Category: Mount Kilimanjaro

The largest Chagga settlement in measure of villages and population, according to Hans Meyer's book, was Machame, which had 8000 residents, when he visited in 1889. Both Marangu and "Moji" (Moshi) had 3000. He said that each family unit resided in a pair or three exceedingly basic thatched cottages that were shaped like beehives and had an associated granary and tiny courtyard. Many of these so-called "beehive" homes still exist, scattered over Kilimanjaro's slopes. Only the chief, who served as both the village's legislator and social leader, resided in anything larger. Every village had a chief who was frequently worshipped by his people and seeing him required going through a lengthy procedure first. Johannes Rebmann, the first white person to see Kilimanjaro, was reportedly required to be showered with goat blood and plant juice before being given a meeting with Masaki, the chief of Moshi. This is according to his report in the Church Missionary Intelligencer. The chief is still a highly revered figure in village life today, despite the fact that modern society has reduced his job to a primarily ceremonial one. Thankfully, there is now less formality involved when visiting him. Other commonalities exist between the Chagga civilization of the past and the present. As it is now, agriculture dominated the economy, clearing land employing the destructive slash-and-burn method. Although coffee plantations generally supplanted banana trees as the primary crop in the early 20th century, both are still farmed today. Bananas were originally the most widely grown crop. In the past, people used red and blue glass beads or lengths of fabric known as doti in place of Tanzanian shillings when exchanging these bananas and coffee. One doti cost one hundred beads, which could be used to purchase items like twenty unripe bananas or a calf for twelve

The Chagga people historically belonged to many clan groupings commanded by Mangis (chiefs). Clan names like Moshi, Swai, Marealle, Lvimo, and Mrema are examples. As a result, the region was split up into several chiefdoms. The chiefs were well renowned for fighting one other and occasionally forming coalitions in their drive for dominance. As a result, the number of chiefdoms decreased over time. Machame, Kibosho, Mamba, Mwika, Kibongoto, Uru, Usseri, Kirua Vunjo, Mkuu, Marangu, Mashati, Arusha Chini, Masama, Kahe, Old Moshi, Kilema, and Keni-Mriti-Mwengwe were among the 17 chiefdoms that existed by 1968. The chiefdoms were further split up into smaller groups known as mitaa. Through Nyerere's socialist and integrationist initiatives, the chiefly system in Tanzania was eventually abolished once the country gained its independence. Tanzania attained independence in December 1961, and Tanganyika was freed from colonial domination under the socialist leadership of Julius Kambarage Nyerere (1922-1999), who was elected president in 1962. Julius Nyerere was a politician of principles and intelligence who was regarded as one of Africa's most prominent people. He went by the name Mwalimu (teacher), and he had a vision for education that was full of potential. Although Nyerere voluntarily gave up his position of power in 1985, his efforts to establish the nation are still evident today. Tanzania underwent a number of political and economic changes beginning in the middle of the 1980s under the leadership of President Ali Hassan Mwinyi. The administration made the decision to go from single-party control to multiparty democracy in January and February 1992. Eleven political parties were registered as a result of legal and constitutional reforms. The first multiparty elections in Tanzanian history were two parliamentary by-elections held in early 1994, which the incumbent Chama Cha Mapinduzi [CCM] party won. Tanzania conducted its second multi-party general elections in October

Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, will have a Kiswahili banner posted on its summit at Uhuru Peak as part of celebrations for Tanzania's upcoming independence day on December 9. Every year on December 9, Tanzanians celebrate their independence. The year 2022 will mark Tanzania's 62nd year of independence from Britain, which ruled Tanzania under the name Tanganyika until 1961. A group of mountain climbers received the poster from James Mdoe, the deputy permanent secretary in the ministry of education, science, and technology, on Saturday in the country's capital Dodoma. "It has been a privilege for the ministry to impart Kiswahili both domestically and abroad. We have every cause to celebrate Kiswahili on this day of independence "said Mdoe. One of the most common African languages, Kiswahili, has over a dozen main dialects. One of Tanzania's top tourist attractions, Mount Kilimanjaro, is located around 5,895 meters above sea level. Every year, some 50,000 hikers from all over the world try to reach the mountain's peak. This comes amid various African leaders, endorsing Kiswahili as the common language for the whole of Africa because it is widely spoken, it can play a great role in unifying the entire continent. What does the Uhuru Peak Sign read? You have probably seen climbers posing in photographs on top of the mighty Kilimanjaro. it signifies achieving their goal of reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, a huge sign of relief and accomplishment. But what does the sign read? Learn More about Uhuru Peak, on Mount Kilimanjaro's Kibo summit point. MOUNT KILIMANJARO CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE NOW AT UHURU PEAK, TANZANIA 5895M/19341FT AMSL AFRICA’S HIGHEST POINT WORLD’S HIGHEST FREE STANDING MOUNTAIN ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST VOLCANOES WORLD HERITAGE AND WONDER OF AFRICA South Africa's Julius Malema calls for the adoption of Kiswahili as Africa’s common language

Mangi Horombo stands out as one of the most popular and powerful chiefs in the history of the Chagga people that have lived around the Kilimanjaro region for centuries. Kilimanjaro has several campsites and camps that are used as accommodation points. Most of the routes on Mount Kilimanjaro use tents as a way of accommodation with the exclusion of the Marangu Route. Now, along the Marangu route, there is a camp called Horombo Huts Camp This camp is named in Honor of Mangi Horombo. Incidentally, there is another accommodation point called Mandara Hut on the same route that is named after Mangi Meli Mandara  (1845–1891) who was a regional Chief of the Chaga people in Moshi . Horombo is the second camp where tourists who climb Mount Kilimanjaro via the Marangu Route sleep on the second day of climbing the mountain. According to the history of Wachaga, written by Stahl Kathleen in 1962, the tribe had many leaders, but few became famous due to the type of their leadership. In 1800, a chief known as Mangi Horombo from the East of Mount Kilimanjaro was more powerful and was able to take over the areas that were occupied by youths who were neither economically nor politically powerful. However, after Horombo's death, his empire was divided, and formed small independent groups. When the first Englishman, Johannes Rebmann, arrived at Kilimanjaro in 1848, he found the Mangi of Machame and the Mangi of Kilema with great political and economic power, but they faded due to various reasons. Kathleen says Mangi Horombo was a brave leader in the Eastern region of Mount Kilimanjaro and was feared by his people because he was a strong man. The leader lived in what is now known as the Rombo district. He was the first Mangi to introduce