Machame
Encyclopedia
Machame is an area on the southeastern slope of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
.
The name "Machame" refers to an ethnic and linguistic group of people occupying this area historically as its homeland, as well as the specific location.
is a distinct language (also known as "Kimachame" in Swahili
and as "Kimashame" or "Kimashami" in the Machame language itself. For most inhabitants of Machame (i.e., the Machame "tribe"), including children born and raised in this area, Kimachame is their first language; Swahili and English are learned via formal schooling.
, in Kilimanjaro Region
, Tanzania
. It forms several of the 14 wards of Hai District
. Ever since the latter part of the 20th century, the Machame Gate and Machame Camp have become the two locations in the Machame area most known to tourists visiting Tanzania, because these form part of the Machame route for treks ascending Mt. Kilimanjaro
.
There is one major, paved road traversing Machame. It begins at the south end stemming from the A23 Arusha-to-Himo main road (which also connects Moshi to Arusha). This intersection is 15 km from Moshi and 75 km from Arusha. The name of this intersection is commonly "Kilimanjaro Machine Tools", after the defunct business of the same name which left an abandoned building at the south edge of this intersection. This road proceeds north until it reaches the Machame Gate at the entrance to Kilimanjaro National Park. Several secondary, unpaved roads connect points within Machame.
Machame is traversed by several rivers that flow year-round within deep gorges running down the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. In addition to the natural rivers, there are systems of flumes for irrigation that pre-date the colonial era. Although major infrastructure project spread piped water through much of the area in the 1990's and later, the flumes are still used and maintained for agricultural irrigation.
The formal economy in Machame is broadly disbursed across many high-frequency shops ("kiosks") throughout the many small villages comprising Machame. There are also several formal markets--e.g., Kalali near the main road, and Bwani near Uraa--that are organized and regulated by local government entities. Each market typically has one or two designated market days each week. Machame is also dotted with other small businesses such as mills for grain and presses for sunflower oil.
With growing use of the Machame Route through Kilimanjaro National Park, a few businesses catering to tourists have emerged. Many are informal, small-scale vendors near the Machame Gate. Recently, the Protea hotel chain based in South Africa opened the Protea Hotel Aisha Machame just along the main north-south road.
The Machame elders recall the encounter of their ancestors with the earlier settlers of the mountain whom they referred to as the Koningo (wataremba), meaning, the pigmies (or mbilikimo in Swahili). Since very few other chagga clans on the mountain can recall the existence of such people on the mountain, this can mean that the machame ancestors might have been one of the earliest immigrants of the later chaggas on the mountain. They describe the koningo as the short people with big heads carrying hones wherever they went. The horns were used for blowing in case one fell down for another one to come and lift him/her up. They also used hones to notify others of an important issue that needed caution or assembling. They were skilled in hunting and are described as very innocent people. However, these were replaced by the now migrating folks although till today the remains of these people can be traced on some parts of the mountain which indicates that some were integrated into the incoming migrants probably through marriage.
It was historical unfortunate that the later visitors to the mountain thought the chagga to be one tribe. Since they were referred as the chagga by the swahili from the coast, other visitors to the mountain such as missionaries and explorers thought that the mountain was dwelt by one tribe called the chagga. However, this was not the case. The people who migrated to the mountain came from completely diverse backgrounds. There were those who came from the shambaa mountains, who migrated to the west and some parts of the central area of the mountain, those who migrated from the kamba origin, especially those who settled to the east of the mountain together with the taita, and those who had the maasai and waarush background who initially settled in the lower plains of the mountain but slowly some moved up to settle in upper parts of the mountain. Different reasons contributed to the migration of these different groups to the mountain, some of them are:
All these reflect different backgrounds. Different backgrounds then mean different languages, cultures, skills and traditions although the fact that majority were of the Bantu origin, it accounted for the similarity of languages, cultures and traditions. Different groups came with different skills to the mountain like hunting, forging weapons, war skills, pot making, furrow making, making and collecting honey, e.t.c. These various groups intermingled to some degree and their existence on the mountain is what formed what came to be known as chagga complex. All these contributed to the high skills and the brightness that the chagga people portrayed.
