Pongwe Pogwe is a village within Kang'ata ward in Handeni District, of Tanga area, of Tanzania. In Pongwe village there is a natural spring water place called Kwekibaya. Kwekibaya is the only source of water for thousands of people and animals. The original people from this place are called Wapongwe (Samwepongwe for male and Mnamweponge for women).
Map of Pongwe, Tanzania
It is believed that if a person not belonging to Wapongwe cleans the water source (the place where water is actually coming out to the surface), Kwekibaya dries out. If this happens, it is only a Wapongwe family member, in Wagongwe tradition, who can please the natural spring to give out water again.
Because of the importance of Kwekibaya, there is a chain of family leaders among the Wapongwe who guide the community in managing the Kibaya in partuicular and general resources such as deforestation issues (which forest is a reserved one). The last leader of wapongwe is Mkulago (1942-2006). Mkulago died on 28 April 2006 and laid to rest on 30 April 2006 in the Mtonga forest.
Mkulago was a son of Chief of Wazigua known as Lungo. Lungo family has its origin at Kwalusonge, now called Msasa.msasa is now in tanga.