Mount Meru

The first European to record a sighting of Meru was the German explorer, Karl von der Decken, who reached this area in 1862. The mountain was later seen and described by other explorers, including Gustav Fischer in 1882, and Joseph Thompson the following year. In 1887, the Austro-Hungarian Count Samuel Teleki and members of his team penetrated the dense forest on the lower slopes and reached a point where the trees thinned out enough for them to see Kilimanjaro, which they planned to climb later in their expedition. The first ascent to the summit of Meru is credited to either Carl Uhlig in 1901 or Fritz Jaeger in 1904.

The name Meru means "that which does not make a noise", but in fact rumblings have been reported as recently as the early 1960's. The last eruption was probably in 1877, and larva rock or pyroclasts were blown out during Oct and Dec 1910.

Brutal German punitive expeditions followed [the murder of the first two missionaries to settle on Meru in 1896], during the course of which large number of Arusha and Meru were killed, their cattle confiscated, banana groves burnt down and Chagga wives repatriated to Kilimanjaro.

Shortly thereafter the Germans granted huge blocks of land on north Meru to a hundred Afrikaner families newly arrived from South Africa, and they subsequently alienated a solid block of land across the southern slopes

Mount Meru, which either dominates the town of Arusha to the east of Ngorongoro or vanishes completely within a covering of cloud, flexed its muscles moderately in 1910. Presumable its altitude of 4566 metres will be amended by future eruptions.

The result was a disastrous restriction of land available for Meru and Arusha. Alienated land formed an almost solid band around the heavily populated slopes of southern Meru, effectively restricting Arusha or Meru expansion down the mountain and on to the plains. The administration also blocked upward movements by establishing a forest reserve above 1,600 metres, at that time the upper limits of Meru and Arusha settlement. Arusha and Meru would effectively push the northern boundary up to 1,800 metres before the British effectively closed it in the 1920s, but the implications for the future were clear: 'An "iron ring" of alienated land was clamped around the native lands on the mountain. With expansion blocked, Arusha and Meru could only turn in on themselves, occupying vacant hillsides and pastures on the slopes, while turning their political grievances outwards against the settlers and colonial authorities in the years to come.

The imposition of German rule on Mount Meru thus fundamentally challenged the Meru and Arusha peoples' social, political, and economic practices and beliefs. The hierarchical, military administration of the boma threatened the fluid nature of local politics � in which wealthy patrons built their influence by feasting their clients, sharing cattle with them, and marrying their daughters � and led to the rise of a new class of local leaders beholden to their colonial overlords. 'Work' for cash wages posed a threat to continued family production and values, and land alienated to German settlers challenged the social contract in which every family had a right to its own kihamba or engisaka. In short, German political economy premissed on 'solid regulated work', capitalist production for the market, and authoritarian politics conflicted sharply with Arusha and Meru moral economies based on everyone's rights to sufficient land to support one's family, to the fruits of one's own labour, and to the exercise of social and political influence.

The two world views were not irreconcilably opposed to one another, however, and the peoples of Mount Meru proved adept at using colonial means to achieve their own ends. Thus chiefs used their new administrative powers to increase their local influence by acquiring numerous cattle and wives, while labourers similarly invested their wages in social as well as productive capital. In the process, new social syntheses began to emerge as people re-evaluated their own practices and beliefs in the light of new opportunities. Such simultaneous subversion of the colonial order and transformation of their own would continue throughout the period of colonial rule and beyond.

The Painters were as intrigued by Smith's beautiful coffee estate as they were with the tiny frontier town of Arusha. Unlike downtown Nairobi's flat-as-a-pancake landscape, Arusha was beautifully sited at the southern base of Mount Kilimanjaro's sister mountain, Meru, amid rolling green foothills. Towering above Arusha township is the 14,979-foot cone of Mount Meru's extinct volcano, which is more reminiscent of an Alpine landscape than of tropical Africa, for sometimes the peak is dusted with snow. Three swift, gin clear mountain streams flow through the perennially green, well wooded settlement, which had originally grown up around a German fort or boma (Swahili for cattle corral). The well-fortified boma was garrisoned with a platoon of soldiers and staffed by a handful of German civil administrators and police. (The fort's stone-rag, or uncut stone, structure endured and remained in use as a police station, jail, and administrative offices until 1965, when it became a museum.)

The British expelled the German settlers and confiscated their farms, but then reallocated them to Greek and British settlers, rather than providing relief to Arusha and Meru. ...

In the end they went much further than the Germans, however, opening up new lands south of the Arusha-Moshi road for Sisal production that increased the amount of alienated land around Meru by 81 per cent.

In 1920, therefore, [to solve the shortage of land to the Arusha and Meru] they allocated six farms to Arusha and two to Meru to provide greater access to the plains. All were on the lower drier reaches of the mountain, which were unsuitable for banana cultivation.