The land was called chaaga as commemoration of the tragedy. This story apart from being backed up by the people who were close to the event as recorded in the history books, also connects very well with stories that circulated in the coast when rev. Rebmann arrived there on his mission to the chagga. On learning that Rebmann wanted to go to the land of chagga, the swahili sultan of Mombassa who was an Arab, warned him that the land is dangerous as there is a spirit on the mountain that destroys people and he might get lost when he tries to do so. He mentioned to Rebmann that the name of the spirit (as known in the coast) was 'ndscharo' and hence the mountain was called mountain of ndscharo (i.e. kilimandscharo). He could nearly stop Rebmann from going to the land of chagga if it were not for Rebmann's persistence to go there. However, it shows that earlier the people of chagga were known as 'wakirima', i.e. people of the mountain (kirima was an old swahili word for a hill). Where they lived was known as the land of chagga (i.e. land of getting lost) although later on the name was attached to the people themselves. Of importance however, is the way the name 'moshi' became prominent among the people of the mountain and by early 1900's it could almost be used synonymously with the name of the chagga land.
Moshi was one of the chiefdoms in chagga ruled by Rindi (1860-1890). Before that time the name was not known and there is a possibility the area was known by other names. With much witticism and intrigue, and under the regency of his mother mamchaki, Rindi established his chiefdom from a place known as tsudunyi and using the location of his chiefdom as a strategic advantage, directed many caravan traders to the mountain into his land. With much ambitions to power he even subbotaged caravans which did not show intention to pass through his chiefdom and those explorers who asked for guidance to other chiefdoms he conspired with his men who misguided them and got them lost or back to his chiefdom. He displayed an extraordinary diplomatic schemes and by 1870 he had won the favour of most missionaries and explorers who were starting to flock into the mountain. The name of his chiefdom became popular to the coast and to the Europeans. Apart from all these well learned visitors to his chiefdom, it was an explorer Sir Henry H.H. Johnston in 1884 who attempted to work on the etymology of the land. He investigated the meaning of the word 'Moshi' and the answers he got from traditional elders and others was just the variant of its pronunciations, like 'mushi', or 'muschi', 'moschi' etc.etc. One thing he was assured was that the name did not relate to the swahili word for smoke, i.e. moshi, as chagga had a different word for that. He therefore had to conclude that the word 'probably comes from one of the kichagga terms or word'. It's amazing how at that time couldn't the people of Moshi know the origin of the word for their chiefdom? It is not clear when they told him it was 'mushi' if they meant name of people, a certain locality or another pronunciation. However, a story that circulates now among the natives of the land (which is also repeated by Professor Isaria Kimambo and A.J. Temu in their book) is that the name of moshi is a modification of the name of a certain locality near that of Chief Rindi's boma (court), and that place was very popular at that time. The place was known as kimotchi which was a popular local market in the area. But the problem with this theory is how would a chief's neighbouring village become the name of his chiefdom and the transition from kimotchi to motchi (or moshi) is not very clear. Whatever the case is, the fact is that the meaning for the word 'moshi' as used for Rindi's chiefdom is not clear to us today.
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
.
The name "Machame" refers to an ethnic and linguistic group of people occupying this area historically as its homeland, as well as the specific location.
Machame language
Although sometimes lumped with other Chaga languages, MachameMachame language
The Machame language, Kimashame, is a Bantu language of Tanzania, spoken by approximately 300,000 Chaga people. It is spoken in the Chaga area of the Kilimanjaro region, and forms a dialect continuum with other Chaga languages....
is a distinct language (also known as "Kimachame" in Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
and as "Kimashame" or "Kimashami" in the Machame language itself. For most inhabitants of Machame (i.e., the Machame "tribe"), including children born and raised in this area, Kimachame is their first language; Swahili and English are learned via formal schooling.
Geography
Physically, the Machame area occupies part of Hai DistrictHai District
Hai is one of the six districts of the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the south and west by the Arusha Region, to the north by Kenya, and to the east by the Moshi Rural and Rombo Districts....
