SUBHI FUNUKI- HARUSI KWA NG'OCHA DIRECTED BY MANWELL 

This may explain why Sukumaland was and is still a magnate to people of other tribes. If you listen carefully to Subhi, you will hear her mentioning names of several leaders for different jobs. Some names are not Sukuma; but foreign or names of other tribes. We Sukumas welcome people from all parts of Tanzania and even around East African countries. Sukumas are lay back people who want to physically work hard on the farm and enjoy weekends dancing. Western education is not a priority among Sukumas kids. That explains why Sukuma kings had hard time to convince Sukuma parents to take their kids school. Therefore if you want to enjoy life; please visit Sukumaland between April -October. Those are off farming months. You will love to be among Sukumas.

Let me tell you this; people from other tribes or other countries in the world will never understand us Sukumas and our tradition, values and manners. We tend to take life as easy - that is work hard and enjoy your weekend or off days by visiting relatives or attending dancers. This is especially during summer or dry season. Just look how people attended this wedding between these two girls - and nobody is questioning who is the husband and who the wife for both are beautiful girls. The problem comes when a man meets one of them and proposes to marry. Watch out-the man has to marry and sleep with both of them. And I am talking through experience. I think I have written about my cousin who was confronted by two married beautiful Sukuma girls - and they wanted him to marry and sleep with both. I could not believe what I was hearing them confronting my cousin to marry both for they were already married to each other. Believe they said they both loved him equally. Well, I should not be surprised. There is guy in USA who was arrested for having many wives and some underage girls. I do not have a solution or suggestion for this matter.

This is fun to watch - two girls wedding. Has the audience noticed that most Sukuma males here are relatively thinner than women? I hope you guys know the reason. Believe it most males here have more than two wives. In most cases they are forced by culture to sleep with both wives at night. I believe I have told you about my own observation where my cousin was visited by two beautiful Sukuma girls. I was at Maswa district working there. He thought the other girls was just a friend - she was not. The second girl was actually her husband. I mean the two girls were husband and wife. So they wanted my cousin to be their husband for they heard was very intelligent so they they could get intelligent kids.. Confused! Not to me as Sukuma, because I witnessed such events as depicted here. I could not believe it - raised as Catholic who was taught marriage is for one man to one woman. These relations are serous especially in Easter Sukuma regions. I did not see that many such relationships in Mwanza and Geita districts; although some males did have multiple wives as normal for rich Sukuma males.

Please listen to Subhi saying names of her audience and leaders. Most of the names are typical Sukuma names I had forgotten for I was raised in Christian family where we were named first Christian name and second family name. But the names Subhi is uttering are mostly typical Sukuma names. I have no idea how Subhi, Misoji, Mama Ushauri, Sengi, Bhulemela and other Sukuma musicians managed to keep those names alive. I wish Sukuma musicians the best for they remind me how we Sukumas used to live and love one another.

Please notice our Sukuma women at 9:26 - just beautiful.One is looking at an angle as if she is shy to be in front of the camera. Then they crack-up with Sukuma laughter. Believe it, Sukuma women are rarely shy; but here they show are surprised of what is going on in their village. I wish the audio video took what they talked about when the camera man left. May be he was handsome. But I certainly know they will talk about it the whole night if they live together.

This explains why other tribes in Tanzania and in the world find us Sukuma strange people. How can any other tribe believe this is a wedding between two beautiful girls! As I asked before, who proposed who to get married. Many people would guess the darkish girl proposed the light skinned girl with flowers and head dress. But believe its is the opposite. The light skin girl is the one with cows given to her by her grandfather featured here. In Western world the groom and the bride would be accompanied by their parents. Not in my tribe Sukuma. Aunts can be perfect substitute of fathers in my tribe Sukuma. As pointed before; wait until one man or boy comes to propose one of these girls. He has to accept both of them as his wives. Confused! No, I am not confused. As pointed before I witnessed when my cousin was confronted by two beautiful married girls. This tradition is mostly in Eastern Sukuma regions. But it works for us Sukumas. This may explain why there are no prostitutes in Sukumaland. Look at audience both males and females. Nobody is questioning what is happening. We Sukumas are liberals.

