The fallen man with a crown of roots, embodies the cyclical nature of man’s life from, joy, despair, death, and regeneration. Welcome to THE CHAGGA MIRROR!

There is awareness among a growing number of individuals in different societies that HIV/AIDS – to a very large extend – is a socio-culturally driven disease. The success of prevention work, with the aim of sexual behaviour change, depends – hand in hand with the bio-medical approach– on the teaching of the understanding of the origins of taditional and present habits, values and beliefs in a given society. It demands further, on a deeper level, the effort to recognize the interconnectedness and interdependent nature of individual, culture and environment.

The idea of THE CHAGGA MIRROR evolved during a visit in 2005 at Kinukamori Waterfalls at Marangu, on the green slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro.This spectacular waterfall is a site of breathtaking natural beauty, tranquil rest spots, gazebos, and great food. But more importantly, it is also the site of the “Hall of Chagga Culture” or “Temple of Cultures”. The Hall contains a wonderful walkway gallery of sculptures produced by the local artist LAWI MOSHI. All of them reflect important turning points in Chagga history. The history of the Chagga has been the focus of study for many western ethnographers, but at the Hall, a more accessible entrée to Chagga culture is featured.

THE CHAGGA MIRROR is meant to be a starting point for interesting discussions about the cultural dimension of HIV/AIDS, both in Chagga and other cultures.