Maps

Geographers in Afric Maps

With savage Pictures fill their Gaps

And o'er uninhabitable Downs

Place Elephants for want of Towns

A missionary map of 1848, showing the lands beyond Kilimanjaro as inhabited by Dorobo, describes them as

'a very poor people despised and maltreated by all tribes around'.

The first available map was published in a church-sponsored jounal 'The Church Missionary Intelligencer', No 1, Vol 1, (May 1849). It was this publication that announced to an incredulous world the existence of "Kilimanjaro, covered with eternal snow." This map does not attemp to portray any of the country lying to the west of Kilimanjaro, so Ngorongoro and the Serengeti do not appear. The whole area is designated "Wandorobo, a very poor people despised and maltreated by all tribes around".

Original size 40 cm x 32 cm copy by Hugo von Larwick

This is a comprehensive endeavour by the missionaries Krapf and Erhardt to depict large areas of East and Central Africa including the Great Lakes. From the information at their disposal it appeared that one huge lake lay at the centre of the area. Their representation of this lake, depicted in Map 2A, suggested a slug, hence the popular name of the map.

The map itself has never been published but is in the possession of the Royal Geographical Society, London. The Map Curator of the R.G.S. has kindly provided a photo copy of the relevant portion of the map, exhibited as map 2B, stating that this is the best that can be made.

To bring out the salient points, the Survey and Mapping Division of the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development undertook an enlargement (times 2) which accurately reproduces the features which are of particular concern to this story, but omits many others.

Ngorongoro and the Serengeti do not yet appear, but the whole of the country from north of Lake Natron to south of the Pare Mountains is assigned to ILMASAI.

Oldonyo Lengai is shown as "Snow Mt. (rain Mt.) Gods Mt.". "Kignea" and "Kilimanjaro" are also shown as snow mountains. The reason for including Lengai in this category is because mineral deposits which appear on the upper slopes of the volcano show upwith such brilliant whiteness as to give to the early observers the impression of snow.

It is of interest to note that the trade in soda from Lake Natron (though not named as such) was in existance at the time: "From where the Magad [soda] is bought."

Another point of interest depicted in the extreme north east corner of the map is a reference to a stream flowing into "the Ukerewa" I.e. Lake Victoria. It is noted that "This water tho' sweet is said to turn peoples teeth yellow". This is probably the first recorded reference to the fact, particularly noticeable around Mount Meru, that a high flourine [sic] content in the drinking water, does cause a brown stain to the teeth which cannot be removed.

The Map was presented to the Royal Geographical Society on 10th November 1855 by the missionary Erhardt. Its official title is as follows:

"Sketch of a Map from 1 & deg;N. to 15 & deg;S. Latitude and from 23 & deg; to 43 & deg;E. Longitude delineating the probably position and extent of the Sea of Uniamesi as being the continuation of the Lake Niasa and exhibiting the numerous heathen-tribes situated to the East and West of that great Inland-sea together with the Caravan routes leading to it and into the interior in general. In true accordance with the information received from natives - Representatives of various inland tribes - and Mahomidan inland traders. By the Revd. Messrs. Erhardt and F. Rebmann Missionaries of the Church Miss. Society in East Africa Kisaludini March 14 1855."

A paper published in German - J. Erhardt's Memoire Zur Erlauterung Der Von Ihm Und J. Rebmann, Zusammengestellten Karte Von Ost- Und Central-Afrika , (S.Tafel 1.) - gives further details of the country concerned. It is the first attempt at assessing the geographic position of the main geographic features of eastern Africa - Kilimanjaro, Lengai, Lake Victoria etc. by the length and direction of each days march undertaken by the trading caravans.

