Mani Migrations and Diaspora

Mani Migrations and Diaspora

The Mani are nomadic.  This means that the Mani people do not live permanently in the same place. Moving from place to place is a normal event in Mani life. When the decision to move has been taken, the Mani help each other with packing and with carrying their possessions. The men are responsible for moving heavier items while the women look after lighter items and the children. Each owner carries his own blowpipe and other hunting implements.

For the Mani people to make the decision on whether to stay put or to move is based on several concerns. For the Mani people one of the most important reason for thinking of moving is shrinking productivity of the environment around the settlement When animals and wild potatoes are getting hard to find they have to move if they would want to eat.

 There are also other reasons on why the Mani people would make the decision to move.  One of the reasons would be when someone has died in or near the current location; a move away has to be made quickly. Alternatively, when sickness strikes a member of the band and persists for some time despite treatment, this means that an evil spirit haunts the area. The current location has to be abandoned quickly and a new one found as far away from it as possible.

Another reason would be when a child is born in the band, the Mani believe that the blood shed during birth causes sickness from dead blood. The band will then move to a new location as soon as the new mother has regained her strength, 5-7 days after giving birth. Last reason would be after an outsider (a non-Mani) has come to their village and asked for their child in a threatening manner. Such an event is considered a bad omen