, in Kilimanjaro Region
Kilimanjaro Region
Kilimanjaro is one of the 26 regions in Tanzania. The capital of the region is Moshi. Kilimanjaro region is home to Mount Kilimanjaro.Kilimanjaro Region is bordered to the North and East by Kenya, to the South by the Tanga Region, to the Southwest by the Manyara Region, and to the West by the...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. It forms several of the 14 wards of Hai District
Hai District
Hai is one of the six districts of the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the south and west by the Arusha Region, to the north by Kenya, and to the east by the Moshi Rural and Rombo Districts....
. Ever since the latter part of the 20th century, the Machame Gate and Machame Camp have become the two locations in the Machame area most known to tourists visiting Tanzania, because these form part of the Machame route for treks ascending Mt. Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro climbing routes
There are several routes by which to reach Kibo, or Uhuru Peak, the highest summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, namely, Marangu, Rongai, Lemosho, Shira, Umbwe and Machame.Annually, approximately 15,000 people attempt to reach the summit of the mountain, of whom 40% do so....
.
There is one major, paved road traversing Machame. It begins at the south end stemming from the A23 Arusha-to-Himo main road (which also connects Moshi to Arusha). This intersection is 15 km from Moshi and 75 km from Arusha. The name of this intersection is commonly "Kilimanjaro Machine Tools", after the defunct business of the same name which left an abandoned building at the south edge of this intersection. This road proceeds north until it reaches the Machame Gate at the entrance to Kilimanjaro National Park. Several secondary, unpaved roads connect points within Machame.
Machame is traversed by several rivers that flow year-round within deep gorges running down the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. In addition to the natural rivers, there are systems of flumes for irrigation that pre-date the colonial era. Although major infrastructure project spread piped water through much of the area in the 1990's and later, the flumes are still used and maintained for agricultural irrigation.
Economy and Agricultural Practices
The majority of residents of Machame, like in many other rural areas of Tanzania, earn a living through agriculture. The year-round temperate climate and fairly high humidity allow cultivation of a huge variety of crops. Since the colonial period, coffee has been an important cash crop for export; however, its prominence has decreased in recent decades. As noted by Mbonile, et al., declining prices for exports have influenced farmers to replace coffee with annual crops like tomatoes, of which the surplus may be sold and consumed regionally. The overall land-use pattern in Machame (and surrounding foothill areas of Mt. Kilimanjaro) have changed broadly over the past 120 years--even more dramatically in the post-independence period. Specifically, increasing agricultural planting in the bottom three of the five climatic zones of Kilimanjaro has reduced native vegetation. Agriculture in Machame fits generally into two modes: home gardens consisting of multipurpose trees interspersed with food crops near houses, and the "shamba" lands, or small fields, where food crops like maize, finger millet, and beans are grown.The formal economy in Machame is broadly disbursed across many high-frequency shops ("kiosks") throughout the many small villages comprising Machame. There are also several formal markets--e.g., Kalali near the main road, and Bwani near Uraa--that are organized and regulated by local government entities. Each market typically has one or two designated market days each week. Machame is also dotted with other small businesses such as mills for grain and presses for sunflower oil.
With growing use of the Machame Route through Kilimanjaro National Park, a few businesses catering to tourists have emerged. Many are informal, small-scale vendors near the Machame Gate. Recently, the Protea hotel chain based in South Africa opened the Protea Hotel Aisha Machame just along the main north-south road.
