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63-650: The mountains are home to the Hehe people , and the name Udzungwa comes from the Kihehe word “Wadzungwa", which means the people who live on mountainsides. Iringa is the largest settlement in the mountains, and the regional headquarters. The Undzungwa Mountains cover an area of 16,131.40 km², the largest of the Eastern Arc ranges. The highest peak in the range is Luhombero at 2,579 metres (8,461 ft). The mountain range extends generally northeast-southwest. The Usangu Plain lies to

126-536: A break of gauge ), Katulukilla, Mang’ula, Kiberege, Siginali, Ifakara, Idete, Ruipa, Mbinga, Mngeta, Ikule, Chita, Chisano, Mlimba , Lumumwe, Mpanga, Kitete, Kimbwe, Uchindile, Mgololo, Kiyowela, Kitandililo , and Mahongole. Hehe people The Hehe ( Swahili collective: Wahehe ) is a Bantu ethnolinguistic group based in Iringa Region in south-central Tanzania , speaking the Bantu Hehe language . In 2006,

189-558: A station to protect the trading town of Kondoa. He erected his fort a little west of the town early in November 1891 and called it Kilosa . In May 1892 he established another station at Kisaki . From these strongpoints he began raiding into territory which Mkwawa had conquered on both sides of the Great Ruaha River. Mkwawa was not intimidated, and his forces destroyed a German detachment near Kilosa on 6 October 1892. Governor Soden left

252-673: Is a highland region in southwestern Tanzania , at the northern end of Lake Malawi . The highlands include portions of Mbeya , Njombe , Rukwa , Ruvuma , and Songwe regions, bordering Malawi , Mozambique , and Zambia . Mbeya is the largest city in the highlands. The highlands comprise a group of plateaus and volcanic mountains, including the Mbeya Mountains , Poroto Mountains , Kipengere Range , Mount Rungwe , Kitulo Plateau , Umalila Mountains , and Matengo Highlands . The Ufipa Plateau extends northwest, between Lake Tanganyika and Lake Rukwa . The eastern and western branches of

315-706: Is mostly during the November through April wet season, although higher elevations experience mists and light rain during the May through August dry season. Rainfall comes from convective thunderstorms that form over Lake Malawi, and the slopes facing towards lake are generally wetter. The highlands are cooler than the surrounding lowlands, with annual temperatures between 13 °C and 19 °C. The highest elevations experience regular nighttime frosts between June and August. The Southern Highlands are covered with grasslands, savannas, woodlands, and forests. Miombo woodland and savanna predominates at lower elevations. At higher elevations

378-415: Is unfortunately little to record. There is nothing which can compare with the magnificent series of works issued in description of German East Africa […] The history of the exploration of Equatorial Africa is one to which Englishmen can look back with feelings of such just pride, that we may ungrudgingly admit the superiority of German scientific work in this region." It is no surprise, therefore, that most of

441-400: Is working with local communities to protect the park and provide conservation and management support, monitoring, research and ecotourism initiatives. The help of the local communities is encouraged by giving them access to resources such as the collection of firewood, harvesting medicinal plants and gathering grass for thatching. Tanzania's A104 highway runs from northeast to southwest through

504-791: The East African Rift converge in the highlands, and the Western Rift continues south as the valley of Lake Malawi. To the northeast, the Makambako Gap separates the Southern Highlands from the Eastern Arc Mountains . Mt. Rungwe (2,960 metres), and Mtorwe (2961 m) in the Kipengere Range, are the highest peaks in the highlands. Other peaks include Chaluhangi (2933 m) and Ishinga (2688 m) in the Kipengere Range, Ngozi (2621 m) in

567-568: The Rufiji River , which empties into the Indian Ocean. The Lukosi River originates in the central part of the range, and empties eastwards into the Great Ruaha. The Little Ruaha River and its tributaries drain much of the western portion of the range, emptying northwards into the Great Ruaha. The Udzungwa Mountains intercept moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean, and receive more rainfall than

630-502: The Sangu language to properly rouse Hehe warriors to battle. Munyigumba even forced the Wasangu, under Merere II , to move their capital to Usafwa . With Munyigumba's death in 1878 or 1879, a civil war broke out and a Nyamwezi slave , married to Munyigumba's sister, was able to kill Munyigumba's brother, leaving the unhappy prospect of dealing with Munyigumba's son Mkwawa . Mkwawa killed