Please notice at Sukuma skin colors - They are range from very light brown to dark brown. Sukumas are rarely deep black like Sudanese. I have no idea why Sukumas colors range that wide for we did not interact with people from Europe like people along the coast of Indian ocean where people there inter-married with Arabs and even Europeans. We Sukumas did not have much influence of people from foreign countries which explains why people in other tribes find us too liberals or strange. But as pointed out in other video, people of other tribes visiting or living in Sukuma area eventually integrate in Sukuma culture - hard working at same time enjoying weekends by dancing.

At 15:04 you may hear Subhi introducing some people by names. One of them is Ng'wananyololi. Believe it or not that is not the name given to him by his Sukuma parents. That name has hidden swear word for women private part. I will not say it here. But remember if such a names comes up in a song or talk with music star, it is actually stir-up males brains-to regard the guy with such a name must have many wives. Remember the herbalist doctor in Bhulemela song. He had similar nickname and had 10 wives. Such names are just to drive people nuts. I see that practice here too in USA; people re-naming themselves to reflect what they like most.

Please notice most or majority of our Sukuma women are of right body weight - that is not too thin as appreciated in Western cultures. We Sukuma don't like too thin or too heavy or too fat women. And this is reflected in this video. Of course our old Sukuma women eventually become heavy and that goes for they do not usually participate in dancing we call "mbina." Some of our Sukuma old women are stuck caring their children or grand children. That is why you see most women here are of right size for they may not have children or are still young and therefore active getting off extra weight.

I wonder if I have said this before. Subhi sometimes events or concocting her own words. She crushes Swahili words into Sukuma accent and they come out as new words. I am surprising those attending Suhbi music functions are not complaining about what words are coming out as she sings. This despite there is a somebody in the audience or one of her group reminding her about the next line with proper Swahili or Sukuma words - sometimes she ignores whoever reminds her. Believe it this is not Subhi way alone. Some American music stars also crush words or invent their own words, even grammar and people do not complain.

Wait a minute -Where did Subhi learn Swahili and how it is spoken? She seems inventing her own words or vocabulary. She is lucky that her audiences and dancers seem to understand what she is talking about. I understand what she is talking about because I was exposed to both Swahili and Sukuma languages. Well, even American musicians invent their own words or vocabulary to suit themes of their songs. So, we may as well accept Subhi's new words some of which are Sukuma and Swahili words fused together.

This video gives evidence why people from other tribes find us Sukumas kind of strange as to our traditions and manners. Look, here is wedding festival between two beautiful girls. A stranger would be wondering who proposed the other girl. Most people would pick the tall one darker brown skin. Wrong! The girl with flowers is the one proposed the other girl to be his wife. Confused! Now wait until one man comes to propose one of the married girls. The guy has to accept both to be his wives. If the guy wants only one of the married girls, he better get lost. Believe it these girls cannot be separated as husband and wife. Well strange! No it works for us Sukumas. In fact I witnessed it while working at Maswa district. Raised as Catholic, I was surprised finding I did not know my own Sukuma tribe tradition.

That is our Sukuma Beyoncé. Given Subhi is exceptionally smart and unique, we should strive to ensure she lives in better house than she has now. Give me another month, I will ship some $$ to Subhi Funuki. I will also seek challenge from Sukumas living in USA.

