Ukerewe Island
Old map of Ukerewe Island
Ukerewe Island is located in Tanzania
Ukerewe Island
Ukerewe Island
Geography
LocationLake Victoria
Coordinates02°02′36″S 33°01′41″E / 2.04333°S 33.02806°E / -2.04333; 33.02806
ArchipelagoUkerewean Archipelago
Length46 km (28.6 mi)
Width20 km (12 mi)
Administration
RegionMwanza Region
DistrictUkerewe District
Largest settlementNansio
Demographics
DemonymUkerewean
LanguagesKerewe & Swahili
Ethnic groupsKerewe people

Ukerewe Island (Kisiwa cha Ukerewe, in Swahili) is a freshwater island located in Lake Victoria. The island is administratively part of Ukerewe District in Mwanza Region, Tanzania. [1]The island fifth-largest lake island in the world. With an area of 530 km2 (200 sq mi), it is also the largest island in Lake Victoria and the largest lake island in Africa.[2]

Ukerewe Island is located 45 km (28 mi) north of the city of Mwanza to which it is linked by ferry.[3] A ferry crossing of 3.8 km (2.4 mi) links the island to a dirt road on the eastern lake shore, which runs to Kibara and the city of Musoma in Mara Region. The shoreline of Ukerewe Island is carved into numerous bays and it is surrounded by at least a dozen smaller islands. Its largest community is the town of Nansio.

Ukerewe island is known for having a large population of Tanzanians with albinism. Many of the first of them to live there were taken to and abandoned on the island by their families as children. Despite comprising an exceptionally high percentage of the island's population, they are still, as throughout Tanzania, an oppressed minority on the island, though it appears to have avoided the killings of albinos, who are "harvested" for black magic rituals, that regularly occurs in Tanzania.[4]

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  • Coastal land, Ukerewe island, Tanzania
    Coastal land, Ukerewe island, Tanzania
  • Sorghum field, Ukerewe island, Tanzania
    Sorghum field, Ukerewe island, Tanzania
  • Ukerewe Island-Mwanza Ferry leaving the port of Nansio
    Ukerewe Island-Mwanza Ferry leaving the port of Nansio
  • Boats in Speke Gulf
    Boats in Speke Gulf

Notable People

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  • Alex Magaga - this musician is an activist, documentary producer and member of the Tanzania Albinism Collective.[5][6][7][8]
  • Aniceti Kitereza (1896–1981) was a Tanzanian Catholic cleric and novelist, born in 1896 on the island of Ukerewe.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Lounio, Tomi. "Population Dynamics and Livelihood Change on Ukara Island, Lake Victoria." Master's Thesis), University of Helsinki.[Google Scholar] (2014).
  2. ^ World Atlas website: Islands of the World: Largest Lake Islands. Retrieved 4 June 2007.
  3. ^ Mwanza Guide: Ukerewe.
  4. ^ Howden, Daniel (2008-12-08). "Albinos slaughtered for body parts by black magic witchdoctors". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 2019-06-03.
  5. ^ Music Life: Giving voice to the voiceless with Ian Brennan, Alex Magaga, Van-Anh Vo and Gilbert Uwitonze on BBC World Service, Sunday 18 July 2021
  6. ^ "BBC World Service - Music Life, Giving voice to the voiceless with Ian Brennan, Alex Magaga, Van-Anh Vo and Gilbert Uwitonze".
  7. ^ "Feared, ostracised and murdered: How music saved the Tanzania Albinism Collective". TheGuardian.com. 13 August 2017.
  8. ^ "Tanzania Albinism Collective". 5 May 1978.
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