A Land of Lost Lakes

About the Film

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Dar es Salaam is the largest city in Tanzania and one of the fastest growing cities in the world. It’s filled with all the trappings of a modern metropolis... 

However, just a few years ago, this city used to be home to a number of flourishing, crystal clear lakes that were important habitats for diverse plants and animals. 

Today, unfortunately, barely a semblance of their existence remains on land and practically none in our local textbooks and lessons. This documentary tells the story of Lake Mwananyamala and how it disappeared over time.

Background to the Film

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I've lived in Dar es Salaam almost my entire life, but it wasn't until 2018 when I first learned that there used to be lakes in this city. I was stunned! How? Why had I never heard about this before? It wasn't in our current history or geography books - the only information I could find came from a screenshot of an old textbook that was out of print. 

Five years later, the National Geographic Society launched the World Freshwater Initiative and I was thrilled to receive a grant to tell the story of the lakes of Dar es Salaam. We then set out to document as much of the lakes as we could (although not nearly enough as needed) - focusing on the largest lake, Lake Mwananyamala.  

Through compiling and digitising maps, tracing the lake's evolution over time, developing 3D models of the changes, and engaging in conversations with elderly residents in the area, as well as scientists and urban planners, we hope that we've been able to create the beginnings of an archive of information that future students, researchers, and conservationists can use in preserving and transferring knowledge about our natural history.