693-587: The Southern Highlands which lie to the southwest across the Makambako Gap. Both are Afromontane regions, home to characteristic montane species and ecologically distinct from the adjacent lowlands. The Southern Highlands' climate is more influenced by Lake Malawi than by the Indian Ocean . Some limited-range montane species, including the Kipunji and Kipengere seedeater (Crithagra melanochrous) , inhabit both

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756-435: The subsistence agriculture, carried water, and all building material, their housing being well insulated against the violent extremes of heat and cold. A child received his family name, (the praise name) and the types of forbidden food from the father. A Wahehe could not marry anyone with the same praise name and the same forbidden food, even if the relationship could not be traced, and could not marry anyone related through

819-490: The 1890s the Hehe had an immediate following of 2,000 to 3,000 men, with another 20,000 men of fighting age who could be mobilized from their scattered homesteads that by 1800 were normally surrounded by large maize fields. It was only later when their military reputation alone was no longer enough and warfare was actually a threat, did they begin to consolidate their villages and begin to build their homes closer together. Only after

882-934: The Europeans. Henceforth they should employ deceit to murder their opponents." The Hehe took Mpangile at his word, and Uhehe was soon in rebellion. Mkwawa conducted a very effective guerrilla operation, making use of the rugged terrain to avoid pitched battles with the large German force arrayed against him. Eduard von Liebert , who had recently taken up the post of governor, was a military man with no experience of African warfare. In July and August 1897 he personally led an expedition to Uhehe, which proved inconclusive. As Liebert later conceded, I have had practical experience of warfare in Bohemia and France, and for thirty years I have never ceased to occupy myself with military science, and especially with military history, but what I encountered here in Uhehe

945-529: The Germans in a pitched battle. In September Prince established a new station at Iringa , about twelve kilometres east of Mkwawa's destroyed fortress at Kalenga. To permanently weaken the Hehe kingdom, Prince divided it into two parts. In the western half, the Sangu chief, Merere, was installed as ruler on 10 December 1896. In the eastern half, Mkwawa's brother, Mpangile, was installed as ruler on 24 December. Although Mkwawa

1008-405: The Great Ruaha River and into the highlands of Uhehe. On 17 August 1891 the Germans were ambushed at Lugalo by a force of several thousand Hehe, commanded by Mkwawa's brother, Mpangile. Only three of the thirteen Europeans survived, and around eighty percent of their African troops were killed. Zelewski was among the fallen. The Hehe also lost many men, and the surviving Germans retreated back towards

1071-735: The Hehe had become so well known that a clause was inserted in the Treaty of Versailles ordering the skull be returned to Uhehe. It was found, not in Berlin, but in Bremen, and was finally returned, not to Iringa, but to nearby Kalenga, and then not until 1956. The identity of the skull is questionable. Mkwawa still today has the status of a national hero in Tanzania, even after over one hundred years. The Wahehe never again revolted, not during or after Maji Maji Southern Highlands, Tanzania The Southern Highlands

1134-552: The Hehe population was estimated at 805,000, up from the just over 250,000 recorded in the 1957 census when they were the eighth largest tribe in Tanganyika. There were an additional 4,023 of them in Uganda in 2014. Historically, they are famous for vanquishing a German expedition at Lugalo on 17 August 1891 and maintaining their resistance for seven years thereafter under the leadership of their chief Mkwawa . The use of Wahehe as

1197-682: The Indian Ocean and support evergreen forests on the lower slopes; the drier western and northwestern slopes have deciduous miombo forests and woodlands at lower elevations and evergreen forests only at higher elevations. Broad areas of forest on the central plateau have been cleared for agriculture and pasture. An analysis of satellite images taken between 1999 and 2003 found 1353 km² of the mountains were still covered in evergreen forest. The mountains are home to many mammals , including Abbott's duiker (Cephalophus spadix) , Kipunji (Rungwecebus kipunji) , and Udzungwa red colobus (Cercocebus galeritus) . Elephants (Loxodonta africana) are found in

