Born c. 1850,
Lake Nyasa, Africa
Died 1882,
Zanzibar, Tanzania

Through his assistance to European explorers, James Chuma contributed to knowledge of southeastern Africa, especially the area that today is known as Tanzania. Like Sidi Mubarak Bombay (see entry), he was a member of the Yao tribe that lived on the shores of Lake Nyasa in southeastern Africa. Chuma was the son of a fisherman named Chimilengo and his wife, Chinjeriapi. During a war among local tribes, Chuma was captured and eventually sold to a Portuguese slave trader. He was rescued from slavery by a fellow Yao named Wekotani. Together they attended the mission school founded by Anglican Bishop Charles Frederick Mackenzie at Magomero. While at the school Chuma became the servant of a Reverend Henry Rowley, to whom he introduced a Yao delicacy, whole-fried rat.

Hired by Livingstone

In 1864 Chuma and Wekotani moved to another mission school...