The Majimaji Memorial Museum is a branch of the National Museum of Tanzania. The Majimaji Museum was officially opened to the public as a National Museum in 2010. This is the only Museum in Tanzania presenting the great history of Maji Maji resistance in the liberation movements during the German colonial era. The Maji Maji exhibition includes the execution site where 67 Maji Maji heroes where hanged publicly on 27th February 1906, the mass grave of 66 Maji Maji heroes, the grave for the great Ngoni warrior Nduna (The Principal Sub Chief) Songea Luwafu Mbano from whom Songea town derives its name. The municipality of Songea and Ruvuma region in general has a unique history to reckon with, centred on the 1905 – 1907 Maji Maji war. The war got its name from “magic water” given by a medicine man of Rufiji basin, Kinjekitile Ngwale.People directly killed in the region and Municipality of Songea were Ngoni and Matengo Chiefs sub-Chiefs and their henchmen who were captured during the battle. They were convicted and finally hanged publicly on 27th February 1906 in Songea town.

This unique history depicts the commitment and eagerness of Tanzanians toward emancipation from colonialism, and reclaiming their lost freedom from the German administration. The war ended in 1907, leaving some historical monuments, features, and structures as testimony to what actually happened. These include German boma, Gereza (prisons), the Commonwealth cemetery, hanging place of Ngoni warriors, the Maji Maji warrior’s hanging place, the mass grave, at the place where now the Maji Maji Memorial Museum stands. Since 1980 the elder’s council under the Ngoni Chief as the chairperson of the council has used the Museum ground to commemorate the event every year on 27th February. This commemoration is currently going on with the collaboration between the National Museum, the ministry of Natural resources and Tourism as well as the Regional administration.

At the Maji Maji Museum, the study group worked towards developing methods of engaging a wider pool of community participants in the everyday running of the museum. As Danford Majogo, study group member and museum curator explained, the group has recently undertaken a project of maintenance and repair as a form of collective care: “we maintain the traditional houses (huts) used by Ngoni chiefs especial Inkosi the one who led the group During the Majimaji war in Songea. The community members learn how to maintain it and keep the history alive. Also in other ways community members participate in conservation activities through preventive measures and remedial conservation and all these procedures aims to make the local community to be a part of the museum and preserving museum objects”.

Study group members

Balthazar Nyamusya Curator In charge,Rose Cretus Kangu Museum Education Officer, Erick Philibeth Soko Museum Education Officer, Danford Roman Majogo Museum Curator, Veronica Bethuel Muro Museum Curator, Emil Laurent Alex Museum Hall Attendant
Ramadhan Mikoyo Security Officer, Bakari Issa Mhanila Driver, Massau Shida Farmer, John Makarius Mbano Lawyer, John Laurent Mapunda Teacher, Junior Ibrahim Baise Teacher, Mayasa Issa Mfaume Farmer, Zainabu Hassan Magoma Farmer, Abasi Mpumula Chitete Farmer