1260-467: The Nyamwezi slave, Mwumbambe, at a location called the "place where heads are piled up", and Mkwawa took center stage, a stage that he continued to dominate until the end of the 19th century. John Iliffe describes Mkwawa in his book A Modern History of Tanganyika as "slender, sharply intelligent, brutal, and cruel with a praise-name of the madness of the year ". It was Mkwawa who, by 1880 or 1881, became

1323-638: The Poroto Mountains, and Mbeya (2826 m), Loloza (2656 m), and Pungulomo (2273 m) in the Mbeya Mountains. The northern and eastern slopes of the Mbeya Mountains and the eastern portion of the Ufipa Plateau drain into the closed basin of Lake Rukwa . The Great Ruaha River , a tributary of the Rufiji River , drains the eastern slopes of the Mbeya and Kipengere mountains. Rivers flowing into Lake Malawi drain

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1386-680: The Udzungwa Mountains and the Kipengere Range . The Kihansi spray toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis) , which was found only around a waterfall on the Kihansi River, became extinct in the wild in 2009 when an upstream dam altered its habitat. The toads have since been reintroduced after a successful captive breeding program. Protected areas include Udzungwa Mountains National Park (2088.69 km²), and Udzungwa Scarp (20,220 ha), Kisinga-Rugaro (14,164 ha) and West Kilombero (c.55,000 ha outside

1449-541: The area was covered by extensive rainforest . During a cooler and drier period some ten million years ago, the lowland forests were converted to savanna , leaving the mountain ranges as "islands" where the tropical forests continued to flourish. The long-term persistence of a humid climate and the isolation of each mountain range has led to a great deal of endemism , and a very diverse flora and fauna. The Udzungwa and other Eastern Arc mountains has extremely high biodiversity with numerous endemic species (more than 25 percent of

1512-413: The caravan route. Lieutenant Maximilian von Tettenborn, who had been in command of the rearguard, was the senior surviving officer. On 30 August he wrote Governor von Soden a letter from Miyombo, just south of modern Kilosa. He reported the attack in the following terms: The column and the artillery had just reached this thicket when a signal shot was heard. Immediately the Hehe appeared on either side of

1575-544: The central plateau of the mountains, extending northeastwards to Dodoma and southwestwards to Makambako , Mbeya , and the border with Zambia . The A7 highway meets the A104 at Iringa , and extends eastwards through the mountains to Morogoro and Dar es Salaam . The Tazara Railway passes along the southern escarpment of the Udzungwa Mountains, passing through Kidatu (where it meets the Misuku branch of Tanzania's Central Line at

1638-511: The chief's will and that conquered chiefdoms were not assimilated but were held by for force, brutality, and fear. Whether one considers the state to be unsophisticated or not, the state was at the same time successful and durable. A visitor it was repeatedly said, could sense an arrogant confidence that was not found elsewhere, and Hehe identity has survived all colonial pressures. Women captured in war were given to important men, (some men having as many as ten to twenty) who then did almost all of

1701-530: The colony early in 1893. His successor was Friedrich von Schele , a military officer of hawkish instincts but limited ability. The Germans built alliances with the Bena and Sangu peoples whose lands adjoined Uhehe, and Governor Schele led a large expedition which approached Uhehe from the south, reaching Mkwawa's strongly fortified position at Kalenga (west of modern Iringa) late in October 1894. Fortunately for Schele, he

1764-446: The column in large numbers, not more than thirty paces away. With wild cries they advanced upon us in a frenzy. Our soldiers were able to fire only once or twice before the enemy were among them. The confusion was increased by the headlong flight of the donkeys transporting the artillery. The animals charged into the 5th Company. We could not restrain our men from fleeing, and the enemy pursued them vigorously. The severe defeat at Lugalo

1827-459: The death sentence, beatings, and the seldom used expulsion from the chiefdom. (excepting the death penalty, crippling or anything attacking the health of the individual, or any type of failing was unknown to the Wahehe.) The village headman was authorized for lighter cases, such as theft or other crimes against property, adultery, personal injury, etc., with the more difficult cases being sent further up

1890-476: The escarpment in the north-east, north and west beside the Great Ruaha River and its tributaries, dry plains covered with thorn scrub. With their armed opposition to German East Africa in mind, colonial descriptions would romanticise the Hehe as "these coarse, reserved mountain people […] a true warrior tribe who live only for war." Their power depended on the spear and on the disciplined force of their armed citizens. Even after firearms became more important