We arrived back at school from this trip a few days before term was to begin, just in time for preparations for the annual attempt on Mount Meru. Mount Meru is a spectacular fifteen thousand foot mountain that would be famous were it anywhere else, but is overshadowed both in height and in reputation by its more famous cousin, Kilimanjaro, across the steppe. It looms over the town ofArusha, nestled in its foothills, and is such an important part of town life, providing the water and climactic conditions that make the town so habitable, that few people who live there have not considered climbing it. This was an annual event and boys over the age of fifteen were, with their parents' consent, allowed to make the attempt. I had taken part in the previous year's climb from the west, but at 13,500 feet many of the boys had dropped back, unable to make it, and the exercise was aborted.

This year there was to be no repetition of that and the mountain would be attempted from the south. It would be heavy going through the bamboo forest, but after that there was a solid rock ridge without the volcanic ash surface which was so tiring and frustrating when approached from the west. The western flank rises in great steps, one step up and then a flat open glade, followed by another climb through thick well-watered forest, then another open glade, with more forest, up to the edge of the volcanic ash at about 12,000 feet. From that height to the top the surface consists entirely of loose ash, making the climb a slippery and exhausting business. On the northern and eastern sides is the huge crater, encircled by 2000 ft high sheer cliff walls and a primeval floor of cedar forest. Strangely-shaped, wizened trees are festooned with Old Man's Beard and the core of the volcano itself rises from the floor of the crater in a grey, grim cone. It makes for an almost primeval atmosphere that is a far cry from the arid steppe to the south.

We found the climb up the steep southern face hard going, with the first part through cedar and loliondo forest. We reached the bamboo belt at about 8,000 feet and it was so thick that the only way to walk through it was to follow the winding game tracks, which were difficult to negotiate and required constant attention to avoid meeting the rhino, elephant and buffalo that also used them. We slept that night at a point just above the bamboo in a well-protected gully near a beautiful spring of clear mountain water, where it became clear that some of the boys had found the climb very demanding and Jeff and I were quite sure that before long the expedition would be turned back. We thought the party far too large, convinced that someone would feel the altitude and become mountain sick, which would necessitate bringing the whole party back. We decided that on the following day, we would make our way to the front of the party and just keep going until we reached the top, even if the rest of them went back. We knew we would get into serious trouble when we arrived back at school, but we were determined to see our names on the "Conquered Meru" Board in the school hall.

On the second morning we left at first light and in about three hours we were well out of sight of the others, so we had a short rest before continuing, until after a breathless two hours, we reached the summit, with sweeping views across to Kilimanjaro and Kenya. We signed the book, had a quick look at this privileged perspective on Africa) before sliding and stumbling back down, catching the rest of the party, already on a return journey, an hour and a half later. Several of the boys were nursing sore stomachs as they had been eating ice for reasons best known to themselves. We thought this state of affairs completely justified our dash to the top, and when Dickie, the master in charge, asked us where we had been, we were quite honest and told him we had reached the summit. He told us he would speak to us when we got back to school, but said that as no one had witnessed our achievement, we could not be listed on the Board until one of the masters had been up and verified the book. We heard no more about it until a week later when our names were called out at Assembly and in a few days the Board shone with its new additions. We felt very pleased and proud of ourselves.

... that would change by 1951, when the eviction of Meru from North Meru erupted in the Meru Land Case and rang the death knell for colonialism in Tanzania.

The Meru Expedition

On 13th November, a party of fourteen children and seven members of staff set off in a lorry, at about nine o'clock, on Saturday morning for Olkokola.

We arrived there at about half past eleven and left the base party at a pyrethrum kiln where they were to spend the night. The lorry was taken further on, and after a picnic lunch we started to climb.

The forest was beautifully green with luscious ferns, lilies and everlasting flowers. The trees were clothed with old man's beard and there were many open glades where we rested at frequent intervals. As we pressed on, the land gradually grew steeper and it started to rain, but as the trees began to thin out, we stumbled up an ashy slope to arrive at our camping place, at last.

After a brief rest, we all started to collect firewood for the night, and the eagerly awaited supper was cooked. After drying our wet socks and shoes, we lay down by the fires with three blankets each, and sang some songs before going to sleep.

The next morning at about half past four, after an uncomfortable sleep, we had breakfast, put on all extra clothes and each with a bottle of water started off up the steep slopes.

We plodded on, and at sunrise were approaching the rocks just below the scree. As the sun rose over the mountain, the shadow was thrown over the land and we saw the peak projecting above the horizon. It was a sight well worth seeing.

We clambered on over the rocks which rolled beneath us, and when we reached the bottom of the steep slope of scree, three children had decided to descend.

