Suba-Simbiti

First of all, I apologize for promising a post about a different people group every two to three days and then taking quite a bit of time off! Due to Andrew's busy schedule, we've decided to not go in alphabetical order for the groups and will add more posts as we're able (we divided the groups between us).

The Suba and Simbiti are two different people groups that have a combined population of 98,700. They speak the same language and have a similar history. They live just north of Musoma town on a peninsula extending out into Lake Victoria and most people are fishers and farmers.

The first denomination to take root among the Suba-Simbiti was Roman Catholic, and it remains the largest to this day. There are also a few Anglican, Mennonite, and Pentecostal churches in their area. The Seventh Day Adventist church has recently built quite a few church buildings, but their attendance is still low. Some tensions exist between the Catholics and the other denominations, and when someone changes from attending Roman Catholic church to going to a different one, that person's family and friends often give him/her a very hard time. Other than one village which is almost entirely Muslim, there are not many Muslim Suba-Simbiti people.

Traditional religion is strong among the Suba-Simbiti. The sun is the primary god, and witch doctors and rainmakers are powerful people. As with neighboring people groups, they believe that the spirits of their ancestors must be kept happy, as they can cause both good and bad things to happen. Adherents to traditional religion persecute those who leave it to join one of the non-Catholic local churches and threats of curses and displeased spirits are issues for new believers.

The two Simbiti translators are pictured above (they are Simbiti, but are translating for the Suba as well). The one on the left who is pointing at the computer is Robert Mago, a pastor with the Free Pentecostal Church of Tanzania, a denomination with its roots in the Swedish Free Mission. He is married and has eleven children ranging in age from about 2-25 years old (including three sets of twins). The one sitting in front of the computer is Albinus Waynse, a pastor with the Mennonite Church of Tanzania. He is married and has six children (also including one set of twins - maybe twins run in Simbiti families?). They are dedicated to the work and believe that having Scriptures in Suba-Simbiti will create a significant impact among their people.