The story of Ngagi

In 1902, a gorilla was killed at the summit of Mount Sabyinyo by a German colonial officer. His skull was taken to Berlin, where it has remained ever since. Ingagi is an interactive journey back to that moment tracing the landscape, the cruel histories, and the Rwandan narratives that were never part of the colonial record.

How to explore Ngagi

Ngagi is accessible on desktop and mobile. Begin at the memorial and press "TAB"  From there, you are transported to the slopes of Mount Sabyinyo, guided by Tupu, guardian of the Milele Virtual Museum, through clues, stories, and landscape, toward the events of 1902. Use the arrows on your keyboard or touchscreen to navigate.

The Collaboration

Ngagi was developed by Milele Museum in collaboration with the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, as part of their new gallery opening in 2026. The project brings together digital storytelling, archival research, and community-informed narratives to return this story to its origin.

The Research

The foundation of Ingagi is the 1903 Sitzungsbericht der Naturfreunde — a firsthand colonial account of the expedition. Alongside this, Milele Museum has conducted research into Rwandan traditions and beliefs surrounding gorillas, working to recover the voices absent from the original record. The gorilla skull itself was 3D scanned for this experience.