Starting to climb the scree, we slipped and slid as the stones gave way beneath us. At last, reaching the top, we sat down for a rest.

Now above us rose great mounds of rocks and boulders, to the left of which was a slope covered with snow. It was bitterly cold. I took a pair of socks from my haversack and put them on my hands which were quite numb.

After the remaining members of staff had taken some photographs, we started to pick our way across the rocks which were slippery with ice and snow. Would we ever reach the top?

Suddenly, we heard shouts from the people above and we shouted back, asking them if they were at the top. "No", they answered, "We can't find it." So we told them to wait for us, and plodded on.

The Headmaster, who was with us, reached the crater and called down to me, but I was so tired and was having a rest every few steps. Mr. Hamshere called down once more, and I got up and stumbled on. The whole time I was saying to myself, "I must do it, I simply must." I thought how proud my mother would be; this seemed to give me extra energy and I at last arrived at the crater where I flopped down, exhausted.

After a while Mr. Hamshere asked me if I wished to go on, and I immediately got up, ready to carry on. Just as we started to climb the last lap, we met the first lot of children coming down, and I met my best friend who told me she had reached the top. This made me even more determined and I hurried on. Having clambered over rocks and snow, Mr. Hamshere showed me a peak where a few Africans were sitting. It was the top.

At last, clambering over the last rocks, we arrived at the top. How pleased I was and, shaking hands with Mr. Hamshere, I reached for my water bottle and biscuits and had a long drink and a snack. Then the Africans handed us the book, which was in a tin under a rock, and we wrote our names. We did not have a good view as there were clouds beneath us, and peeping down the crater we had glimpses of the steep sides through the cloud.

Mr. Hamshere then took some photographs, and we started to descend the slopes of rock. When we reached the crater, we lay down and almost went to sleep, as we waited for the last two members of staff who had gone on to the top. When they arrived, we arose and descended through the snow, loose snow and, later, the ash, a slightly different way from the way we went up. I was so tired and my knees were so shaky that I thought I would fall. We had many rests stopping at the everlasting flower bushes and picking bunches for our friends at school.

At last, at three o'clock, we arrived at the camp, having arrived at the top at a quarter to twelve. How we all wished that we could go up in the little time it took to come down.

We were given slices of pineapple and soup when we were all back at the camp and then, after all the porters had been sent down, we started down through the forest to arrive at the place where the lorry had been left, at about five-thirty.

On reaching the glade we found Mr. Mahon waiting for us, with a Pepsi-Cola each. What a lovely treat and ending to our expedition! Then, clambering into the lorry we set off for school, singing songs and chattering to each other. On arriving at school everyone was most surprised to hear I had conquered Meru and, after telling the story about three times, I at last went to supper.

After. I had a very hot bath, I climbed into , bed, very tired and wondering how I had ever conquered Meru.

Vivien Landcastle, Age 12 years

Meru Co-operative Union 5 ton lorry doubling as a bus when not hauling coffee.

Mount Meru, as seen from the tarmac of the Arusha to Moshi road.

Meru

As usual during the third term, six boys, six girls and six adults set off to climb Meru on December 3. As has happened before, the lorry had difficulty in getting to Olkokola, but we were not delayed long for a tractor and trailer came to our rescue.

Leaving a party behind to prepare a meal, we started climbing from Olkokola at 2.30 p.m. It was hot work walking through the forest, but the only real difficulty was in negotiating the Olmotoni valley as its sides were very slippery. We came to the camping spot above the forest at 5.30 p.m., and by the time it was dark, firewood had been collected and we were eating a nourishing meal of soup and steak. After songs around the fire we tried to get some sleep which for most of us was impossible owing to the cold.

At 4.15 a.m. after a light breakfast we left the camp and started to climb the mountain which towered above us like a giant in the dark sky. Finding the ash frozen helped us to make good progress, and by sunrise we were well ahead of the usual time and reached Luncheon Rock. Near the top, going became very difficult because of the snow and ice. However, by 10 a.m. the whole party, except one who had turned back at the crater lip, had reached the top.

Away to the East, Kibo and Mawenzi stood clear above the clouds and looking down we had a magnificent view of the crater. For a short time we were able to look down at Arusha and pick out the school, but to the West and North clouds blocked our view. By the time we left the summit the snow and ice had thawed, and it was difficult to get a foot-hold.

Just after leaving the top one of the boys was hit by a rolling boulder and had to be carried down to the base camp, and then to Arusha. After descending some thousand feet, we found the ash soft and the going was easier and we reached the camp by lunch-time.