1953-405: The exception of some pastoralists on the plains and some keeping a limited number of cattle and goats , the Wahehe were primarily an agricultural people. In the beginning they seemed to have lived in relative peace, although the various chiefs did quarrel with one another, raided each other for cattle and broke alliances. The population was probably small, with no chiefdom over 5,000 people. By

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2016-542: The female line. There was, however, a preference for marrying cross cousins . Most communities contained many households who were related to one another. Two cows and a bull were considered important parts of bride-wealth to be given for a wife. Although judges (headmen) were subject to bribery (and at times quite willing to accept it), there was a recognized system of courts and law enforcement. Punishment remained fairly simple but had at least some variety. There were penalties of varied types, such as fines or penance ,

2079-495: The forests along the southern escarpment. The grey-faced sengi (Rhynchocyon udzungwensis) is a species of elephant shrew endemic to the mountains. The Udzungwa forest partridge ( Xenoperdix udzungwensis ) is also endemic, and its closest relatives appear to be the hill partridges of Asia. Although the two mountain groups are ecologically distinct, the Eastern Arc Mountains share many species and plant communities with

2142-549: The group's designator can be traced to their war cry, and was originally employed by their adversaries. The Wahehe themselves adopted it only after the Germans and British applied it consistently, but by then the term had acquired connotations of prestige (keeping in mind, of course, the term's roots in Hehe warfare and the victory over the Germans of 1891). It appeared from the Report of the East Africa Commission that, from

2205-411: The head could still be seen: the small face with unusual slit-like eyes which were however comparatively large, the strong nose, the thick lips, of which the lower hung noticeably downwards, almost as far as the strongly protruding, energetic chin. This chin, the thick lips, and the thrusting jaws gave the head a distinct air of cruelty and willpower. The Germans sent Mkwawa's head to Germany. Mkwawa and

2268-552: The important sources for the history of the Hehe are German. Once German East Africa was split between the British and Belgian empires after World War I , the interest of German scholars waned, and the British chose not to continue their research. The people who were eventually to be called Hehe by Europeans , lived in isolation on a highland in southwestern Tanzania, northeast of Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi), and had few ancestors who had been in Uhehe for more than four generations. With

2331-603: The judicial concept and had penalties associated with them. If a divorce took place, the husband was entitled to take all weaned children away from their mother and the mother's family was expected to return the bride-wealth. In spite of this, wives frequently obtained divorces, usually after they had already made arrangements with another man. The state's strength and power lay in its warriors and their spears, which made it not only disciplined and victorious, but also provided unity and identity, allowing everyone to join in its impressive successes. The Wahehe were expanding towards

2394-419: The line in the direction of the 'sultan', especially those needing a test administrated by poison. All cases were presented orally and open to all. (Only trials of high treason against the sultan were held in secret.) Two male witnesses were thought sufficient for most 'normal' cases while it was thought that three to five were necessary with female witnesses. There could be verdicts for betraying or offending

2457-587: The middle of the 19th century, however, Nguruhe , one of the more important chiefdoms led by the Muyinga dynasty, began to push its weight around and expand its influence and power. It was Munyigumbe , of the Muyinga family, who began to create the beginnings of a 'state' by both marriage and conquest . A good deal of this was at the expense of the Wasangu , using the Sangu's own military tactics and even utilizing forms of

2520-575: The mountains are home to Afromontane evergreen forests, grasslands, and shrublands, part of the Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic ecoregion, which extends into the nearby mountains of Malawi and Zambia. The highlands are home to several protected areas, including Kitulo National Park , Mpanga-Kipengere Game Reserve , Mount Rungwe Nature Forest Reserve , and forest reserves. Tanzania's A104 highway connects Mbeya with Tanzania's capital Dodoma and continues west from Mbeya to Tunduma on

2583-653: The national park) forest reserves It is possible to visit the Udzungwa Mountains National Park and go hiking and trekking. The park has no roads passable by vehicle and is accessible only by foot. The trekking routes vary, from the short and easy one-hour Sonjo Waterfall hike to the extremely difficult 6 day trek the Lumemo Trail. The most popular route is the Sanje Waterfalls trail, taking about four hours to complete. The World Wide Fund for Nature

