The Nyaminyami , legend or based in fact?

The Nyaminyami is a river creature who lived in the  Zambezi River and controled the life in and on the river. It is worshiped by the Tonga people. Said to be a dragon like creature with a snake's torso and the head of a fish. The tonga claim sightings of this creature in the Kariba lake.  The lake is known for the  tigerfish that dwell in it’s waters but there are over 40 fish species that live in the lake including  nkupe, chessa, bottlenose, vundu, barbell and several types of bream. So the waters are very fertile and probably enough to feed a dragon!

. In 1950 the Kariba Dam project was started. The Tonga people were told they would have to be relocated and they asked The Nyaminyami to protect them. In 1957, when the dam was almost completed , Nyaminyami struck. The worst floods ever known on the Zambezi washed away the partly-built dam and the heavy equipment, killing many of the workers.  The  next rainy season The Nyaminyami struck again and brought more floods even worse than the previous year. However the dam builders  refused to give in and 1960 the dam was officially opened. The Kariba Dam is a hydroelectric dam and is one of the largest dams in the world, standing 420 ft( 140 metres)high  and 1,900 ft( 633metres) long .A lake was formed that measured 280 kilometres up stream through the Kariba Gorge and up to 40  kilometres wide.

As the dam closed the water level rose. Swarms of crickets, rodents and snakes emerged from the undergrowth and tried to escape the rising water. The skies above the lake were filled with flocks of birds feasting on the insects. Many animals retreated inland or made for higher ground only to become trapped on temporary islands created by the rising water. A  rescue called “Operational Noah” run by volunteers and game wardens rescued as much of the wildlife as possible.

The Tonga still live on the shores of Lake Kariba, and still believe that one day Nyaminyami will destroy the dam and they will be able to return to their homes on the banks of the river. They believe that Nyaminyami and his wife were separated by the wall across the river, and the frequent earth tremors felt in the area since the wall was built are caused by the creature  trying to reach his wife. Kariba is subjected to unexpected earth tremors. Some have registered over  5  on the Ritchter Scale. The lake  also experiences violent and expected storms and squalls that can quickly turn the surface into a dangerous place.

The resettlement of the Tonga people id said to be the worst dam-resettlement disaster in African history. Anthropologist Thayer Scudder, who has studied the people of the area since the late 1950s, described them 'development refugees.' Many live in areas, some of which have been so seriously degraded within the last generation that they resemble lands on the edge of the Sahara Desert. So no wonder they hope for the dam to be destroyed.

The locals and tourists of Kariba look forward to September each year as the Nyaminyami Festivals are held to venerate the River God.

So the question is what could the Nyaminyami be if it was a living creature? Could it be a giant eel? A snake’s torso and the head of a fish , maybe fit the description but what about a giant cat fish? They have large fish heads and often taper to a narrow end to the body. It is quiet possible that some large fish or eel did live in the river many years ago which gave rise to the legends and the fact there are claims (none I could find documented) that it is still seen in the lake ,could point to a large fish. The lake is well stocked with fish of all kinds so a predator large fish or eel would have lots of food. It is a great story and I just wish it had a happier ending for the Tonga people.

Some links of interest:

http://www.safariafrica.co.za/tourist-attractions/nyaminyami.htm

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23153:kariba-once-a-tonga-playground&catid=32&Itemid=34

 Nyaminyami: The Spirit of the River GodKariba: 

Kariba: Nyaminyami's Kingdom, Zimbabwe (Into Africa Travel Guide)