After a rest and a meal we packed up the camp and started down the forest, and by 4 p.m. we were at Olkokola enjoying a hot Irish stew. While we had been up the mountain it had rained hard on the Olkokola road, and on our way down we found a lorry stuck in the mud. After waiting some time for the lorry to pass we arrived in Arusha, at 8 p.m.

It had been a good trip and a record number of children had conquered Meru, and though tired, everybody thought that their efforts had been well worth while.

David Phibbs Aged 12 years

At Gladys Rydon's residence, with Lorraine Nelson

Just outside Arusha the delightful crater lake of Duluti offers good fishing and bird watching. More beautiful still, 20 miles away, is the Arusha National Park, a tranquil retreat established in 1960. Within its 46 sq. miles it has three distinct areas: the Mount Meru crater, the Ngurdoto Crater, and the five Momella lakes.

Back in Arusha I visited the police, the hospital, the information department, the bank, the garage, the post office, the Parks office, the camera shop, the travel agency, and much else without having more than a short walk between each of them. Arusha is a most compact little town, with everything in easy reach of the visitor from out-of-town who wishes to arrange his affairs in a morning. Over the whole place is Mount Meru. This great, grey slab of a volcanic mountain is frequently not there, when the clouds are low everywhere, or when its own steep sides cause a mist around them. Every now and then, always surprisingly, it is suddenly there. Without any warning, as if it had erupted silently from the earth, a 14,749-foot mountain stands against the sky. Instead of the town's streets tapering away vaguely into the distance, they then abut most effectively against it.

Arusha and Meru had cleared and settled most of the southern slopes of Meru from 4000 to 5300 feet by the 1880s, when a series of disasters swept across northern Tanzania. Bovine pleuropneumonia and Rinderpest devastated the herds of pastoral Maasai, driving them into the mountains to seek refuge; smallpox spread rapidly along the trade routes recently forged up the Pangani Valley; and drought and killing famine blanketed the area, especially during the years 1883-6, 1891-2 and 1897-1900, ...

... undoubtedly Mount Meru is the central attraction [of Arusha National Park]. Once probably higher than Mount Kilimanjaro, in the giant explosion which formed the Momella lakes, it lost its top and entire eastern side. As it is, it is still an arduous two-to-three day climb to reach its 14,979 foot-high peak.

It is usual to climb the mountain from the north-east side. The thorn bush and thicket give way after 7000 feet to montane forest criss-crossed with streams and spectacular waterfalls. The ancient juniper and cedar trees provide cover for bushbuck and buffalo. Turaco birds flash crimson in the dappled sunlight. Heather then spreads towards the slopes of Little Meru, a secondary peak of 12,538 feet, where a herd of eland live. Beyond stretches the intact western rim of Mount Meru proper. In its crater rises a perfect ash cone, from which a small lava flow occurred in 1979, thereby showing that is not extinct.

The summit offers magnificent views. From here the climber can see the badlands of Lake Natron to the north-west, the Maasai Steppe to the south, Arusha crouching below and, like an unbelievable vision, the snow capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro to the east. In the morning stillness a rare lammergeyer bird soars effortlessly over the crater, perfectly epitomizing the wild haunting beauty of northern Tanzania.

The local Warusha people who live in the area regard the mountain [Meru] as sacred. Every year a bull or sheep is sacrificed and offered to the mountain to ensure rain in the coming season. While it is likely that local people have been visiting the forest, and even the area in the crater floor, for generations it is not known whether anyone ever reached the summit. The exposed nature of the walk, the unpredictable weather and the effects of altitude would probably have deterred casual curiosity.

Mount Meru is an active volcano located just 70 kilometers (44 miles) west of Mount Kilimanjaro. It reaches 4,566 meters (14,978 feet) in height but has lost much of its bulk due to an eastward volcanic blast sometime in its distant past, perhaps similar to the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in Washington State in 1980. Mount Meru most recently had a minor eruption about a century ago. The several small cones and craters seen in the vicinity probably reflect numerous episodes of volcanic activity. Mount Meru is the topographic centerpiece of Arusha National Park. Its fertile slopes rise above the surrounding savanna and support a forest that hosts diverse wildlife, including nearly 400 species of birds, and also monkeys and leopards.

Two visualization methods were combined to produce this image: shading and color coding of topographic height. The shade image was derived by computing topographic slope in the north-south direction. Northern slopes appear bright and southern slopes appear dark, as would be the case at noon at this latitude in June. Color coding is directly related to topographic height, with green at the lower elevations, rising through yellow, red, and magenta, to blue and white at the highest elevations.

Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on Feb. 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect 3-D measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter (approximately 200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between NASA, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) of the U.S. Department of Defense and the German and Italian space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, Washington, D.C.

The mountain most likley in your picture is Mount Meru.

Maasai, Meaning 'that which does not make a noise'

Maasai, Oldoiny'orok, the black mountain