Turu people
| Tυrυ | |
|---|---|
| Person | Mυnyatυrυ, Mυrιmi |
| People | Wanyatυrυ, Arιmi |
| Language | Kιnyatυrυ, Kιrιmi |
| Country | Unyatυrυ, Urιmi |
The Turu (Arimi, Wanyaturu) are an ethnic and linguistic group based in the Singida Region of north-central Tanzania who speak the Bantu Kinyaturu. In 1993 the Turu population was estimated to number 556,000 [1].
Arimi (the people of Rimi) is the original endonym. The word arimi itself literally means farmers. Wanyaturu (the people of Nyaturu) is replacing it, reflecting Swahili contact; indeed, the prefix wa- is Swahili rather than the Turu a-.
The Turu people comprise three tribes, the Airwana (Wilwana), half the Turu population, including the city of Singida; the Vahi (Wahi), and the small Anyiŋanyi (wanying'anyi). Each tribe is composed of several clans, such as the Anyahatι and Akahiυ of the Wahi.
Despite little differences in dialects, people among these tribes can understand each other.While most of Nyaturu people live in Singida region in central Tanzania, a few number is constantly migrating to neighbor regions such as Manyara, Tabora, Morogoro and others for more promising lands for farming and pastures. The Nyaturu people are farmers,who use primitive farming tools commonly a hand or oxen plough. They usually grow crops for food and merely for sell.
The main crops are uwele, maize and mtama. They also grow cassava and sweet potatoes in the plateaus .In recent years however these people have developed an interest in growing some commercial crops such as sunflowers and onions due to relatively increase in markets in the region. However the commercial success is very limited due to both poor farming methods and unreliable weather. Apart from farming, the Nyaturu people also play a great deal in animal husbandry. More than 70% of the Nyaturu households have ranch like farming areas with cattle, goats, sheep and chicken. While small animals usually belong to the members of the family, cattle are sometimes borrowed from the rich neighborhoods for milk and manure. Vahi people among others are good producers of honey and tobacco as well. Nyaturu people usually live in integration with other tribes in the region such as Wagogo, Nyiramba, Nyamwezi, Sukuma, Hadza, Sandawe and the Barabaig. The Nyaturu language is one of the Bantu languages prominently in the sub-Sahara region.
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