I have already said that my Sukuma tribe people are peaceful or tend to be peaceful because of the terrain situation. Look behind people in the audience or horizon, you will find the terrain is flat or without hills or high mountains. So, people are not scared of their environment. I remember when young I could travel six miles alone visiting my uncles and I would not be worried meeting wild animals or bad people or being tired climbing mountains. Only when I went for school in Mwanza did I see hills which I had climb when going up hill. Otherwise, the rest of Sukumaland is kind a flat or undulating with hills here and there. Also rain in Sukumaland is not as violent as other parts of Tanzania. I had witnessed two tornadoes in 30 years, two mild earthquakes. Our house was on a hill so rain water was no big deal with us. I lived briefly in Bukoba and rain there came with scary and loud thunderstorms. I was scared the first time I saw Kilimanjaro - was about thirty miles from the mountain. I could not believe such a situation existed on earth. That may explain why people around there are not as friendly as those in Sukuma. In fact, many tribes in Tanzania find us Sukumas kind too friendly and welcome people from all over Tanzania. We have joking relationships (watani) with many tribes. You may find quite a few businesses owned by non-Sukumas. We Sukumas tend to be easy going - getting along gang with other tribes. I never heard any Sukuma male or female brag to be violent or threat to others. So, that may explain why there are so many people at this wedding - believe it many people invited themselves - just to have fun and getting away from their homes during the dry season after harvesting their crops. Many tribes in Tanzania find us relatively bigger on the average than many tribes in Tanzania. I would not expect people from around Kilimanjaro to be big - for there are too many hills there to climb.

Please notice how sun-burned faces of my tribe Sukuma people. This occasion should have been in either June-August when there the sun is hot and dry weather. People’s faces look burned despite some are brown. But we Sukumas are used to the sun and dry weather. I had never heard people collapse due to hot sun. Here in Wisconsin during summer some people cannot stand hot sun and some pass out playing football. But not us Sukumas. I remember to have played football when it was 85 F and we did not need to drink water at half time.

When young and visiting various relatives in different villages, I noticed something peculiar. Women were marrying each other. Therefore if a guy wanted one of these married women to marry one he had to accept marrying both women. I think this is taking place in this video - two girls are marrying each other. In fact, when on vacation, two beautiful girls came to visit my cousin who was graduating from high school. My cousin had met one of the girls. So I was eavesdropping when they were talking to my cousin; and heard them tell him that they were already married to each other and if he wanted to marry one he had to marry both of them; and had to sleep with both because they were already married to each other. I could believe what I was hearing. These beautiful Sukuma girls loved each other as husband and wife. Now I am seeing it here again. There is also another Subhi video - "Maulidi" where two girl twins got married and expected a man wanting one to marry both of them because they were already married. To me, raised as Catholic, did not make sense; because I expected women to be jealous if they wanted the same man. Well, I should take that back. There are unique traditions in my Sukuma tribe which never make sense to non-Sukumas. For instance, the offspring of your aunt is also your aunt if female and father is male. I think we Sukumas operate differently from other people of this world.

Please notice Sukuma males and females do not hold hands or dance mixed when dancing like people in Western countries. We Sukumas are different-that explains why a Sukuma has hard time in foreign regions of TZ and other countries. We are too liberal but at the same time we keep roles between males and females. We don’t hold hands when dancing. One reason is that some males have may have two or more wives at dance places (mbina). Therefore it would be difficult or even stir jealous among wives for a husband to hold hands with one wife and not the others; although Sukuma wives are prohibited being jealous of other husband wives. Second, we Sukumas have never really mixed with women at dance places. Males used to place women and children in the middle while males were around the dance area. May be it was to protect women and children from animals if one chanced to be around. But there is improvement now. At least now males and females line up although mostly separately. I am also seeing some males carrying their children not the mothers. At least they now give mothers breaks - else they only carry kids on their backs or in their hands. I have no idea how women manage to carry their kids on backs or hands without getting tired. Some kids can weight 12 -16 pounds.

One aspect I noticed when growing up at Jojiro is that Sukuma women had larger palms and longer fingers than us Sukuma males. Now watch careful at this video you will notice women have larger palms and longer fingers than males. But also I noticed women in Wisconsin have similarly larger palms and longer fingers than males. I believe this is women genes to have large palms and long fingers to carry children. Does any one in the audience have scientific explanation why women have longer palms and longer fingers than us males? Amazing.

