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Paramount Chief of the Chagga (Tanzania)

Last modified: 2019-08-06 by bruce berry
Keywords: tanzania chagga |
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image by John D McMeekin, 31 Mar 2011

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Paramount Chiefdom of the Chagga flag

  image by John D McMeekin, 30 Mar 2011

The Chagga Nation are located around the southern, south-western and eastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro on the Tanzania / Kenya border.

The flag of the Chagga Nation (1952-1964 or 1965) was designed by Paramount Chief Thomas Lenana Mlang'a Marealle II, O.B.E, (born 1915) who was elected and and crowned on 17 January 1952. He was the 2nd Chairman of the Chief's Conference (succeeding Her Highness, Mwami, Teresa Ntare VI, Queen of the Heru) in 1958.  He abdicated in 1960 whereafter he joined the Tanzanian Diplomatic Service. Paramount Chief Marealle died in 2007.

The flag shows a representation of Mount Kilimanjaro (snowy top, green base).  Above the mountain is a standing leopard (head to staff, tail to the fly), below, in the base, are banana leaves, (probably to the left) and a coffee tree branch (probably to the right). All within a wreath of Dracaena plant leaves, which itself is within a white disc, in the centre of the flag.  I have seen a Black and White photo of this flag on which the illustration above based.

This flag is rarely seen now, and is only brought out on "Chagga Day" (17th January) in the area.
John D McMeekin, 30 Mar 2011

An image on Flickr shows the Chagga (Wachaga) Assembly with the flag on the back wall and is illustrated at the top of this page.
John D McMeekin, 31 Mar 2011

image sent by John D McMeekin, 21 Mar 2013

This is the original illustration of the flag of Chagga as contained in a Spanish article by Jorge Hurtado.
John D McMeekin, 21 Mar 2013

The illustration was labeled V/W/B+, which I take to mean the field is green (not blue as shown above) and the base of the mountain is dark blue.
Rob Raeside, 22 Mar 2013


Paramount Chiefdom of the Chagga badge

  image sent by John D McMeekin, 31 Mar 2011

I found the colour photo of what looks like the Coat of Arms.  An image on Flickr shows the Chagga (Wachaga) Assembly with the flag on the back wall.  The flag does not have the motto or ribbon in the base.
John D McMeekin, 31 Mar 2011

The Leopard represents Strength and the mountain represents Mount Kilimanjaro.  The coffee and banana leaves represent the local economy.  The motto "LUKUEAWIE NA RUWA" is in Swahili meaning Lukuwawie and Ruwa.
John D McMeekin, 01 Nov 2016