By Noko Mashilo
SONGEA, Ruvuma Region, United Republic of Tanzania, history met the present as Princess Dr Chief Nikiwe Bam stood on sacred ground at the 120-year commemoration of the Majimaji Rebellion, turning remembrance into a bold call for action.
Attending the national ceremony at the Majimaji Museum in Songea, the founder and global president of Afrikan Indigenous Leaders used the moment to amplify urgent demands for restitution, reparations, and the development of cultural tourism as pillars of healing, dignity, and economic justice for Afrikan communities.
The historic gathering was led by Ambassador Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi, Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania and brought together regional leadership, traditional authorities, and Afrikan Indigenous leaders from across borders, uniting voices from Tanzania, Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe in a powerful show of Ngoni solidarity and cultural reconnection.
This was more than a commemoration; it was a declaration that Afrikan history must be honoured not only in memory but in material justice and future development.
In a deeply symbolic address, described her presence in Songea as a spiritual return to hallowed ground. “To stand in Songea is to stand on sacred land, land that carries the blood, courage and spiritual resistance of our Afrikan ancestors,” she said.
“The Majimaji uprising remains one of the most profound Pan-Afrikan resistance movements against colonial domination, uniting diverse communities under the spiritual leadership of Kinjikitile Ngwale.”
Linking history to present-day global policy processes, she referenced the C20 policy brief under South Africa’s G20 Presidency, which prioritises the protection and restitution of cultural heritage and the formal inclusion of Indigenous peoples and traditional authorities in national, regional and global decision-making.
“The return of looted artefacts, the repatriation of human remains, and the legal recognition of Indigenous leadership structures are not symbolic gestures,” she said.
“They are essential for justice, identity, integrity, socio-economic empowerment and inclusive global governance.”
Bam also noted the absence of the German Embassy from the commemoration, stressing that diplomatic engagement is central to healing and historical accountability.
“While we acknowledge the apology previously expressed by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier for colonial-era atrocities in Africa, commemorations of this magnitude present vital opportunities for the German government and its diplomatic representatives to participate directly in remembrance, dialogue and reconciliation,” she said.
She further drew a direct link between restitution and economic empowerment, arguing that heritage justice can unlock tangible development outcomes for local communities.
“The return of artefacts and ancestral remains will strengthen our museums, deepen historical education, and grow cultural tourism. We call for structured investment to ensure that all regions involved in the Majimaji resistance are supported with properly resourced museums and memorial centres, spaces that educate citizens, scholars and international visitors about the true magnitude of this uprising and its contribution to Afrikan liberation history.”
In his keynote remarks, Nchimbi paid tribute to the fallen heroes of the Majimaji War and reaffirmed Tanzania’s commitment to preserving this defining chapter of national history.
He emphasised unity, patriotism and the urgent need to educate young people about the resistance as a cornerstone of national identity, while also underscoring the protection of historical sites and their development as centres of education and cultural tourism.
The Majimaji Rebellion of 1905 to 1907 unfolded in what was then German East Africa, sparked by oppressive colonial policies including forced cotton cultivation, heavy taxation and forced labour. Though brutally suppressed with devastating loss of life, the uprising remains one of the largest anti-colonial movements in Afrikan history, a lasting symbol of unity, resilience and self-determination.
The 120-year commemoration in Songea, therefore, stood not only as an act of remembrance but as a renewed continental call for justice: for the institutional recognition of liberation heritage sites, strengthened diplomatic engagement, and the economic empowerment of Tanzania through heritage preservation and cultural tourism development.