Please notice the Sukuma beautiful ladies at 9:22 minutes are behaving. That is exactly like Sukuma women were behaving when I was growing up at Jojiro Nela Kwimba in 40s and 50s. Women could bunch together and start talking about issues males would not talk about. Now, what were all those women doing there together other than gossiping about how males misbehave. Sukuma females rarely confront Sukuma males when they behave. Thanks for that video.

Unyama mwingii sanaaa

Have you noticed many women in this video at 6:02 look alike? And listen to the Subhi or her back-up person introducing women at that time. She is introducing the audience to husbands who are women of various wives who are women too and nobody is questioning who is wife and who is husband for those women and all are beautiful too. Very confusing; but it works for us Sukumas -

It's me again. I will be sending my young brother to deliver the documents that I sent Subhi $40.00 for entertaining my family here in USA - Wisconsin. My young brother should be there by the end of next week or earlier following week. I feel bad watching Subhi Funuki videos here without paying a penny for them. We call this in Kisukuma as "kusamba." So hold your horses; my young brother will be there to deliver the documents to attest I sent the money.

We Sukumas must be strange but interesting people. Just imagine the woman who was called "DAD" by Subhi earlier in the video is breastfeeding her baby at 15:05 minutes. Remember earlier in the video she was bragging as "DAD". Such Sukuma custom should throw off people from other tribes and nations. In fact, I personally was surprised when visiting friends in Maswa and Nzega. Some women were called "DAD" by females. That confused me; but I thought it was a joke. Now I see and hear it here; therefore it was a real custom in my Sukuma tribe. Amazing. This unique practice is as having two wives who call each other husband and wife; and still they call their real husband as husband too with all duties as a husband. We Sukumas are unique people in the world.

I might have written somewhere else that we Sukumas mess up words or names. For instance educated people they city "Mwanza" but we Sukumas call Ng'wanza.. Also listen when Subhi says "thousand" in Sukuma - says "jihumbi' while we people in Mwanza and Kwimba say "kihumbi". Listen to Subhi says referring to "Tabora" - she says "Nhobola." I graduated at Tabora school. Everytime I told my Grannie that I was at Tabora school, she got upset because she expected me to call the school as "Nhobola" and not Tabora. Well, even in English there are accents which drive me nuts.

At last Suhbi has her own SUV to drive her and her young son to shows. I believe she had another vehicle about 8 years ago; but it was falling apart. The only part now is to get her a good house to live in. I have always wondered how I can ship some $$ to her to re-model her present house. It should have good and well-ventilated windows with mosquito guards; in door plumbing. I heard in the video that water they were spouting comes from Lake Nyanza. Yes, water should have not been a problem in Sukuma area for we had Lake Nyanza all the time. Unfortunately, we did not make the best of Lake Nyanza water. But also I saw in one video showing Lake Mbili. I have no idea is that freshwater lake. So if Lake Mbili is fresh water; the government show pump water to be available to houses around Lake Mbili. I hope this memo will be read by Rep in that area.

I see my Sukuma tribe people well fed and well dressed. I believe this was work of Magufuli who was smart enough to use Tanzania resources to better lives of people. Now Tanzania women look healthy and beautiful and it seems are no longer whining about food. I hope the new President of Tanzania will continue Magufuli legacy - hard work without corruption.

The best aspect about these Sukuma videos is that they are recorded in natural environment; that is they are not rehearsed; but people are acting as they do everyday under similar conditions. This is different with music videos in USA or other countries where people seen in picture are canned to act so because of the in charge of the video wanted them to behave as he planned. Not with these Sukuma videos.

That explains why people of my own Sukuma tribe wondered why I was behaving strange when on vacation from school at home. I think they wondered why I did not know much about my own Sukuma tribe customs. For instance, can you believe at 6:23 there is darkish lady but calls herself as "husband" with a swear Sukuma private women part name but carrying her own kid and another one below. The next women, kind brownish is her wife and both are smiling and having fun. There is a woman nearby, I think she is Catholic, for she is wondering what the hell is going around her. But the dark woman and brown woman ignore her and show her are enjoying the wedding between the two beautiful girls. Believe it, the two women may be married to one male or actual husband. Notice also the brown girl-who is the groom is showing off she is the husband of the dark girl. This is unbelievable. But that is my tribe Sukuma operate.