Machame Hospital
Among formal institutions in Machame, one of the oldest and most renown is the Machame Hospital. This medical facility is located off the main north-south road between the post office and the Machame Gate, near Machame Girl's Secondary School. The hospital started with participation of Lutheran missionaries and has remained a mission hospital for over 100 years. While it has continuously served the population of Machame, many people travel from other areas to Machame Hospital because of the level of care.Overview
It has a long, interesting and yet complex historical background as noted by the historian M.K. Stahl. It portrays an African heritage and socio-political system which preceded the colonial rule depicting somehow advanced African political systems even during the times of primitive African social lifestyle. In its peak days, Machame rule comprised Machame ward itself, Masama ward, Nguni-Yuri ward, Siha ward, Kibosho, and once Uru ward. However, according to Mary K. Stahl, Machame ward itself was but a small strip of land whose area was much smaller than what some narrations would claim. The development of the what was later to be known as bigger Machame is of interest here as well in this article as far as the etymology, the traditions and what we can learn today from forefathers which of course makes the whole meaning of studying history.Migration to the Mountain
It is not easy to know today when did the modern Chagga started to migrate to the Mountain. Many narrations exist, legendary or true, since many African tribes didn't have the tradition of writing down the events in their life times. However, following Machame narrations, who are among the few chagga families to recall the encounter with the earlier inhabitants on the mountain, it seems that the migration of the later people who came to be called the chagga, started about 600 years ago.The Machame elders recall the encounter of their ancestors with the earlier settlers of the mountain whom they referred to as the Koningo (wataremba), meaning, the pigmies (or mbilikimo in Swahili). Since very few other chagga clans on the mountain can recall the existence of such people on the mountain, this can mean that the machame ancestors might have been one of the earliest immigrants of the later chaggas on the mountain. They describe the koningo as the short people with big heads carrying hones wherever they went. The horns were used for blowing in case one fell down for another one to come and lift him/her up. They also used hones to notify others of an important issue that needed caution or assembling. They were skilled in hunting and are described as very innocent people. However, these were replaced by the now migrating folks although till today the remains of these people can be traced on some parts of the mountain which indicates that some were integrated into the incoming migrants probably through marriage.
It was historical unfortunate that the later visitors to the mountain thought the chagga to be one tribe. Since they were referred as the chagga by the swahili from the coast, other visitors to the mountain such as missionaries and explorers thought that the mountain was dwelt by one tribe called the chagga. However, this was not the case. The people who migrated to the mountain came from completely diverse backgrounds. There were those who came from the shambaa mountains, who migrated to the west and some parts of the central area of the mountain, those who migrated from the kamba origin, especially those who settled to the east of the mountain together with the taita, and those who had the maasai and waarush background who initially settled in the lower plains of the mountain but slowly some moved up to settle in upper parts of the mountain. Different reasons contributed to the migration of these different groups to the mountain, some of them are:
- Fleeing from drought, famine or epidemics where they had lived.
- A search for peaceful environment, fleeing from wars and insecurity as they saw the mountainous place to be safer than where they had been.
- A search for a more prosperous land, since the mountainous soil was very fertile with many streams of water and the weather was very promising for agricultural activities.
- Travellers and those who went to the mountain for various activities such as trade, but decided to remain there.
All these reflect different backgrounds. Different backgrounds then mean different languages, cultures, skills and traditions although the fact that majority were of the Bantu origin, it accounted for the similarity of languages, cultures and traditions. Different groups came with different skills to the mountain like hunting, forging weapons, war skills, pot making, furrow making, making and collecting honey, e.t.c. These various groups intermingled to some degree and their existence on the mountain is what formed what came to be known as chagga complex. All these contributed to the high skills and the brightness that the chagga people portrayed.
