Maji Maji

Book excerpt: The Maji Maji war of 1905-07 in Tanzania was the largest African rebellion against European colonialism. This volume offers the fullest account of the war in the English language. Using oral accounts and little-used documentary evidence, contributors offer detailed histories of districts and localities as well as groups, such as African soldiers in the German army, elephant hunters and women, whose roles in war have been neglected. The contributors examine varieties of communication during wartime, including the circulation of rumor between Africans and Germans. They also offer new insight into the most famous aspect of the war – the use of medicine which was believed to provide invulnerability. The contributors are historians and an archaeologist recognized as authorities on Tanzanian history.