Ugogo na ardhi yake

About the Work

Ugogo na ardhi yake (“The Gogo and its Land”) is the first geography book written in Kiswahili about the Ugogo region in Tanzania (formerly the Tanganyika territory).

This 1961 manuscript provides precious details through numeric tables concerning populations, crops, and the environment. Linguistic terms relating to the land, and specifically the soil, are provided with Cigogo/Kiswahili translations, alongside a precise description of the territory's administrative organization.

It is a highly valuable reference for historians, geographers, and anyone interested in the history of geography and ecology in early 20th-century Tanganyika. It is worth noting that while Mathias E. Mnyampala is primarily known as a renowned poet and lawyer, this work establishes him as a pioneer in the history of ecological studies in East Africa.

Discovery and Provenance

This manuscript remained unpublished for over forty years following the author's passing in 1969. It was located, identified, and brought to light in 2007 in Dodoma (United Republic of Tanzania) by the researcher Dr. Mathieu Roy, following scholarly directives from Professor Mugyabuso Mlinzi Mulokozi from the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).

During this research, Dr. Mathieu Roy located the author’s heir, who had been safeguarding his father's records. The document had been carefully preserved in Dodoma, as part of a collection of unedited papers, by Charles M. Mnyampala—the author’s son—who was entrusted with the mission to conserve these precious archives.

The 2014 Edition

This historical document was finally edited in 2014 by Dr. Aurélia Ferrari and Dr. Mathieu Roy (INALCO, Paris, France). It was published by DL2A Buluu Publishing, marking its first official release to the academic community and the public.