Good work

Good job big up bro

I hope I am not repeating myself that at 9:22 min there is a group of beautiful women; wondering what is taking place in their village. One happens, according to the Subhi words is grannie of the bride who is also a female. These beautiful women are behaving like typical Sukuma women of the 40s when strangers come to their village uninvited. At one time grannie shows a tongue as if everything taking around place there is trashy.

Lushiloooooo

For those us who know Sukuma accents, Subhi is like a woman from Texas talking to people in Wisconsin. Suhbi is talking with Eastern Sukuma accent which people in Western Sukuma would just be wondering why she is replacing "k" with "j". For instance she says "jihumbi" which means a "thousand" we central and Western Sukumas we say "kihumbi" or "shihumbi." Some linguist professors should tell us why there accents within a language.

There is one beautiful Sukuma woman at 6:29 min who seems to be disgusted with hearing women married to other women. I believe she is from Mwanza or Geita areas where very few women marry each other. But she should be tolerant for she is living in Nzega/Kahama where such marriages are accepted as shield for women against men who bully them. You as male would not dare attack your wife married to another woman also your wife. Your wives will gang against you. When living in Maswa as a Sukuma male, I was careful not to annoy married women to avoid being attacked. Sukuma females are very strong and we Sukuma males know about it.

At 12:51 there are two women in the background. One has her elbow on shoulder of another woman. I believe is her young sister or very close relative or friend. I do not believe to have seen such lax or custom where I live now. I know even Sukuma males never place or lean on or against another Sukuma male. I think this way of life is among Sukuma women only. But it's interesting that the woman who is leaned on is not bothered at all. I believe because she is focused on music and people dancing.

For English speaking and Christians in other countries; please do not be offended by Subhi mispronouncing your names. She says English or Christian names in Sukuma accent which come out only us Sukumas can know who she is calling or referring to. Well, I should take that back for English people sometimes mispronounce French and Sukuma names. That evens out.

I hope people watching video are surprised why some males are carrying sticks. Those sticks have various functions. First, sticks usually identify that guy with a stick is not married; but has cattle at home once is ready to pay dowry for a wife. So those sticks can be act as advertisement that the guy is single for girls to know in advance. Second, those sticks are used for playing "Nyega" or a kind of terrain golf game. I watched that game when young in the 40s. Third, sometimes those sticks were used to practice competition as who is fastest in handling stick game. In all my life, as Sukuma boy, I never saw anybody hitting another person with those sticks. Fourth, those sticks are to ward off wild animals specifically hyenas which a guy can encounter when watching his cattle. Of course Sukumas usually have dogs trained to fight hyenas. So anybody attending a Sukuma dance (mbina) or wedding as in this case, should never be worried by some guys have sticks. It merely for show.

Would you please tell me where Subhi learned Swahili? I think we Sukumas don't want to learn Swahili. Is it true her real name is Pili? She seems to crush Swahili words into Sukuma language which come out as mangled language only she and her group understand. I am lucky to have lived with Sukumas like Subhi who were learning Swahili. It was a tough life living with them.

I believe I have commented on the two women or girls in the background at 10:27 min. One is resting her elbow on the shoulder of another woman. The other woman seems not caring that the other girl is leaning on her. This is usually between friends or close neighbors. Sukuma boys never do stuff like that. But women do especially close friends or neighbors not between sisters. I have no idea how this developed in Sukumaland.

There is one guy in the video who married a beautiful Sukuma woman; but I believe she did not tell him she was already married to another beautiful women. This guy later found out the woman he married was already married to another beautiful Sukuma woman. The guy is seen very uncomfortable and confused having both women at the show; but he cannot get rid of the other wife because she was married to his wife before he married his wife. To get rid of the other wife, he has to pay a lot of cows and sometimes it does not work out for both can dump him. That may confuse a lot of non-Sukumas. But since I personally witnessed that, I am not confused or surprised with such situations. That also explains why there are no Sukuma prostitutes. Women married to other women treat each other closer friends than their relatives or sisters. To non-Sukumas, this does not make any sense. But it does to me as Sukuma and the fact that I personally witnessed that situation.

