Collecting the histories and stories of the Mtwara region and its artifacts for our collection is an
important pursuit to understand this region and its people better. Their life stories related to
social activities, politics, community, relationships, the environment, gender relations, and many
other topics provide a more in-depth understanding of the inner workings of Mtwara.
Explanations of our artifacts and their relationships to local life provide a broader and better
understanding of how they were used and perceived, thus deepening our museum's value. When
funding permits, we interview elders from across the region. There is urgency in this work
because we lose windows into the region's past as elders pass away every day we delay.