Mangi Meli
Encyclopedia
Mangi Meli (or Mangi Meli Kiusa bin Rindi Makindara) was a leader of the Chaga
in the 1890s. He was hanged by the German
colonialists
in early 20th century. Meli was one of the heroes of the former Tanganyika colony
, and stood firm in the fight against colonial encroachment around the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro
. Meli was hanged by German colonial soldiers in the open while his people watched, after which the German colonial administration ordered his decapitation
. It is believed that Meli's head was taken to Germany and stored in a museum.
Chaga
The Chaga are Bantu-speaking indigenous Africans and the third largest ethnic group in Tanzania. They live on the southern and eastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, as well as in the Moshi area...
in the 1890s. He was hanged by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
colonialists
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
in early 20th century. Meli was one of the heroes of the former Tanganyika colony
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
, and stood firm in the fight against colonial encroachment around the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
. Meli was hanged by German colonial soldiers in the open while his people watched, after which the German colonial administration ordered his decapitation
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
. It is believed that Meli's head was taken to Germany and stored in a museum.