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2646-509: The north and east at the same time the Germans were building stations along the central caravan route between the coast and Tabora . Those groups recognizing and accepting German supremacy (showing the German flag) were then brutally attacked, looted, and otherwise destroyed. After futile German attempts to negotiate with them, an expedition was sent out under the leadership of commander Emil von Zelewski . The civilian governor, Julius von Soden ,

2709-485: The northern fringes of Uhehe. Prince was on leave in Germany from the end of 1895 until his return to Dar es Salaam in May 1896. He had been promoted to captain, and with his new bride, the former Magdalene von Massow, he set out to establish a new station at Perondo, in the southeast foothills of the Uhehe plateau. In August 1896 Prince advanced into Uhehe. He encountered some resistance, but Mkwawa retreated, unwilling to meet

2772-535: The northwest, drained by the Great Ruaha River and its tributaries. The Great Ruaha River separates the Udzungwa Mountains from the Rubeho Mountains and Uvidunda Mountains to the northeast. The Kilombero River valley lies to the south and southeast. To the southwest the Makambako Gap separates the Udzungwa Mountains from the Kipengere Range . Both the Great Ruaha and Kilombero rivers are tributaries of

2835-425: The others in the Eastern Arc, are made up of ancient crystalline Precambrian rocks that were uplifted over millions of years along fault lines. The most recent period of uplift started 30 million years ago, but the fault system and uplift process may be far older. Soils derived from these ancient rocks are not as fertile as the younger volcanic soils of mountains to the north and west. About thirty million years ago,

2898-554: The point of view of research, the British record in Tanganyika might be exposed to criticism by an international Commission, insomuch as, from reasons of pressing economy following the War, it had been found necessary to suppress the research establishment previously maintained by the Germans. —Conclusions of a Meeting of the Cabinet , 20 May 1925 "Of scientific literature on British East Africa", remarked John Walter Gregory in 1896, "there

2961-557: The sole ruler of Uhehe through war and intimidation. Mkwawa continued expanding Hehe power northwards toward the central caravan routes and afflicting the Wagogo , the Wakaguru , the Germans , etc., and in the south and east, anyone in their way, not least of all their old enemies the Wasangu, who then began turning to the Germans for support. By 1890, the Hehe were the strongest most dominant power in

3024-426: The southeast and began conflicting with that other raiding power, the Germans. 'The Hehe' had no elaborate organization but did have the flexibility to make difficulties for their enemies. Sub Chief Motomkali Mukini ″Mkini″ was assigned to rule and during his reign had established a military base used to recruit and train at the place so called Ihumitangu , meaning the place where colonial fighters were trained . He

3087-627: The southern portion of the highlands. The Songwe River drains the western and southern Umalila Mountains, and forms the boundary between Tanzania and Malawi. The Kiwira River drains the east slope of the Umalila Mountains, south slope of the Poroto Mountains, and western slope of Mount Rungwe. The Lufilyo River drains the east slope of Mount Rungwe and the Livingstone Forest in Kitulo National Park. A number of smaller streams descend

3150-446: The spear remained their chief weapon, for on the open plains the use of spears still had the advantage. The defense of a boma behind palisades or walls with rifles was not their strong point, tactics and a sudden mass spear attack was. Military organization remained the most important part of Wahehe life and every adult male was a warrior. The youngest lived in the capital, Iringa , where semi-professional warriors trained them. By

3213-450: The state or its leader, giving false witness, adultery, (one female witness was sufficient, with a fine of one to three head of cattle) incest (very seldom if ever used, since females were quite often married between 10 and 13 years of age and needed three to five witnesses), rape (only the victim was needed as a witness), murder , manslaughter , vendetta , theft, agricultural theft, receiving stolen goods, and swindling were all parts of

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3276-401: The station at Iringa. Magdalene Prince recorded that Tom took a photograph of Mkwawa's head. No European can claim to have seen Mkwawa's face before, and even in death this most powerful and energetic of all native princes would not allow his mortal enemies to see his real face, because he shot himself in the head and his features had thus been deformed. Nonetheless the characteristic features of

