THE UNIVERSITY OF DODOMA

COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND MEDIA STUDIES

COURSE NAME: HISTORY OF ART IN TANZANIA

COURSE CODE: AD 217

COURSE INSTRUCTOR: MS. SARA MGONELA

NATURE OF WORK: INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNEMENT

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 23th NOVEMBER 2022

S/NO NAMES REG. NO PROG. SEX SIGN

1 FARIDI ALLY KHATIBU T21-03-11440 BA-FAD M

QUESTION: Tinga Tinga painting school

1. What is Tinga Tinga art,its origin and founder

2. Social function of Tinga Tinga art

3. Patrionage

4. Stylistic characteristics

5. Media

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 Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga was born in 1932 in Mindu settlement and also Edward Saidi
Tinga Tinga was born at home in traditional way due to the hospital to be far away from his
mother’s house and it estimated to be 6km to reach the hospital. Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga started
his studies at Mindu mission primary school from standard 1 to 4.

When he was 25 years old he moved to Tanga region to work there in order to look and to
provide for his young brother and sister because their mother was died four years ago, In 1959 he
moved to Dar Es Salaam.

In DSM he started work as a gardener in order to make more profit, Before December 9,1961
Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga reunited his family again and started a new life in the city with
independence, and a promising future seems to open up.

Not to many people know that Edward had a first artistic inclination, he was good in
traditional music and particularly makonde dance. Before becoming a famous painter Saidi Tinga
Tinga he was known as an artist of traditional music. He meets his wife to be Agatha Mataka and
soon they have a son called Daudi who born on July 15 1966. In 1968 he was hired as “ward
attendant “ at Muhimbili Hospital in Dar Es Salaam.

In 1968 start doing the first of his paintings which he intends to sell on the streets, Saidi
Tinga Tinga asked to decorate the house of traditional doctor where his wife was being treated and
the successful experience of decorating the kigamboni house with paintings, certainly encourage
Saidi Tinga Tinga to make more paintings and once paintings are finished his wife taken in order
to displayed and sold in the nearly Morogoro stores area.

After the successful painting activity Saidi Tinga Tinga involved his closely relatives in
order to help him to prepare the materials he needs and to bring his finished painting to the sale
point, And later on Saidi Tinga Tinga allows them to do like him and produce their own paintings.

In 1970 Mpate who is Edward young brother joined Saidi Tinga Tinga as a student, Tinga
Tinga said to his young brother “if you want to learn how to paint, just watch me and try to do like
me”. Tedo, Ajaba and Mpata becomes three relatives to paint under Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga.

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 After the created of NAT (National Art of Tanzania) Saidi Tinga Tinga started to sell more
prize than in Morogoro store due to the contract agreed. Edward quit his job as ward attendant in
1971. He was focused more in his paintings and started to enjoy his life as a traditional music
dancer and a good painter who increase his income every day. His financial improved and started
to go out with friends to enjoy and buy them a drinks and food. Most unfortunately it is one of
these nights were Saidi Tinga Tinga or the rising star will encounter his premature death.

The technique

Ceiling board, Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga used very simple materials to produce his paints
and they did not come from the art shop. He use the hardboard panels (4ft x 8ft) commonly used
to cover the ceiling and known as “ceiling board”. Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga use these panels in
order to get the rough and smooth side and also he use oil color because it dry slow and it can be
easy to make a correction on something want to add or to change.

Brushes, he use different sizes of brushes on his work because every brushes used to make
its work done for example flat brush used to paint the background of the paint and thin brushes
used to make more details in paintings and all of this brushes can be found on art shop.

He use a non-uniform background, He signing his name when the work was completed, the
artist proceed with the signing of his name “E.S.T” (Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga).

Sudden death of Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga,It was a rainy day in 17 May 1972 in Dar es
salaam when he take his cousin out for drinks and after few drinks some strangers and came across
and started starring Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga and they started talking to each due to the
famousness of Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga. After few drinks Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga decided to
live with his cousin and due to the rains they stopped and one of stranger wants to give them a ride
to home and they accept that offer but that stranger was a garageman who use people’s cars for
some test in the streets and after few miles they were started followed by police officer who thought
the car is stolen and garageman started to panic and run away and then when Edward Saidi Tinga
Tinga came off from the car were accidentally shot by officer and from that the journey of his
paintings life ended.
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 REFERENCES

“Tinga Tinga art”. Tinga Tinga.org, Retrieved 30 September 2013

“The Tinga Tinga school of painting”. 17 September 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2010