Zanzibar: Miza cave

The Miza cave (Mwanamiza) is founding in the Kizimkazi Dimbani village, in the south of Zanzibar Island. We already talked about Kizimkazi in this tale: “Kizimkazi’s Dolphin and fishermen”

There are 3 reasons why Miza cave is known. It’s a pure fresh water sustain for the village around, because from its gorge a pump pull out some of the water necessary for the day sustainability. Foregoing water is similar to the tides cicle. During high tide the Miza cave accumulates water and when the and when the sea water slows, also Miza cave slow to its parts. But the water of the cave is freshwater.

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Around the entrance gate, there are many white and red draps. They mean someone from the Island came here asking for a wish (common are become rich, become president, get more political power, more sexual power, get a wife). If their wish become true, they have to come back for an “offer plain” which consists in such as ripe bananas, incense, spicery and perfume which are called “Chano”. But there are not only good spirits in the cave, so they bring also half kg of sweetmeat, 3 eggs of poultry, alongside all lures, quarter of fabrics white and red. They tie the fabrics around the cave and the plain are left sometimes inside the cave, and sometimes outside.

Last but not the last reason why Miza cave is known is for its magical property of transform people in stone. There is any sign in history book about this story, but the elders that in Kizimkazi heard this story from their elders and so on, still talk about it.

Beforetime people were fetching the water in the cave for long time and the Chief of the village in that majesty, was enjoyed from him sleepiness to explain His villagers that they don’t have to call their names when they go to fetch the water in the cave because the cave had no name and the one whom name was called inside the cave, this will be muted in stone.

There was one elder who had two wifes called Myza and Maryam and they were both participating in daily workout like collect oyster on the beach, collect firewoods for cook food and also fetch the water and cook together.

Also with a good participation when the wifes are together an envious is must in the house. Maryam, who was the first wife, decided to provoke the second one Myza. They were fetching the water together, when Maryan finished first and go quickly outside the cave. Once there she called Myza with a big aloud.

After she was called, the elders say that Myza just answered with a soft “aaa”. Maryan waited for Myza coming out, but she never come. So she picked up her pitcher and went back home.

Arrived home her husband asked about Mysa and she answered they went together to fetch water, but Myza didn’t come out. So she decided to come back home for help.

The husband and the rest of the village go back to the cave with Maryam looking for Mysa, and when they entered they saw something unbelievable. There was a new stone, with a water pot on the top and with the figure of Myza in the cave.

They all go out of the cave and started questioning Maryam is she called her by name. After many questions, she confessed her jealousy and that she did because she wanted to be the only wife. The villagers killed her and buried in pieces around the cave.

From that day, now the cave has taken the Miza name who changed in stone. Thenforth was permitted to call each other inside it without pietrify. The stone is still present in the cave and some parts are still visible like the eyes, mouth, lips, arm, nose, eyes and imprinting of planting head.