Siha or Kingdom of Siha also sometimes referred to as Kibongoto (Isarile la Siha in Kisiha), (Ufalme wa Siha in Swahili) was a historic sovereign Chagga state located in modern-day Machame Kaskazini ward in Hai District of Kilimanjaro Region in Tanzania. Siha was located west of the Ushira plateau on Mount Kilimanjaro.Salt, George. "The Shira Plateau of Kilimanjaro." The Geographical Journal, vol. 117, no. 2, 1951, pp. 150–64. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1791652. Accessed 16 Apr. 2023. The word Mangi means king in the Chagga languages. The people of Siha speak Kisiha which is one of seven dialects of the West Kilimanjaro language of the Chagga language groups.R.O. "The Chagga and Their Chiefs – History of the Chagga People of Kilimanjaro. By Kathleen M. Stahl. The Hague: Mouton, 1964. Pp. 394, Maps. 32 Guilders.” The Journal of African History, vol. 5, no. 3, 1964, pp. 462–464., doi:10.1017/S0021853700005181. The kingdom is known for Mangi Ngalami that was hanged together with 18 other Leaders of the Chagga states including Mangi Meli, by the German colonial regime in an event known as the Great Hanging at Old Moshi in 1900.Cana, Frank R. “German East Africa and Its Future." Journal of the Royal African Society, vol. 17, no. 66, 1918, pp. 125–35. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/716055. Accessed 16 Apr. 2023.Yonge, Brian. "The rise and fall of the Chagga empire." Kenya Past and Present 11.1 (1979): 43–48.
Overview The Shira Plateau, located on the western side of Mount Kilimanjaro, is a vast tableland formed by ancient volcanic activity. Historically, it served as a resting point for travelers moving across the high savanna. Some inhabitants migrated to the plateau from the northern slopes to escape threats from hostile groups such as the Maasai who arrived in the area from Kenya in the 1820s.Berntsen, John L. "The Maasai and their neighbors: Variables of interaction." African Economic History 2 (1976): 1-11. The first Sihans established semi-autonomous chieftains known as Mitaa, including Old Samake, Mane, Kichicha, Sumu, Nguni, and Kyuu.
The region shared a rich cultural heritage, with inhabitants relying on the Sanya River for freshwater. Beyond the plateau, settlements developed around the Kikafu River system, with significant geographical features such as Oldony Muruak and Mkeku marking cultural boundaries.
The higher elevations of the plateau were among the earliest inhabited areas, where communities maintained shared languages and customs, allowing them to protect their livestock from threats. This collection of settlements, characterized by their elevation and conservative lifestyles, collectively defines the Shira Plateau.
Etymology The region historically known as Kibongoto is predominantly referred to as Siha by locals, pronounced "Sita" by the Usseri people. This name, situated on the outskirts of Mount Kilimanjaro, may derive from the Maasai phrase "La Sita," meaning "something hidden in a corner," reflecting its forested location.
The term Siha is often associated with "Shira" or "Sira," which may have originated in the 19th century. It encompasses the Nguni and Kyuu peoples, as well as the Kingdom of Siha, established in the late 1890s with Ngalami as its first king. While Kibongoto appears in modern administrative contexts, Siha remains the preferred name in local usage, also designating the Siha District in Kilimanjaro. Chuhila, Maxmillian Julius. "Language and Socio-Cultural Identities in Kilimanjaro." Social Analysis: The International Journal of Anthropology, vol. 63, no. 1, 2019, pp. 104–07. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26952442. Accessed 16 Apr. 2023.
Siha's chiefdoms The chiefs of the mitaa, appointed by the king, formed a crucial part of a centralized administrative system. While these chiefs were directly accountable to the king, their roles were also influenced by their membership in local lineages. This dual affiliation led to potential political competition, prompting the royal lineage to implement measures to mitigate such rivalry.Moore, Sally Falk, and Paul Puritt. The Chagga and Meru of Tanzania: East Central Africa, Part XVIII. Routledge, 2017. ISBN 978-1-315-30949-1.
In addition to their administrative responsibilities, chiefs managed local courts, oversaw corvée labor, and administered certain local tax collections. This structure allowed for localized governance while maintaining allegiance to the central authority of the king.
