ABSTRACT
The Bena live in central southern Tanzania, mainly in Njombe and Ulanga districts. They are entirely surrounded by other Bantu speaking peoples, who are, going from the north clockwise, Sangu, Hehe, Pogoro, Ndamba, Ngoni, Pangwa, and Kinga. The Nyakyusa live in southwest Tanzania, south of Mbeya, in Rungwe District, at the northern end of Lake Nyasa and are entirely surrounded by speakers of other smaller Bantu languages: Kinga in the east, Kisi in the southeast, Ngonde in the south, Lambya in the west, and Wanji and Safwa in the north. Many Tanzanian languages have traditionally had codes used by minorities for select purposes, but it would be worthwhile investigating whether other languages have institutionalized them to the extent of Nyakyusa. The Makonde live in the far southeast of Tanzania, in Lindi, Mtwara, Newala, districts, along both sides of the Ruvuma River, spilling over into Mozambique. The Yao live in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania, the majority being in Malawi.
