The Chagga live in the foothills around Mount Kilimanjaro, where they grow crops in small plots on the fertile slopes. They are thought to have arrived in the area in the 15th century, living in a number of independent chiefdoms which vied for supremacy over each other. These were united in the 18th century by the Chagga chief Horombo, until he was murdered by Maasai warriors in one of the sporadic raids launched against the Chagga, who hid from the raiders in nearby caves. After Horombo’s death the Chagga again became a society of small chieftaincies, a situation that was encouraged first by the Germans – who colonised Tanzania – and then the British, who took over the German colony after the First World War.
The Chagga are largely self-sufficient, growing yams, beans and tomatoes, with the most predominant crop traditionally being bananas, which were often used to make mbege, or banana beer. As farmers they have long traded with the Maasai and Arab caravans. During the colonial era coffee was planted, which thrived in the volcanic soil, and the Chagga established a sales co-operative together with British administrators to market it. Coffee has surpassed bananas as the main crop, and today the Chagga supply the largest quantity of Arabica coffee grown in the Kilimanjaro region for sales worldwide.
Most of the porters and guides who accompany expeditions up Kilimanjaro are Chagga. The origin of the mountain’s name is unclear, but it is thought to derive from the Swahili word Kilima, meaning little mountain, presumably ironically. Njaro is similar for the Chagga word for caravan, and indeed the mountain was an important landmark for trading caravans over the years.
While many Chagga are Christians, traditional beliefs still play an important part in their lives. The society is patrilineal with regard to inheritance, and polygamy is still practised, although less commonly than in the past. One tradition during the marriage ceremony is to wrap the mother of the bride in a blanket donated by the guests, to show that she will now feel cold without her daughter. The supreme god is called Ruwa, and spirits of the dead are believed to return to the earth in different forms.
Even today the Chagga are divided up into around 400 different clans, some descended from the Maasai, others from the Taita who originate in Kenya. Largely as a result of their wealth derived from coffee, most Chagga have a high standard of education, and are well represented in the spheres of business and politics, and many work as officials, doctors, or teachers throughout Tanzania.