By Namwanja Margaret Chikwabi Nyami Nyami: the Zambezi River god (2021) is the fourth novel by Preston Mwiinga. It is a story about the unfolding of events before, during and after the construction of Lake Kariba in Siavonga in the 1950s. This is the second largest man-made lake in the world. According to Tonga and Lozi mythology, Nyami Nyami the river god, who had the torso and fangs of a snake with the face of a fish, was the protector of these two tribes which lived in the area that was cleared out for the construction of the lake. He was also the provider for these two tribes in seasons of drought. Legend has it that Nyami Nyami allowed the chief priests of the villages to cut out pieces of his flesh in order to feed the communities until the season of plenty came around again. Hence, the name nyami nyami in Tonga is also […]
BOOK REVIEW: NYAMI NYAMI: The Zambezi River god
