Welcome to this year's 

MaKuYa Performing & Cultural Arts Festival

This year we will be in Masasi, in the region of Mtwara

Don't miss this wonderful event by coming to the wrong town!!

 Welcome to the 5th Annual MaKuYa Traditional & Cultural Arts Festival

in Mtwara Municipality, Tanzania

October 18, 19 & 20

Nangwanda Sijaona Stadium

Questions? Email: makuyafestival@gmail.com

MaKuYa 2012 - Traditional Performing & Cultural Arts Festival - Mtwara, Tanzania - November 17-18

MaKuYa 2010

July 30 - August 1

Masasi

Mtwara Region - Tanzania

MaKuYa 2010 is coming soon. This year we've moved to the town of Masasi in the central Mtwara Region.

MaKuYa in Dar

May 28 - June 12

Alliance Francaise Gallery

Documentation of the Culture and Traditions of the Makonde and Makua People of Mtwara, Tanzania.

Few regions of Africa have been untouched by the outside world, even fewer have populations still living that can remember life with minimal foreign influences, but Mtwara, Tanzania is one such place. The reason for this might be explained by the late development of the region because of the German and Portuguese desire to maintain a “buffer zone” between their colonial holdings, and thus avoided development along there shared, Ruvuma River boarder; or it was the inhospitable climate, malaria and poor farming conditions that discouraged the settlement of European settlers; or possibly the mythical fierceness of the Makonde people. Whatever the reasons, Mtwara’s late development has left it with a rich reservoir of empirical knowledge of a “purer” African life and traditional culture in the minds of its elders. Some of these elders are old enough to remember life prior to woven textiles, corn and matches. There are countless stories on how life was lived and perceived; unique, not just from tribe to tribe, but village to village.

Their perceptions on birth, death, marriage, pregnancy, courtship, superstitions, and the power of witchcraft provide an intriguing and ethnologically important alternative perception of life. Also practices related to medicines, food, illness, dance, music, storytelling, and justice have interest and shape their unique identity. But every day that this information remains undocumented, it is lost forever as that generation passes away.

The ADEA/MaKuYa team has already interviews over 120 elders and collected nearly 100 artifacts to begin this exploration. But we are seeking funds to further conduct interviews to document the past traditional life of Mtwara though recording, photography, and video. ADEA holds a unique and trusted relations with the villagers of Mtwara through its launching of the annual MaKuYa Traditional Life and Culture Festival in 2008, and meetings held with elders beginning in 2006.

MaKuYa 2008
Thank you to all who came and participated!
IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!!

Here are a collection of picture to give you a taste of it.

Children at the Traditional Life Exhibition learning about things they'd only read about in school.As for games - visitors enjoyed the sling shot and archery range (common local skills).

Many thanks to Switzerland, The Finish Embassy,
the Artumas Africa Foundation & the German Embassy

Karibu! - Come join us next year!
Mtwara, Tanzania
August 14 - 16, 2009 is the weekend we are shooting for.

KARIBU TO THE MAKUYA FESTVIAL

FRIDAY & SATURDAY

AUGUST 29 - 30, 2008

MTWARA TOWN - TANZANIA

Special thanks to our donors

Thanks to our donors
Switzerland
The Finish Embassy
Artumas
The German Embassy