Meanings Of Nyanza, Tanganyika & Nyanja
Nyanza (nigh-AHN-zah) means an enormous collection of primordial water (lake, sea, pool, river, etc.) (1) Nyanza is also described as meaning “lake” in the superlative, pre-eminent sense. (1.5) Thus instead of Nyanza simply meaning “lake,” the meaning is closer to Great Lake. Thus also, it is possible the people would only use the word Nyanza in some instances because that name would be sufficient unless the people were aware of more than one Nyanza. Tanganyika (ta-ngah-NYEE-kah) has several layers of meaning: 1. “the mixture,” in Kiswahili. In the bosom of Tanganyika Nyanza meet and mingle all the waters of the vast surrounding framework of hills. (2) 2. The name of Tanganyika means " the mixing place," being derived from Ku-langanya—in some dialects Changanya—" to mix or shuffle." The fact that I found no less than ninety-six rivers besides torrents and springs flowing into the portion of the lake which I surveyed proves this name to be well deserved. (3) 3. It can be said Tanganyika is another word for paradise. The mixture that was all things in the mixing place, the waters of Nun, was in a blend of harmonious paradise of oneness. When that mixture divided itself and created Creation and then made all the divisions of Self interrelated and interconnected, the conditions were established for the mixture to remain together and come together and function in harmony in paradise, Punt, the Garden of Paradise on Earth, even as separation occurred and after disconnection occurred. 4. “Tanganyika means “lake of the thigh or haunch.” This comes from “tanga” for “the thigh” and “nyika” for the water. [thus we see the kinship of ny-ika to ny-anza]The thigh is a symbol which denotes the birthplace that was shown more completely by the Cow itself. The water-cow represented earth as the great mother and giver of the water that burst forth from the abyss in the deluge of the inundation when the lake was formed.
The lake of the thigh is Tanganyika, a constellation in the northern heaven. It was the lake of the water-cow. (4) 5. An early name for Tanganyika by the local people was, and perhaps still is, the Sea of Ujiji. (5) 6. Per the online Chichewa Dictionary, Nyanja (nigh-AHN-jah) means lake. Thus Lake Tanganyika is Nyanja ya Tanganyika. 7. Some Inner African names for the cow are "Nyaka" and "Nika." Thus the name of Tanga-Nyaka includes the cow of the water, the thigh of the water, and the thigh of the cow. (5a) 8. Bobbing along on the computerized internet is a questionable name for Tanganyika - "Liemba."
Liemba Means “Lake??”
Despite English-speaking sources saying liemba means lake in a Bantu language, it doesn't make sense. First of all, by calling Tanganyika, Lake Liemba, is the same as calling it Lake Lake. Secondly, why would local people name a specific body of water “lake” when all around them are many lakes? Thirdly, why would local people give the general name of lake to the largest body of water near them and leave the name simply as lake? Fourthly, why would local people name the southern end of a lake, “lake” and not name it something that means south. Clearly, “li” does not mean south because if it did, then south would be part of the definition of liemba - south, southern or southernmost lake. If liemba means lake, then the first part of the name is missing or is Liemba the massive unique lake without a unique name?Some say “emba” means lake, but don't say what “Li” means. (6)
Clearly, whatever word is used to describe water, will have the word “water” as its root meaning because, in harmony, in paradise, creation informs the namer as to what its name should be based on its characteristics.
Based on my dash of understanding regarding linguistics and understandings regarding Tanganyika and based on a source that says the prefix “li” or “di” could mean “to be” or “to exist,” here's my guess regarding the word “emba”:
the various components of the letters singularly and in combinations, suggest female, mother, water, male and female, parentage, dimension of soul and heart and soul. Thus, a fuller meaning of Liemba has something to do with waters of existence of soul and spirit bringing life into being as the originating, birthing, sustaining abundance enormity. This would make the meaning of liemba in keeping with of the meaning of Tanganyika.
References
(1) Imhotep, Asar, “GORE and the lying lore of “scholarship”,” October 14, 2009, p. 5.(1.5) Reclus, Elisée, "The Earth And Its Inhabitants. Africa," D. Appleton & Company, (New York:1886), Vol I, North-East Africa, p. 34/pdf 58.
(2) Dickens, Charles, Conducted by, “The Liberty Of The Subject,” “All The Year Round, A Weekly Journal” From July 2,1892 to December 31, 1892, Third Series, Volume 8, Nos. 183 to 209, (Charles Dickens & Evans, Crystal Palace Press, London: 1892), p. 81/pdf 94.
(3) Cameron, Verney Lovett, “Across Africa,” Harper & Brothers, (New York:1877), p. 459/pdf 535.
The following reference states there are 120 rivers and streams that feed into Tanganyika Nyanza.
New Werner, ”Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Standard Work of Reference in Art, Literature, Science, History, Geography, Commerce, Biography, Discovery and Invention... with New American Supplement, Complete in Thirty Volumes,” Twentieth Century Edition, (Werner Company: 1906), Volume 23, p. 50. (4) Massey, Gerald, “Ancient Egypt: The Light of the World: A Work of Reclamation and Restitution in Twelve Books,” (Leeds Celephais Press: 2008), (First published London, T. Fisher Unwin: 1907), Volume I, p. 260/pdf 270.
(5) Howgeto, Raymond John, “Richard Francis Burton - English Explorer, Scholar, Soldier and Diplomat (1821-1890),” International League Of Antiquarian Booksellers, Accessed 9/27/16.
(5a) Massey, Gerald, “The Natural Genesis: Or, Second Part of A Book of the Beginnings, Containing an Attempt to Recover and Reconstitute the Lost Origins of the Myths and Mysteries, Types and Symbols, Religion and Language, with Egypt for the Mouthpiece and Africa as the Birthplace,”, (Williams and Norgate, 1883)(Electronic Edition, Celephais Press, Leeds:2005), Release 1.01, January 2008, Volume II, p. 166/pdf 174
(6) Robertson, Rev. William Govan, The London Missionary Society, Central African Mission, “Journal of the African Society,” (MacMillan Co: New York: January 1904), No. 10, p. 183Tanganyika rises in rhythm with the African female, who like Aquaria, is the Great Mother of The Waters, Het-Heru-Nu, Sirene Oshun, Mami Wata and Yemanja-Oshun...
