The Protestant Mission in Tanga and Digoland

Church historiography of East Africa has long focused on the history of foreign missionariesand their activities and was written from a Western perspective. Usually, the role of theindigenous Christians was little appreciated and only marginally included. However, thiscorresponds neither to their actual importance nor to the quantity of their documents whichare handed down.For this reason, the present study focuses on the contribution made by the local co-workersin establishing the church, using the town of Tanga and the neighbouring Digoland asexamples. As such, it contributes to the global and intercultural history of Christianity.Impulses from the postcolonial debate are taken up, but also adapted and modified to theexisting conditions.Christian Pohl was head of the Northern Regional Office of Mission OneWorld (Mission EineWelt) for several years, the Centre for Partnership, Development and Mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria and currently teaches at the Mwika Bible and Theological College in Tanzania.