Mazinde lies in the Maasai plains to the west of the West Usambara Mountains.
The community is on the main road between Moshi and Dar es Salaam.[1]
The cliffs rise almost vertically behind the village to the Irente viewpoint, 800 metres (2,600 ft) above.[2]
Pre-colonial era
Johann Jakob Erhardt recorded the repulse of a Maasai raid in 1853 at Mazinde by an allied army of Shambaa under Semboja, son of Kimweri ye Nyumbai, and of Wazigua, Parakuyo and "Arabs" (most likely Swahili).[3]
One of Kimweri's junior sons, Semboja, was made chief of Mazinde, which lay on the northern caravan route between the coast and the interior.[4]
He later allied himself with the Maasai.[5]
Semboja followed coastal architecture in the design of the buildings at Mazinda, dressed as an Arab and ate Arab-style food.[6]
However, the language at his trading post was Zigula rather than Swahili.[7]
After Kimweri died, the Shambaa kingdom split up. Semboja retained authority at Mazinde, while his son Kimweri Maguvu reigned as a puppet in Vugha. In 1885 Kimweri Maguvu signed a treaty with a German agent, but Semboja did not at first support the arrangement.
After an unsuccessful attempt to persuade his rivals to unite against the Germans, in February 1890 Semboja received a German force at Mazinde and agreed to raise their flag in return for recognition of his authority.[8]
Sisal
The Mazinde estate, owned by Major William Lead in 1930, was a major sisal plantation. In face of strong global competition, he organized East African sisal producers in Tanganyika into Tanganyikan Sisal Grower's Association (TSGA) that year, and reduced wages by 50%.[9]
Starting on 25 November 1958 the estate was the scene of a 68-day strike against the TSGA.
The government was forced to intervene, and appointed a commission that recommended appointing representative for the plantation workers and establishing a new agreement between the union and the employers.[10]
While other sisal estates were nationalized by the post-colonial government, the Mazinde estate remained privately owned by a British national until being sold to M/s Mohammed Enterprises (T) Limited a few years before 2008.[11]