We Sukumas are different people. There is a beautiful woman there who is really pissed to hear a fellow woman is called father and husband when she is breast feeding her own baby. Now this same woman called father has a beautiful wife also with a baby. So the two have babies. Interesting is that Subhi is calling this Sukuma female as father- and she is bragging as father. There is another woman who is confused and questioning the woman how can she be father when she is breastfeeding her own baby? Held: This can only happen in Eastern Sukumaland. I worked at Maswa and Nzega and was surprised to learn women were marrying each other and then hunt a male to marry them. As I pointed before that explains why there are no whores in Sukumaland particularly East Sukumaland for women there gang to look for male to marry them. Believe they look strong and beautiful too.

I hope I am not repeating myself that Subhi sometimes invents her own words by crushing Swahili words into Sukuma accent. For instance listen at 19:27 min she says God should continue "kumbadia" the news man. Good Swahili would be "kumbarikia" which means God continue to bless the news man. I am not blaming her inventing or crushing words. In USA we have musicians who also crush words or invent their own gramma which throws me out as what they mean. So we have to accept Subhi language in her songs so long as we Sukumas understand what she means. Interesting development in Sukuma language!

I believe to have told you or audience that Subhi sometimes mentions names of people; simply to stir up their mind. For instance she mentioned the name of Nyololi. Believe it or not that name has a swear tone. Nobody in Sukuma area would name there son or daughter that name. Such names are self-renaming just to drive people mind crazy. I am not going to tell you why that name has swear tone in Sukuma area.

I hope the audience understands what Subhi is talking behind the scene about the family that invited her for the wedding. She is praising the family that it's well settled with plenty of cattle and implying that the family is very rich. Well, you can see how many people attended the wedding of the two beautiful girls. I do not think such wedding is appreciated in other parts of the world. I personally witnessed two beautiful girls who claimed were married; but were looking for a man to marry them. As pointed out in my other videos; that did not sink well until my cousin was confronted by two beautiful girls telling him to marry both or nothing because they were already married.

Have I told you that we Sukumas don't want to learn another language properly. Listen to Subhi trying to speak Swahili - maan!, she really crushes Swahili words and only Sukumas will understand. I do understand for when working at Maswa as County Executive, the Chairman did not know proper Swahili so he would crush Swahili words into Sukuma and they came out like Subhi words. As I have pointed before, I understood him perfectly for I know Swahili and Sukuma equally But government workers from other tribes had terrible time to understand the chairman.

Unbelievable -please look at the girl husband marrying the other darkish girl as bride. The light skin girl or future husband shows confidence is in charge and future husband. Funny thing of all the husband girl has flowers and bride head dress. Confusion - yes to foreigners; but not to me as Sukuma because I witnessed that while working at Maswa district.

I cannot remember if I have already commented on the two women or girls in the background; one is leaning her elbow on the other girl or woman shoulder. I believe only women can do stuff like that to each other - placing elbow on another woman or friend. I do not think us males will put up with another male or friend elbow on my shoulder. In fact, I never saw that with Sukuma males or other males where I live now - now i.e., male leaning elbow on another male- that is a no, no. I think only women do stuff like that and they seem not to mind it all. That is one habit that separates males from females.

Wait a minute; at 1:41 Subhi is seen leaving her house unlocked - I mean the door is not closed. It seems her house is alone around there. Obviously, she must trust all neighbors around her house to live it not closed. How about wild animals like hyenas. Well, I should take that back. Hyena are not interested in people without cattle or sheep. But how can she live in such a small house when she is a big music star with so many types of clothing, jewels; shoes. All this time I have been thinking shipping some $$ to remodel her house. I promise will do so soon.