The Sultan is both temporal community leader and spiritual religious leader of the Monarchical polity. At the past the predecessors were ex officio High Priests of traditional religion that was based on the worship of pantheon of spirits under the Supreme God, "Kabezha Mpung'u" who was said to be above the heavens and was never depicted figuratively. After conversion to Islam and migration the Wagoma and other Manyema were adherents of
Qadiri Order of
Sufism, emphasized spiritual trend of
Islam. The notion of
Sacred Kingship remained intact under the Islamic spirituality with the Kolo or styled Sultan being considered the successor of Liwalis of
Ujiji as the Muslim religious head of the riverain tribal lands from
Utongwe,
Ukaranga,
Uguhha,
Ugoma,
Karamba,
Ubwari,
Massanze,
Ubembe,
Uvira to
Rumonge. The Sultan maintains a
Zawiya convent with neither
Sufi order nor
Silsila of which he is a Swahibul Maqam instead of traditional Ngolo shrine to keep his regalia. There is cultural awakening and struggle for tribal consciousness and identity among the Wamanyema in recent years due to the efforts done by the Sultanate and other tribesmen. The efforts are driven by their neighbor tribes who see the Wamanyema as acculturated and ex slaves race due to their deep history of slavery and Arab domination which has muchly influenced their culture and history.
Language The primary language spoken by the Wamanyema is
Kiswahili variety which is closer to coastal
Swahili in accent but with many vocabularies from the kimanyema vernacular dialects. There are some efforts by the royal court to replace the use of
Swahili with Standardized form of Goma - Kabwari koine as Standard Manyema language so as to highlights the tribal and native identity for
Wamanyema.
Cuisine The main staple food of Wamanyema of Ujiji is Maize
Ugali and Fish. The traditional
Ugali of Rowe is mainly eaten by elders, and the Kolo in traditional occasions. Other dishes are Meat, yams, potatoes, mbwiti
porridge, teas, togwa, mijabosi, kiembe, fuka porridge, bananas, kikwanga, mabenyee, magatoo, bajia, rice, mahole etc.
Initiation Initiation into adulthood through circumcision was called by the Manyemas as "Yando" from Swahili Jando. The Swahili/Ngwana variety "Yando" was adopted with the songs being sang mainly in Swahili instead of Kimanyema. At Ujiji Manyema has dozens of initiatory societies of
Mizuka spirits, Vibuka in singular Kibuka which masquerade in seasons with their spirits possession dances, the Vibuka are divided according to branches of tribal ancestry with Kiruwa being the most popular with several Vibuka and initiates followed by Kisongye, Kitwa and Kibisa, with Kingwana being acculturated universal Kiswahili Cult. The Lubunga is the form of traditional assembly with similarities of Pashtun
Jirga but with initiatory protocols like most of central and west African polities, summoned by the Wagabo aides of the Swahilized Bugabo society. It is the Academy of culture, the fraternal Order, the
Jury and the Parliament. The Sultan occupies the top grade in Bugabo Society. Khadims are officiating in royal Zawiya as both the spiritual custodians of Sultanship as well as guides for the community and overseers of Islamic rituals that are pertaining to the royal court and Sultanate in general. ==Dynasty==