LUGURU: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

Introduction:

THE Uluguru Mountains are a mountain range in eastern Tanzania, named after the Luguru tribe. The mountains receive abundant rainfall, and with intensive agriculture (upland rice, sorghum, corn, maize, cassava), Coffee is grown with some success in the mountains. Some of the largest sisal estates in Tanzania are in lowlands surrounding Uluguru lands.

The main portion of the Uluguru Mountains is a ridge running roughly north-south and rising to 2,630 metres (8,600 ft) altitude at its highest point. Uluguru lands can support upward of 800 people per square mile (300 per square kilometer) in some places.

On the description of ‘Bovill Diary’, Uluguru was scented as follows;

"THESE highlands are extraordinary beauty, and have been compared to those of Kashmir, though lacking the floral luxuriance of the east. Great rocks crop out on the floors of the valleys as well as on the hill-sides; but nowhere does this ruggedness meet the eye, for the whole landscape is clothed in dense tropical vegetation, through which only an occasional gaunt peak rises above the general conformation of the hills. The rising sun turns the brilliant green of the virgin forest to a wonderful medley of soft shades of pink and mauve and violet; but during the heat of the day the height are enveloped in a veil of soften blue. To the south, where the greatest elevation is reached (Lukwangule, 8,900 feet), the Mountains rise to the 7,000 feet contour over a considerable area.”

Note:

The height of Lukwangule is now recorded as 8,360 feet. On the main Uluguru Mountain range, 50 villages touch the forest boundary and over 151,000 people are found within the mountain area, often at increasing densities at higher altitudes up to the forest boundary.

Geography:

THE Ulugurus lie 200 km inland from the Indian Ocean. They are part of a chain of mountains in eastern Africa collectively called the Eastern Arc Mountains, which include the Taita Hills, Pare Mountains, Usambara Mountains, Nguru Mountains, Rubeho, Ukaguru, Udzungwa Mountains and Mahenge Mountains.

Vegetation:

THE vegetation of the Uluguru main ridge and the outlying blocks is extremely variable. It ranges from drier lowland coastal forest habitats, to transitional rainforests, to sub-montane, montane and upper montane forest types.

Climate:

CLIMATICALLY, the Uluguru mountains capture moisture passing inland from the Indian Ocean and the east facing slopes are especially wet, with rainfall estimated at over 3,000 millimeters (120 in) per year, with some rain falling in every month.

Biodiversity:

IN the Ulugurus are home to more than 100 plants, two birds, two mammals, two reptiles and six amphibians which are known from nowhere else in the world.

In addition to these there are a large number of additional species which are only shared with one or two other Eastern Arc mountains, and hence are globally rare.

The endemic species include African Violets, Impatiens and Begonias which are popular pot-plants in the rest of the world.

Water Catchments:

THE forests of the mountains provide the water catchment areas for the streams and rivers. This water flows mainly from the forest-capped peaks of the Ulugurus with the streams joining to form the Ruvu River, which provides the water supply to the city of Dar es Salaam.

Most of the neighboring population, around Three million people, and the major industries in Tanzania rely on this water supply for their continued survival.

The loss of the Uluguru forests and any reduction in water supply potential of the mountains could therefore have a drastic impact on the human well-being and the industrial capacity of Tanzania.

Local People:

THE local people of the Ulugurus (People of the Hills) are Waluguru tribe; the Bantu speaking people who have been living in the mountains and coastal plains of East - Central Tanzania for several hundred years.

They are mixing groups coming from different parts of the world including Africa and outside Africa. In the late 20Th Century the Luguru people numbered about 1.2 million.

The land ownership is through the female line and women are powerful in village life, in contrast to other tribes in Tanzania where men own the land and make most of the decisions about its use and management.

Luguru Clans:

THE Luguru observe matrilineal descent and recognize about 51 exogamous, no corporate clans namely;

1.     Wamwenda

2.     Wabena,

3.     Walelengwe,

4.     Wabunga,

5.     Wacheti,

6.     Wachaga,

7.     Wagweno,

8.     Wabinga,

9.     Wachiro,

10.  Wachuma,

11.  Wagonanzi,

12.  Wahafigwa,

13.  Wahimba,

14.  Wamwingu (Waingu),

15.  Wakibago,

16.  Wakiflagu,

17.  Wakinoge,

18.  Wakiraru,

19.  Wakuruwa,

20.  Wakonga,

21.  Wakumburu,

22.  Wakwama,

23.  Walari,

24.  Wamanga,

25.  Wamasenga,

26.  Wamangara,

27.  Wamaze,

28.  Wambiki (Wangode),

29.  Wambonde,

30.  Wambega (Wakiru),

31.  Wanyani (Wanyagatwa),

32.  Wamlali,

33.  Wamugera,

34.  Wamwandike,

35.  Wanambo,

36.  Wangandi,

37.  Wangozi,

38.  Wangurumi,

39.  Wangweku,

40.  Wanyanga,

41.  Wanzovu,

42.  Waponera,

43.  Wasikoni,

44.  Wasinogi,

45.  Watebe,

46.  Watemaruge,

47.  Watonga,

48.  Wanzangazwa,

49.  Wazeru,

50.  Wazima,

51.  Wazongo.

These clans are then divided into some 800 lineages identified with lands, leaders, and insignia (stools, staffs, drums).

Conclusion:

THE mountains attract many tourists to the area, particularly due to the mountains' proximity to the former capital and economic center of Tanzania, the city of Dar es Salaam.