City Tour Moshi

 
Hindu-Tempel
 


Moshi with its approx. 160,000 inhabitants has some interesting sights, which one would not visit without being accompanied by local people. We go with you into the Indian Hindu temple, into the old German railway station where you can find some tools and machines dating from the beginnings of the railway, into the Islamic mosque and as contrast to all the historical places into the auction area of the Kahawa house, in which computer-assisted auctions take place. The entire coffee export of Tanzania is completed here in Moshi. We also accompany you to the three most important markets, to the best cafe and to the historical cemetery. Our local guides from Moshi are very pleased to make you familiar with their home town. Rolf L. Bonnert has put down his impressions of Moshi and Marangu here http://picasaweb.google.com/Tanzaniatour.

During the route we also visit an original Chagga house and a waterfall at the village. All in all one day with many new impressions.

 


Chagga Canals
 
Chagga canal
 
 
 

For hundred of years, the Chagga have irrigated their fields with the ice water coming down from the glaciers of Kilimanjaro. The canals are simply dug into the ground or carved into rock and often are no more than one foot wide. The slopes of the canals are uncharacteristically shallow with respect to the descent-angle. Because of this, a legend began during the Vasco da Gama period in the 15th century CE, that the water on Kilimanjaro flows up hill. Also during this period (and still in existence to this day) were the establishment of the customary rights regulating the times when water can be taken from the canals. Farmers who wish to take water must also contribute to the maintenance of the canals. We guide our tour through the unique cultural landscape of the slopes of the Kilimanjaro. You will have the opportunity to learn how the kilometer-long canals were constructed, an amazing feat in light of the fact that they had no measuring instruments. You will also get a glimpse into the problems that the local communities face from the continuing reduction of water flow — the direct result of the shrinking Kilimanjaro glaciers.

   

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    Terraced farming on the farmland of the Chagga
 
 
Guide John Czoodlack
 
  
 

 
Another cultural achievement of the Chagga is the terraced farming of local crops, planted under old and very tall rainforest trees. Banana trees reaching a height of up to 4 m grow in the shade of these giants. In turn, the banana trees provide the shade for yet other plants such as coffee, corn (maize), chilli peppers and other plants, with room to spare for the grave of the 100-year-old grandfather. This form of farming is used on the Kihamba gardens and is exemplary for the efficient use of water resources. The foliage of the higher tiers reduces the water evaporation of the lower plants, trapping the moisture from the mountain mists.
We will visit a farm of and learn how to harvest bananas (if you guess how, you will get a calabash of free banana beer). For an added treat, find out why cows that eat banana trees and stand on banana leaves don’t smell. If you like, you can till African soil with the local tools and balance a banana bunch on your head.


   

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    Some words on the history of Old Moshi
 
 
Old Moshi
   
100 years ago this place was not called Old Moshi but only Moshi, being the name of a chiefdom of the Chagga people at Kilimanjaro. Today the existence of chief Mandara and his son Meli are scientificly acknowledged. There were also other chiefs living close to Kilimanjaro, their kingdoms being separated by steep valleys. The chiefs were responsible for communicating and dealing with the passing through caravans and late in the 19th century they also had to handle adventures, scientists and colonists from Europe and the USA. The German East-African Society was situated in Old Moshi, Ehlers being the first commissioner. Ehlers claimed to have been at the top of Kilimanjaro in 1887. Later in 1889 Hans Meyer, a geologist could prove that Ehlers had been lying about climbing the top. While Ehlers had never mentioned a crater, Hans Meyer found one and could therefore prove Ehlers to be a liar. While Ehlers was interested in acknowledgement and popularity the German Missionaries and the Military had other reasons for coming to Kilimanjaro. The spread of Christianity and the protection of German Colonial Territory was their aim. But by 1918 Germany have to give up its colony and it became British. But some German words have found their way into today’s life, the schools being still called Shule.
At a stay in Old Moshi about one year ago Wilson Sindato a friend and native told me, that he is not mad at the German colonists, since they came to educate and christianize his people. We passed a big tree and he added that at this place German soldiers had hanged his grandfather and taken his head back to Germany, where it now is exposed in a museum. I was confused and did not know how to take this story. Since I could not forget, what Wilson had told me I decided to make some research on the subject and found a very interesting book “Die Kopfjagd, Deutsche in Ostafrika” (Martin Baer & Olaf Schröter). At another visit in Old Moshi I got to know Iseria Meli, the grandson of Chief Meli. He also told me the story of the hanging of Sindato and his grandfather and could add some of the other names of the men that were hanged with Chief Meli. All the bodies are buried without their heads. I promised him to try to find the heads in Germany. While researching it the whole extent of the problem became clear. The Chagga people buried the head and an arm of the passed away relation at a special place in the mountains. The head was turned in the direction to Kilimanjaro. Since the heads of the hanged had been taken to Germany the ritual of burying the dead could not be held and in the belief of the Chagga people the relatives could not come to rest. In order to be able to make a research in the museums you have to know the day of the death of the person which head you are looking for. The relatives of Chief Meli could not relate the day or year of the hanging, but the Missionaries kept a detailed account of the circumstances of the execution. That’s why we know now (thanks to Referent Kiesel), that at the 2nd of March in 1900 nineteen men of the Chagga people have been hanged by the German colonial troupes, being accused of conspiracy against the Germans. 105 years late relatives of Chief Meli and I came together where his body is buried without his head. In Germany a search for the head lead us to the Kustos Dr. Creutz, and the Rudolf-Virchow-Collection in Berlin, which helped us tremendously but did not lead to the finding of the head of Chief Meli.
We decided to offer a tour to Old Moshi only then, when we have more information on the whereabouts of the head of Chief Meli.

We are therefore using the internet in order to make our search publicly known and ask for help.