By Carlos Claudio, Chamwino.
The traditional art of decorating tembe (mud houses), once a defining cultural identity of the Gogo community but gradually disappearing due to changing lifestyles and modern housing, is being revived through the Mama Tembe Project, an initiative aimed at preserving cultural heritage while empowering women and girls to generate income through indigenous creativity.
The six-month project is being implemented by the Innovation Development for Future Generation (IDFG) with financial support from the Swiss and Norwegian governments through the Articipate programme.
It brings together 15 elderly Gogo women who will pass on traditional painting skills to 20 young women and students from three schools using the same natural materials and techniques that were traditionally used to decorate tembe houses.
Launching the project on behalf of the Chamwino District Executive Director, Acting District Executive Director Dr. Sophia Nchimbi said the initiative complements the government's efforts to preserve Tanzania's cultural heritage while creating new opportunities for economic development through culture.
She noted that tembe house paintings are more than decorative designs, describing them as an important part of the history and identity of the Gogo people. She said reviving the art will help position Chamwino as a cultural tourism destination while increasing the value of locally produced creative works.
"We are opening a new chapter in preserving our culture. Through this project, Chamwino will promote its rich history and traditions while enabling local communities to benefit economically through art. As a council, we will continue working closely with stakeholders to ensure the project's success," said Dr. Nchimbi.
She also encouraged the women and girls participating in the programme to treat the acquired skills as a long-term investment rather than a temporary activity, so they can continue earning a livelihood even after the project ends.
Chamwino District Cultural Officer Jackson Kitija said the project comes at a critical time, as much of the traditional knowledge was at risk of disappearing with the aging generation of elders while many young people had little opportunity to learn the craft.
He described tembe house painting as part of Tanzania's intangible cultural heritage, saying transferring the knowledge to younger generations is essential to ensuring the Gogo community's history and traditions continue to thrive.
IDFG Executive Director Victoria Mponda said the Mama Tembe Project was developed after research revealed that Gogo women had played a significant role in preserving culture through the decorative artwork on tembe houses, yet their contribution had never been adequately recognized or documented.
She explained that traditionally, men built the houses while women decorated them with symbolic paintings that reflected different aspects of community life.
However, as traditional tembe houses became less common, the artistic knowledge gradually disappeared and survived mainly through oral history.
According to Mponda, the project will not only provide training but will also document the history and meanings behind the traditional designs and preserve the information digitally for future generations.
She added that the initiative will also secure intellectual property rights for the artists and transform the traditional designs into marketable products, including clothing and other creative items inspired by Gogo heritage.
"We want these women to be recognized as the creators of this unique art. We will digitally preserve their work, register it for intellectual property protection, and develop products that can be sold in the market. This will safeguard our heritage while creating sustainable income opportunities for women," she said.
Mponda said one of the biggest challenges at the beginning of the project was convincing elderly women to participate, as many did not believe the traditional skills they had used for decades could become a source of income.
"Working together with government and traditional leaders, we helped them understand that art is also an economic resource. Today they have agreed to pass on their knowledge to young women, marking the beginning of the revival of an art form that was on the verge of disappearing," she said.
One of the project's beneficiaries, 84-year-old Esteli Chibaya from Chamwino, said she was delighted to have the opportunity to pass on the skills she learned as a young girl, believing the younger generation would continue preserving the Gogo cultural heritage.
"We used to paint houses simply to beautify them without ever imagining that one day this knowledge would contribute to our development. Today I am happy that our children and grandchildren will inherit these skills and use them to build better lives," she said.
The Mama Tembe Project is expected to conclude in October this year. Stakeholders believe it will not only revive the traditional art of tembe house painting but also strengthen cultural tourism, preserve the rich heritage of the Gogo people, and empower women by transforming traditional knowledge into sustainable economic opportunities
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