29/07/2026
New work for GEO
What are the remains of Tanzanian chiefs doing in a German museum?
Two years ago I travelled to the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania with Issio Ehrich to work on a very difficult and important story.
In the 1900’s German colonialists executed influential Chagga leaders and thousands of people in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. Often, the remains of the murdered were taken and locked away in the catacombs of museums disrupting traditional burial practices and the spiritual connection to ancestors.
These atrocities caused lasting trauma and are remembered through family stories and memorials.
German museums face questions about their colonial collections and ethical responsibilities and some museums are starting to acknowledge their role in historical injustices as they begin to address their past.
The story follows the descendants of Mangi Molelia as they seek to reclaim their ancestors’ remains in an ongoing effort for repatriation and historical reconciliation.
Published images and outtakes in this month’s GEO
