Lake Kariba, once the largest man-made lake in Africa is also associated with myth and mystery. The lake is associated with the River God, Nyaminyami. The mythical god is said to have been enraged by the displacement of his people which led to major difficulties during construction of the dam. In revenge around 80 people lost their lives when storms from the Zambezi River collapsed Kariba. Even the sun shunned construction of Kariba. Subsequent soaring temperatures forced workers to house their tools in cooling buckets. Displaced animals were rescued from the Lake in what is now known as Operation Noah!
African mythology of the local Tonga tribe of the Zambezi Valley states that Nyaminyami the River God who lives in Lake Kariba is believed to be a serpent-like creature. He is said to be about three metres wide, but nobody dares to guess at his length. Legends has it that the water stains red when he swims past. Chief Sampakaruma saw him on two occasions many years ago, but the river god has been in hiding since the white men arrived in the country.
According to African mythology he lived under a large rock close to the present day Kariba dam wall. No tribesman would venture near it those few who did were sucked down with their canoes in the whirlpools and never seen again. They called the rock Kariwa, the "trap" and hence the name of the lake, Kariba.
The rising water of lake Kariba covered the rock Kariwa and it now lies 30 metres below the surface annoying Nyaminyami. The tonga people also believe that Nyaminyami is married and that the building of Kariba Dam wall would separate him from his wife, this would anger him greatly and the river god threatened the peace of the valley.
The cache can take a small TB, has a log, swaps and a pencil.