of community that exists there, where everyone knows each other and helps one another without hesitation. Your little sister Neema is also doing well.

My dear son, these days the rains are pounding the city from all directions. It seems the rainy season has truly arrived and the clouds gather heavily over the ocean before spreading across the entire city. Sometimes the rain begins gently, but within a short time it becomes very heavy, falling with such force that the streets quickly fill with water.

The problem, my dear nephew, is that the infrastructure in this city is not strong enough to handle such heavy rains. Many roads have poor drainage and in some neighbourhoods there are no proper drainage systems at all. As a result, when it rains seriously, large areas become flooded. Water collects in the streets, in the yards of houses and sometimes even inside people’s homes.

It is sad to see how quickly normal life can be disrupted by these floods. Transportation becomes difficult and people struggle to move from one place to another. In some areas the water rises so high that motorcycles and small cars cannot pass through. Just a few days ago we experienced one of the heaviest rains so far this season.

That evening the sky had been dark since late afternoon and thunder could be heard in the distance. By nightfall the rain began falling heavily, hitting the roofs with such force that we could hardly hear each other speaking inside the house. At first, we thought it was just another storm that would pass after a few hours. But the rain continued through the night, growing even stronger.

The streets around our neighbourhood slowly turned into streams of muddy water. Sometime after midnight we heard loud knocking and shouting outside. Some of our neighbours were calling for help. The water had begun entering their homes and they were struggling to move their belongings to higher places.

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My dear son, without hesitation, we put on our raincoats and rushed out to assist them. The rain was still falling heavily and the water in the street had reached almost to our knees. Together with other neighbours we helped carry furniture, mattresses and bags of belongings out of the flooded rooms.

Some families had small children who were frightened by the darkness and the rising water, so we helped guide them to safer houses that were on slightly higher ground. Your aunt worked with the other women to comfort the children and make sure everyone had a dry place to sit. It was a long and exhausting night my dear son.

The rain did not stop for many hours and we continued helping our neighbours as best as we could. By the time the water finally began to go down and people had secured their belongings, we realized that the sky in the east was already beginning to grow lighter.

When we returned to our own house, it was almost morning. We were tired and soaked from the rain, but also grateful that we had been able to help others in a moment of need.

My dear nephew, experiences like that remind us that even in a big and sometimes impersonal city like Dar es Salaam, the spirit of community can still exist when people come together to support one another.

Still, moments like these also make me think deeply about the difference between city life and village life. In Ukumbisiganga, when rain falls it nourishes the fields and brings new life to the land. Here in the city, the same rain often becomes a source of worry and destruction because the environment has been changed so much by buildings, roads and poor planning.

Sometimes I close my eyes and imagine the green fields around the village after a good rain, the smell of wet earth and the calm that follows when the clouds move away and the sun returns. Those memories give me comfort during the busy and noisy days here.

My dear nephew, I hope you continue to work hard, respect the elders and listen carefully to the wisdom they share with you. Our traditions, stories and values are treasures that must be preserved by the younger generation. Never forget where you come from.

The strength of the Nyamwezi people has always been rooted in unity, courage and respect for our ancestors. As long as you remember these things, you will always walk the right path. Please greet everyone in the village on my behalf. Send my warm greetings to the elders and all our relatives in Ukumbisiganga.

Tell them that even though we live far away in the city, our hearts remain connected to the land of our ancestors. May the spirits of Chief Mirambo, Limatunda, Liwelelo and all the Nyamwezi ancestors continue to watch over you and protect our beloved village.