Baron von der Deken's two trips to Kilimanjaro never penetrated west of Kilimanjaro but added much detail to the geographical knowledge of the area. On the 1861 trip he was accompanied by a young British geologist Richard Thornton, whose diaries, as yet unpublished, throw much light on contemporary conditions around Kilimanjaro and the Pare Mountains. Thornton had previously worked with Dr. Livingston on the Zambezi, and after this trip returned to the Livingstone expedition to Lake Malawi, only to die after a few months. Dr. Otto Kersten accompanied Van der Deken on his 1862 trip, and produced the six volume opus describing the two journeys, from which the exhibited Maps are taken.

The map was published in the journal of the Royal Geographical Society, Vol. XL, 1870. Accompanying an article by the Rev. T. Wakefield, missionary of Mombasa, entitled "Routes of Native Caravans from the Coast to the interior of Eastern Africa."

It is the first known map to show either Ngorongoro or the Serengeti. A general concept of the country south east of Meru was beginning to emerge. The Rift Wall is shown running due North and South from Lake Baringo to Lake Manyara.

Along the line of the rift, on its western flank, running southward from Lengai, Serengeti is shown. A caravan route, distinct from the main routes to Lake Victoria detailed in the text, is shown running westward from the Pare Mountains, and terminating at Ngorongoro, rightly placed to the west of the rift and just north of the northern tip of Lake Manyara.

Original size 48cm x 39 cm. Photograph by Hugh von Larwick

This is the most detailed of the early Maps, being published in the Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society. New series 4.700 to accompany an article entitled "Native Routes in East Africa from Pangani to the Masai Country and the Victoria Nyanza" by the Ven J.P.Farler, Archdeacon of Kagila in Usambara.

Note how the caravan route splits into two, the northern one following the previously recorded track by Lengai and Lake Natron; the southern route is new passing through Ngorongoro, Olduvai (Nduvai) and Serengeti.

It is of extreme interest in it's evidence of the ecological setting. It shows clearly the limit of Maasai habitation, corresponding exactly to the present dividing line between the open plain and woodland. This is followed by an area inhabited by Wandorobo, elephant hunters, from whom the traders purchase ivory. Then the route beaks into inhabited cultivated country, extending to its terminus on the shores of Victoria Nyanza.

This map accompanied the account of Dr. S.A. Fischer's safari through "Maasai-Land, von Pangani bis zum Naiwascha See". He followed the Lengai-Natron Route and did not add greatly to the knowledge of the Ngorongoro Serengeti area. Ngorongoro is badly misplaced and Mbugwe, properly at the south end of Lake Manaya [sic] has been transposed to the west of the Rift Wall. A vague caravan route from Kavirondo to Tanga is shown cutting across the Serengeti from the northern tip of Lake Manyara.

Only a small portion of this map, which accompanied Dr. O Baumann's book "Durch Masailand zur Nilquelle" is reproduced. This map is of value as being the first drawn from personal observation. For Baumann actually travelled through the country, instead of relying on second hand accounts for his map making.

Of particular interest is his proposed Railways, running from southern slopes of Mount Meru, past the northern tip of Lake Manyara, and then south of the southern edge of a misshaped Ngorongoro. The line then proceeds across the Serengeti, south of Duvai (Olduvai) and Lake Ndutu and thence to Lake Victoria. This railway project has been discussed from time to time in the ninety years since it was first mooted. It is fervently hoped that the present discusions will be equally prolonged, until the planners come to realize that such a project would not only be an ecological crime but an economic absurdity.

During the period of German colonial rule in Tanganyika, the Karte von Deutsch-Ostafrika at 1:300,000 was published by Deitrich Reimer in Berlin, 1893-1914. Following the establishment of the British mandate in 1919, a Tanganyika Survey Department was set up working initially with the War Office (GSGS). During World War II, mapping was carried out by the Survey Directorate, East African Forces. After 1946, the Survey Department (as part of the Department of Lands and Mines to 1950; of the Department of Surveys and Town Planning, 1950-1952; of the Department of Lands and Surveys, 1952-1959; of the Ministry of Lands and Surveys, 1959-1960, and of the Minstry of Lands, Forests and Wildlife, 1960-1962) worked in association with the British Directorate of Military Survey, and the Directorate of Colonial Survey / Directorate of Overseas Survey.