3339-605: The steep western escarpment of the Kipengere Range and western Matengo Highlands. The Ruhuhu River drains the southern portion of the Kipengere Range and northern Matengo Highlands. The eastern slopes of the Matengo Highlands drain into the Ruvuma River . Rainfall ranges from 823 mm on the Ufipa Plateau up to 2,850 mm on the slopes of Mount Rungwe and the Livingstone and Poroto mountains facing Lake Malawi. Rainfall

3402-464: The surrounding lowlands. Most of the rainfall occurs in the November-to-May wet season, although mist and light rain occur at higher elevations during the dry season months. Rainfall is higher on the southern and southeastern slopes facing the Indian Ocean, and lower in the mountains' rain shadow to the north and west. Temperatures are cooler at higher elevations. The Udzungwa Mountains, along with

3465-537: The vertebrate species). 10 percent of them are protected by the Udzungwa Mountains National Park and the Udzungwa Scarp Nature Forest Reserve. The Udzungwa Mountains are covered with lowland rainforest, montane rainforest, miombo woodland, grassland, and heathland. Forests extend from 300 to 2579 meters elevation, and vary in composition and species type with elevation and rainfall. The wetter eastern and southeastern slopes receive more rain from

3528-430: The wars ended did they once again build further apart with each homestead ideally surrounded by their own fields, larger houses for their many wives were built and could be surrounded by an open courtyard. While Iliffe considers the Wahehe state to have been unsophisticated, Lt. Nigmann considered the legal system, traditions, and customs to have been quite sophisticated. It is true, however, that all authority came from

3591-401: Was a great setback to German military prestige, and significantly depleted the colony's military forces, but Governor Soden resisted the urge for revenge. In a letter to the German chancellor dated 17 November 1892 he wrote, "we should at least have digested the coast before we devoured the interior." Military expeditions into Uhehe were prohibited, but Lieutenant Tom Prince was sent to establish

3654-582: Was able to report on the capture of Mkwawa's camp in the Udzungwa Mountains . He noted that "Many of these people were just skin and bones. In this whole camp of 1,000 souls we did not find a single bag of corn. Even in Mkwawa's hut there were only sweet potatoes." Mkwawa was increasingly isolated, and hotly pursued. He killed himself and his last companion on 19 July 1898, not far north of Kalenga. Sergeant-Major Hans Merkl cut off Mkwawa's head and took it back to

3717-431: Was accompanied by the very able Tom Prince, who led the attack on Kalenga on 30 October. The fortress was stormed, but Mkwawa and most of his warriors were able to escape. Schele made no attempt to establish a permanent presence in Uhehe and returned to the coast, largely negating the purpose of the expedition. There was then an uneasy peace between Mkwawa and the Germans, although Prince continued to conduct operations on

3780-453: Was beyond anything which has yet been seen … I had originally imagined that I would make my journey into the interior of the colony with just a horsewhip in my hand, and that I would travel through most places largely without violence. To destroy support for Mkwawa, the Germans instituted a scorched-earth policy in Uhehe, reducing much of the population to starvation. Early in January 1898 Prince

3843-551: Was not enthusiastic about the plan, but acquiesced. Zelewski left Kilwa in July 1891 with four companies, but when he reached the Rufiji River he sent the company under the command of Lieutenant Tom Prince back to Dar es Salaam, telling Prince that three companies would be sufficient to deal with the Hehe, because "these fellows do not even have rifles, only shields and spears." Zelewski led his troops onwards, with little resistance, across

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3906-407: Was still at large, Prince deceived himself that the Hehe were now largely pacified. The situation soon deteriorated. Mpangile was secretly in contact with Mkwawa, and when Prince discovered this, he had Mpangile executed on 22 February 1897. A local missionary described the execution: "The mood of the people was not pleasant. From the scaffold, Mpangile urged the Hehe to join Mkwawa in waging war on

3969-502: Was succeeded by his son Galakwila Motomkali Mkini. The Wahehe reside primarily in Uhehe, an area that: lies between the Great Ruaha and Kilombero rivers, in the Usungwa mountains and the plateaux which lie in the northern part of the area known as the Southern Highlands . It includes areas of rainforest, high rolling grasslands, a central plateau of Brachystegia woodland and, below

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