24/07/2024
𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗔??
My dear relatives , today I would like to remind you about our roots and origin. First I would like to pose a question; who is a Taita? and who is Mdawida?. The name Taita brings together three communities namely the Dawida, the Sagalla and the Kasighau. We lived among the Mijikenda in Shungwaya before we migrated to Taita hills. Our history shows that in Shungwaya, the Dawida were known as Tita and Kadiyaru were the Kasighau, while Dara were the Sagalla.
1. Dawida- occupies the Taita Hills
2. Sagalla- occupies Maungu hills and Sagalla ridge
3. Kasighau - occupies the Kasighau hills
In the 'Diaspora', Taita trading parties went to Chagga and Usambara via Taveta and that is when some Taitas settled in colonies among the Shambala. We have penetrated Pare, Chagga and Taveta.
This is how we started our journey from Mwangea in the three columns, each heading in a different direction.
How did we travel? We traveled in columns. The first column was composed of the Taita clan of Wanya. We headed upstream of the Sabaki river before settling on range of hills. Presently, we occupy Wundanyi, Wusi and Kidaya right up to the eastern slopes of the mountains in Tanzania.
The second column, followed the coastline to Usambara, turning north, with some settling at Kasighau and the majority reaching the foothill of the main Pare mountain range near Mwatate. However, on reaching the upper Mwatate valley they were chased away by the northern group (Wanya) from where they turned west along Voi river . This group now occupies Mlechi, Msau and Mbale.
The third group of migrants arrived at the Usambara mountain in Tanzania. They then traveled right around it or climbed over the Pare mountain area before turning towards the south-western end of the Dawida hills. As they traveled, they were joined by Chagga elements of Tanzania on the way and they now settle near Bura, Umari, Sage-Ighuru, Mrughua, Mwanda and Mghange. They were later on joined by the agricul