Post independence in 1961, the Survey Department, as the Surveys and Mapping Division of the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has continued to work with the DOS.

This map, covering the whole of German East Africa, and large portions of adjacent countries, ilustrates the progress that cartographers had made by the end of the century. This progress was continued till the outbreak of World War I and many Maps of specific interest, ethnographic, geological, vegetational etc were published during this period. The overal position as at 1914 is shown in the German 1:300,000 series, which was reprinted with all legend interpreted into English , which was published by the Bitish War office. The northern portion of the series forms the last map of this exhibition.

This map on the scale 1:300,000, approximately 5 miles to the inch was prepared by the British War Office, but in fact remains the working map of the administration for many years to come. It was still inuse in the early thirties when it was the task of the District and Departmental officers to travel with a copy of the map and make amendments thereto. The sheets as exhibited, were mounted on caravans [sic] by Shifton, Praed and Co. Ltd., The Map House, 67, St James Street. London SW.

Tanzania in Maps, ed L.Berry, University of London Press, 1971 /New York, Africana Publishing Corporation, 1972. 172pp

Compiled by Tanzania Bureau of Resource Development and Land Use Planning and Department of Geography at University of Dar es Salaam.

61 black and white thematic Maps, with text.

Statistical tables pp153-176.

"single most valuable reference work available on Tanzania",

ASA review of books, 1, 1975, 109-110

The indigenous peoples and some foreigners had for centuries travelled from place to place in eastern Africa, and doubtless knew the relative positions of the main geographic features. But no one as far is is known had endeavoured to illustrate these on Maps until the missionaries on the coast recorded the accounts of the caravan leaders and others and plotted their journeys on Maps of country which they themselves had never visited.

These bold attempts naturally led to some ludicrous results, but it is quite remarkable how closely to their correct position they managed to place some of the main features of the area, Kilimanjaro, Oldonyo Lengai, the active volcano, and particularly Lake Victoria

The first "Hoopoe Map" was commissioned in 1994.

Having become "de rigeur" for any traveller to Tanzania, these very unusual, detailed and highly colourful Maps are an excellent addition to a safari or visit to this great country. Focusing on the natural history and culture of Tanzania (in line with the company's stated modus operandum), the Maps feature:

Wet and dry seasons,

Indigenous trees and plants,

Animal spoor,

Migration Patterns and a host of other detail and information.

New Maps and chart ideas are always under consideration: we will advise clients of any new additions!

Maps Available Now

Available now are:

Serengeti National Park

Ngorongoro Crater

Tarangire National Park

Lake Manyara National Park

Arusha National Park

Kilimanjaro National Park

Combined Map of Northern Tanzania Parks

Zanzibar

"Footprints of Tanzania"

Trees of Tanzania National Parks

Arusha Town Centre.

Government Mapping Agency: Surveys and Mapping Division (SMD), Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Tourism, PO Box 9201 Dar es Salaam.

With donor aid, much of the country has recently been remapped at 1:50,000.

There is also, if in print, a 1:250,000 series.

Available overseas: OSI and agents sell 1:50,000 sheets published to 1982.

Listing the Maps is tantalizing. How can I download an electronic copy? I am trying to follow the travels of my daughter while she is in Tanzania and Kenya.

Thanks very much. Stew

Ngorongoro: Tourist Map & Guide - Main Side 1999. Enlargement of Northern TZ 1994.

Thanks very much for the quick reply. I've done the saveas. However, the map text is unreadable.

Any other options?

Thanks. Stew

Thanks so much. I guess I could crack open the wallet and buy a map but I thought there must be some free resources out there if I just dug a little. I'm trying to follow my daughter's semester abroad in Kenya and Tanzania. Thanks again! Stew