History of Moshi:

Moshi was the capital of an area ruled by Rindi, the great 19th century Chagga chief who became one of the most important chiefs in the area due to his diplomatic skills. Allying with the Maasai, he exhorted large taxes from passing caravans. When the first German colonial troops arrived at Kilimanjaro in 1891, Rindi assured them he ruled the whole area and convinced them to unite with him against his rival, Sina of Kibosho, signing away his territories rather than succumb to an undignified defeat. Both the powerful Rindi and Sina were hanged a few years later.

Moshi became an important colonial centre of administration for the Germans, and later the English. The original Moshi - Old Moshi - is higher up the mountain and until the railway line reached the present day Moshi in 1911 and a station built, the headquarters of the German administrative district of Moshi was in Old Moshi.

The Mystery of Moshi's Name:

Although Moshi means smoke in Kiswahili, the origin of the name has always been a puzzle. Some suggest that it got its name from ‘Shashioni” a corruption of the word ‘station' when in 1911, it became the terminus for the steam railway line from Tanga.

Others propose that the reference to smoke is due to the town lying at the base of a volcano or the clouds that gather around the mountain. There are some who connect it with the former chiefdom of Mochi, in whose lowland the town lies.

Kilimanjaro Region:

The region has a remarkable landscape, beginning with Mount Kilimanjaro, moving down the slopes to the flat plains south of the mountain then eastwards where you encounter the Pare Mountains. The Mkomozi Game Reserve lies behind the Pare Mountains. West from the Pare Mountains, you look over what seems to be everlasting flat plains, the Maasai Steepe, one of the places where the Maasai live. Discover for yourself the diversity in landscape, people and culture of the Kilimanjaro region.

People of Kilimanjaro:

Although the town of Moshi itself is home to a range of different people, the Kilimanjaro region is predominantly made up of the Chagga, who reside on the slopes of Kilimanjaro and the Pare whose home is the Pare Mountains. The fertile volcanic soil and reliable rainfall on the slopes of Kilimanjaro has probably always been a draw for human settlement. The Chagga are Bantu-speaking agriculturalists whose ancestors probably arrived in the area in the 15th century. The Chagga had no tradition of central leadership. Up to 100 small chiefdoms existed in the mid 19th century. Their efficient and industrious farming skills meant that they have always produced a food surplus and subsequently have a history of trading with the Maasai and other local groups, and later with Arab caravans. Chaggas remain self sufficient for basic foodstuffs and today the mountain is scattered with family smallholdings that produce a variety of subsistence crops. The major cash crop is coffee, which was introduced during the colonial era and has been grown by small scale farmers who sell through a co-operative. The main agricultural activity is still coffee and some of the finest Arabica in Tanzania comes from the slopes of Kilimanjaro. Coffee growing is the livelihood of thousands of people. The Chaggas have a reputation for industriousness, and today many of Tanzania's political and business leaders come from the Chagga community.

For more information on cultural tourism e-mail: info@comingtoafricaadventures.com