Meet the laughing hippos of Lindi

Kilwa. A scene to behold unfolds every day in a remote village deep inside Kilwa District. The happenings could turn into a treasure for the poor Makaganga villagers only that they are helpless where to start.

This is the near century long tale of ‘talking hippos’ in Lindi Region that reportedly react to human commands. You will find the beasts some 123 kilometres from Kilwa District headquarters.

These hippos exhibit rare traits, including laughing as demanded from their self-declared keeper.

Neither the government nor the villagers identify the hippos as potential tourist attractions. Some 1,500 villagers in the area think the rare occurrence is only normal after co-existing with them for too long.

The hippos are found along Nyange River. Other than the funny traits, the hippos exhibit all other habits, like spending most of their time under water during the day and coming out at night.

The story says that about 100 years ago, there was not a single hippo in the locality. But, later, a dam was formed from the river. Villagers used the dam for fishing and as a source for domestic water.

Mr Yahaya Engema, one of the people who managed the dam, said the turn of events came when a famous fisherman identified only as Kimombo went fishing, never to return. “A team of villagers went to search for him but were amazed to find a hippo instead. “People believed that the animal had fallen from the sky,” said Mr Engema.

According to the narrative, relatives of the missing man spent six days at the dam hoping that their relative would return, to no avail. “They soon developed a tradition of going to the banks of the river calling their famous relative,” he says.

One day as they yelled out the relative’s name, they were amazed that the hippo came out of water, instead. Since then, they concluded that their missing kin reincarnated into the hippo.

“The family and the descedants have since treated these hippos differently,” narrates Mr Omari Yanda, another Makaganga Village elder. The hippos continued to multiply and it is now estimated that there are about 300 of them in the dam. Amazingly, all the hippos have been responding to orders and commands from Mr Kimombo’s relatives.

“Kimombo family members continue to treat the animals as theirs. A few people who come here intending to see the hippos must be escorted to the dam by one of the family members,” he says, adding that only a command from either of the Kimombos elicit a response from the animals.

“If the caller commands only elders to come out, they do so. If he commands females only they also respond. If youngsters are called, only youngsters will come out,” Mr Yanda explains.

The hippos have never destroyed crops from surrounding farms. People have continued to grow their crops along the dam but the animals eat only grass and spare the crops.

The hippos have also never hurt anyone. Many people have come face to face with the beasts. People have continued fishing in the dam and there are no records of confrontations.

The chairman of Makangaga hamlet, Mr Said Ali Kilete, is of the view that time was ripe for concerted efforts to open up the area to tourists to witness the village wonder. He says it is upon the locals to sell their product as the government has no immediate plans on the area. “There is potential for the village to earn a lot of money from this kind of attraction,” said Mr Kilete.

Kilwa District Commissioner, Mr Abdalah Ulega, says he plans to bring together stakeholders to chart strategies to develop and publicise the area. The Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) too has promised to intervene.