The Siha Kingdom was comprised several small chiefdoms, or mitaa, located along the Kilimanjaro forest edge, including Kichicha, Sumu, Old Samake, Maene, Nguni, and Kyuu to the east, as well as Mrau, Komboko, Old Wanri, and Mae to the west. These communities shared a common heritage, distinct customs, and languages. The western boundary of the region is marked by a dense forest that descends the mountainside into the plains, forming a natural limit defined by freshwater sources. The river Sanya is the most westerly river utilized by the Shira plateau peoples, beyond which only brackish streams are found until reaching the river Ngare Nairobi. Below are the historic chiefdoms prior to the 20th century Chiefdom of Old Samake;the oldest settled country in Siha. Share customs with other forest countries like Kyuu, Maene and Nguni by hiding their cattle in the forest during raids from other countries and were also connected to the eastern chiefdoms of Usseri and Ngasseni.The country is the ancestral home to the Orio, Kileo and Masake (Masaki) clans. The Orio clan has become the ruling dynasty in other kingdoms as well such as Kibosho, Mobokomu, Keni and Mwika. Chiefdom of Kichicha; was sparsely settled and a vassal of Samake. Chiefdom of Sumu; was also sparsely settled and a vassal of Samake Chiefdom of Maene; ancestral home of to the ruling Mmari and the Nkini clans. However, Only the Mmari clan has been established in other countries Komboko, Maru, Wanri and Mae. Chiefdom of Nguni; one of the oldest Siha settlements this chiefdom later on became part of the Kingdom of Masama in the 20th century. Ancestral home to the Nathai clan. Chiefdom of Kyuu; among the oldest settled countries in Siha. This chiefdom also later on became part of the Kingdom of Masama in the 20th century. Ancestral home to the Munoo (Munuo) clan that have ruled there. Chiefdom of Mrau; chiefdom where Mangi Saiye gave refuge to Manga'ro, brother of Mangi Ndesserua, during his fight for the Kibosho throne. Chiefdom of Komboko; home of Mangi Saiye of the Mmari clan, where he ruled most of the chiefdoms of Siha during his reign. Also the home of Mangi Ngalami. The chiefdom is where the modern day of market of Sanya Juu is located. Chiefdom of Mae; known for having some of the best blacksmiths in Chaggaland. Eventually it was annexed into the chiefdom of Wanri by the 20th century. Also remembered for Mangi Nkunde one of its most prolific leaders. Chiefdom of Wanri; ancestral home to the Mwandri clan. Home of Mangi Nkunde. Mangi Malamya established a baraza here as his capital in 1920.
Siha's leading clans The Siha clans claim descent from the Shira Plateau, supported by their high worship sites and remnants of ancient settlements, such as furrows and the sacred plant masale (Dracaena fragrans). Historically, they inhabited various areas of the plateau, with the Usseri people living on the opposite side. These clans traditionally raised livestock and occupied the high savannas until forest expansion altered their landscape.
Early ancestors settled in specific Mitaa(Chiefdoms), fostering peaceful coexistence among descendants. Clans retain significant influence in their chiefdoms, including the Orio, Kileo, and Masaki clans in Old Samake, Nkini and Mmari clans in Maene, Nathai in Nguni, Munoo in Kyuu, and Mwandri in Old Wanri, with a few Mmari members also residing in Maene, Komboko, Mrau, Old Wanri, and Mae.
Mmari; The clan was one of the most powerful in Siha, with Mangi Saiye and his cousin Ngalami. The Mmari clan is notable for its widespread presence across Kilimanjaro, yet it faced significant political challenges in Siha. Despite having strong claims to leadership, especially in the broader context of Siha, the Mmari clan struggled to gain representation after the death of Ngalami, the last ruler chosen by the local population. Following his death, no Mmari candidate was afforded a fair opportunity to present their claims to the European administrators, whether German or British, who held the ultimate decision-making power. This lack of representation contributed to the clan's absence in Machame, highlighting the political marginalization of the Mmari clan during this period. the clan had 500 male taxpayers in 1960. Their largest concentration was in the mtaa Mrau, right below Samake, where they made up roughly 150 of the mtaa's 600 male taxpayers, making them the most populous clan. In contrast, the Nkini and Kileo clans had 50 and 60 male taxpayers, respectively, and the Nathai clan had about 100 male taxpayers. Nkini; the clan was the first to leave the plateau and settle in Siha. Seven generations back to the first ancestor Nkini are remembered in this, the most illustrious and revered clan. He descended from a location on the plateau known as Wawa, an open area with red dirt that served as the only source of ochre in the region. It was encircled by dense plants and numerous bamboo. The Nathai clan maintains the sacred fire, a tradition associated with the Nkini clan, regarded as the oldest in the region. Despite the Nathai clan's earlier settlement, they honor the Nkini for their esteemed role as keepers of the sacred fire, which earned them respect among the Siha people. Nkini, known for his cattle and successful farming of beans and eleusine, was the first to settle in Mtaa Mane, where his clan continued the fire rites and agricultural practices. Orio; about Seven generations go back to the arrival of the first ancestor Orio of the Orio clan. He descended and came to a stop just beyond the present-day forest border, at the location called Siki in ancient Samake. He left one son there. Wherever they went, Orio's sons ruled over others, being accepted as such by the locals not because of their fighting prowess but rather because of their wealth, which is to say, their cattle. After Orio himself moved on to Kibosho, his sons spread widely on Kilimanjaro. As a result, the Orio clan rose to prominence in Kibosho, Mbokomu, Keni, and Mwika in addition to old Samake. Nathai, based in Nguni is older than the Orio clan and has a notable heritage. It can be traced back nine generations to the arrival of the first ancestor Ondumai. He is also claimed to have arrived from the Maasai across the mountain's upper ridge. He was from a place called Kirarakwa, which is located west of the Sanya River up close to the border of the forest. He made his home in the elevated grasslands above Nguni. His descendant Mariko moved into Nguni proper five generations later. The tribe came down to Nguni to graze their cattle as Masai because they had discovered good open terrain there. Munuo; have always been the dominant clan in the nearby mtaa, Kyuu, just as the Nathai clan has always been the dominant clan in Nguni. The first ancestor, Kisangasa, is regarded as the first of seven generations. He is said to have originated from Kibo (the highest point of Kilimanjaro), and he originally made his home at Matikoni, a location east of the Nathai clan in Nguni, which is situated between the rivulets Kishenge and Kawa. One of his sons settled in Kyuu after moving further down the mountainside.