The Etymology of the Land
At this stage we will look at three important words in the chagga history, chagga, kilimanjaro and moshi. Historian Mary K. Stahl and explorer Charles New give their opinions as to the meanings of the first two words. The origin of the word chagga (dschagga or jagga) is not very clear today. K.Stahl gives differing opinions as to its origin although one of her opinions seem to concur with Charles new's meaning of "getting lost" or "to give farewell to someone who is about to take a journey that you are not sure if they will be back (as they may get lost forever)". In earlier Swahili language this would have been called 'kuchaaga' meaning to say bye. Today's swahili is 'kuaga'. Why the land was attached with the word 'to get lost'? This is where the stories begin. It is claimed that the first coastal trade people to get into the land got lost due to the thick forests. As hypothesized by Stahl, it took them days to get their original route again and they thought that their getting lost was mysterious. When they went back to the coast they spread these news and the land was called chaga (or chagga) as a sign of getting lost. Another explanation of the origin of the word, which also missionary Charles New mentioned as he quoted rev. Johannine Rebmann, is that the word came out of a terrible event that befell on people. The years of the event are not known to us but it was a time when a powerful chief of Machame, Rengua, was ruling and at that time caravans from the coast had already started to get there to trade on ivory with the natives. Being constantly instigated by the swahili people that what is on top of the mountain has to do with silver which promises much richness to his kingdom, Chief Rengua sent a large band of emissary to get as much silver as possible down to him. A caravan trader from the coast Bwana Heri who accompanied rev. Rebmann to the mountain told him that he actually saw one of the survivors of the tragedy who had become disabled due to freezing temperature as they went up the mountain. The rest of the envoy perished on the way. The story that survived was that on the mountain there is a spirit that will destroy anyone who would try to get close to it, and the swahili who were at the court of Rengua, seeing the disaster that had befallen those who went up, spread news to the coast that anyone trying to get higher on the mountain will get lost as the mountain has the dreadful spirit.The land was called chaaga as commemoration of the tragedy. This story apart from being backed up by the people who were close to the event as recorded in the history books, also connects very well with stories that circulated in the coast when rev. Rebmann arrived there on his mission to the chagga. On learning that Rebmann wanted to go to the land of chagga, the swahili sultan of Mombassa who was an Arab, warned him that the land is dangerous as there is a spirit on the mountain that destroys people and he might get lost when he tries to do so. He mentioned to Rebmann that the name of the spirit (as known in the coast) was 'ndscharo' and hence the mountain was called mountain of ndscharo (i.e. kilimandscharo). He could nearly stop Rebmann from going to the land of chagga if it were not for Rebmann's persistence to go there. However, it shows that earlier the people of chagga were known as 'wakirima', i.e. people of the mountain (kirima was an old swahili word for a hill). Where they lived was known as the land of chagga (i.e. land of getting lost) although later on the name was attached to the people themselves. Of importance however, is the way the name 'moshi' became prominent among the people of the mountain and by early 1900's it could almost be used synonymously with the name of the chagga land.
Moshi was one of the chiefdoms in chagga ruled by Rindi (1860-1890). Before that time the name was not known and there is a possibility the area was known by other names. With much witticism and intrigue, and under the regency of his mother mamchaki, Rindi established his chiefdom from a place known as tsudunyi and using the location of his chiefdom as a strategic advantage, directed many caravan traders to the mountain into his land. With much ambitions to power he even subbotaged caravans which did not show intention to pass through his chiefdom and those explorers who asked for guidance to other chiefdoms he conspired with his men who misguided them and got them lost or back to his chiefdom. He displayed an extraordinary diplomatic schemes and by 1870 he had won the favour of most missionaries and explorers who were starting to flock into the mountain. The name of his chiefdom became popular to the coast and to the Europeans. Apart from all these well learned visitors to his chiefdom, it was an explorer Sir Henry H.H. Johnston in 1884 who attempted to work on the etymology of the land. He investigated the meaning of the word 'Moshi' and the answers he got from traditional elders and others was just the variant of its pronunciations, like 'mushi', or 'muschi', 'moschi' etc.etc. One thing he was assured was that the name did not relate to the swahili word for smoke, i.e. moshi, as chagga had a different word for that. He therefore had to conclude that the word 'probably comes from one of the kichagga terms or word'. It's amazing how at that time couldn't the people of Moshi know the origin of the word for their chiefdom? It is not clear when they told him it was 'mushi' if they meant name of people, a certain locality or another pronunciation. However, a story that circulates now among the natives of the land (which is also repeated by Professor Isaria Kimambo and A.J. Temu in their book) is that the name of moshi is a modification of the name of a certain locality near that of Chief Rindi's boma (court), and that place was very popular at that time. The place was known as kimotchi which was a popular local market in the area. But the problem with this theory is how would a chief's neighbouring village become the name of his chiefdom and the transition from kimotchi to motchi (or moshi) is not very clear. Whatever the case is, the fact is that the meaning for the word 'moshi' as used for Rindi's chiefdom is not clear to us today.