My Tanzania
KITUNDU JONATHAN
‘I think some people didn’t realise travelling is fun until they watched Katambuga’ As a self-confessed “naughty boy” growing up in Dar es Salaam, Kitundu Jonathan admits he rarely went to school, preferring to go on adventures with his friends. However, a taste of photography and filmmaking inspired him to learn more and gave the acrobatics-loving adrenaline junkie the opportunity to explore the remotest parts of Tanzania and to showcase his love of nature. Now Kitundu is a leading light of Tanzanian filmmaking – having worked for a host of domestic and international clients – and the creative force behind hit travel reality show Katambuga. Q: It seems school didn’t interest you much, but once you found something you loved – filmmaking – you were keen to learn and improve your skills. How did your time at Kilimanjaro Film Institute (KFI) help you develop as a filmmaker? A: When I joined KFI I did not know much about films, I was just capturing things without any idea. But being there I came to understand how every shot counts, how to tell a story from your shot composition and the lighting. I also met lots of friends. Q: Can you tell us about one of your most memorable adventures behind the camera? A: There was this time I was in Enduimet, in Kilimanjaro National Park, and I was filming a team of rangers carrying out their various activities, such as catching poachers and helping communities. One day we got a call from villagers that elephants had invaded the farms. To chase the elephants away the rangers use chilli bombs, made from pepper
10 / Twiga
powder mixed with rice or sugar for weight, and in the middle a firework with the fuse wire sticking out. So, you light the fuse, wait and then throw it into the sky over the elephants. When it explodes, the chilli powder covers the area and, hopefully, the elephants run away. I remember it was so cold and wet that I could barely feel my hands when I threw my bomb so it exploded in the air over us, covering us in powder. When we did get one to explode over the elephants, they all ran except for one calf. It was crying and its mother returned for it and started chasing after us. She was as big as our car. Still, we drove the elephants away from the field. It was better that way because before they were being killed by farmers for eating the crops. One day, we walked for more than eight hours to catch poachers we had seen from afar in the park. We caught up with them at night. It was so dark I couldn’t see in front of me, but I could hear their footsteps and smell the animal they had killed. The
rangers lit their torches and gave chase and I followed. The rangers only had long Maasai sticks, but I called out: “Afande (soldier), shoot him” and one of the rangers replied: “Yes, sir”. Fearing for their lives, the poachers gave themselves up. We had tricked them. Q: Have you always been an adrenaline junkie? A: I have always been fond of extreme sports like rock climbing, sky/sea diving and exploring caves. It makes me feel good to do it. Q: When did you start taking photographs and making films? Did you feel an instant connection using a camera? A: As a child I admit that I was very naughty and curious. My best friend Faraji and I thought we were wasting our time in school when we could be out exploring. We loved adventure, whether that was sneaking into a military base or an abandoned building or finding new routes to investigate. I also loved martial arts. When I was living in Mwadui in 2008, a local acting group was looking for someone who could do acrobatic stunts and knew fighting skills for a movie. We would fight and rehearse all day and I became the best among the 10 or 12 fighters there. There is one movie which was amazing. In it I perform an impressive stunt, jumping over a giant guy and kicking him with my heel. More film roles followed and I was learning new skills, holding the boom
