Miembe is a name applied to the welcoming and farewell traditional celebrations among the seminarians at Kipalapala Senior Seminary. The welcome miembe celebration is normally celebrated in the beginning of the academic year, to welcome the new commers, the First Year Fraters; and the farewell miembe celebration is normally held at the end of the academic year, as a farewell to the Fourth Year Fraters. The term “miembe” is used for these celebrations because, traditionally, they are celebrated under the mango trees in our seminary environment.
Miembe is celebrated in groups of seminarians, basing on the zones in Tanzania like MWEMBE KASKAZINI, MWEMBE MASHARIKI; or basing on the unions of several dioceses like MWEMBE SIMBA (Singida, Mbulu and Arusha), MWEMBE MPAMBESU (Mpanda, Mbeya and Sumbawanga). Generally, there are 8 miembe groups of seminarians. Every seminarian is a member and sharer in a specific “mwembe”, depending on which mwembe his diocese participates. Miembe celebrations have been a long-lived tradition of Kipalapala Seminary.
This article is specifically about the farewell miembe festival of this academic year 2022/2023 which was held on 27th May 2023. The miembe celebration of this year has a historical significance. It calls back the historical experience of the so called ‘MIEMBE MIKUBWA’ which (characteristically) allows guests from outside the seminary, (whereas miembe midogo is just within the seminary). The traditional miembe mikubwa had almost been forgotten after the interference by the rise of Corona Virus Pandemic. Miembe mikubwa had remained a name and a meaning which was simply a farewell miembe to the fourth-year fraters, while the traditions of the Miembe Mikubwa became dormant.
The traditions of Miembe mikubwa were as follows: Guests were welcome from outside the seminary, who included the neighbors, friends, and the family members of the graduates, who could attend. Every mwembe group had members from outside who were allowed to contribute and participate in every farewell miembe festival. The farewell miembe festivals were freely celebrated at miembe centers of each mwembe group, which were both inside and outside the seminary fence, but within the seminary compound. The celebrations were great, foods and drinks were plenty and guests were so many. With the rise of Corona Virus pandemic since 2019, the traditional miembe celebration could not really be done because of the limitations related to the pandemic. But as for this year’s festival, the traditional miembe celebration has been possible after four years of restrictions since 2019 to 2023.
There are fifty (50) fourth year fraters from all over Tanzania who were given farewell hand on the basis of their miembe groups, as they are graduating their Theological studies. The preliminary preparations took longer than before, considering the specialty of this year’s celebration which is calling back the long-forgotten traditions. The proximate preparations began in the evening of the preceding day. The schedule of the miembe day was preceded by the Holy Mass in the morning, and after Mass all fraters went for tea in the dining hall. After tea the activities of the day began in every mwembe like slaughtering, cooking, and all that is concerned with the celebrations. Some people from outside were allowed to come and assist in the preparations as organized by each autonomous mwembe group.
Every mwembe group expected and received guests both from within the seminary like workers, formators and nuns and from outside the seminary. Around 11:00am, all the miembe began to receive guests and celebrations commenced. The celebrations were exceptionally good and every one enjoyed the day. Around 6:30pm, the celebrations ended and the guests left. There was as usual the evening sessions especially for dinner. On the following day after a Sunday Mass and tea in the dining hall, all the seminarians went for the activities of reordering and getting everything back to its proper order after the celebrations.
Reported by Frt. Godfrey Fredrick Mkwe