Tingatinga was born in 1932 in a village called Namochelia, now called Nakapanya, in Tunduru District, Ruvuma region. He, like his mother, Agnes Binti Ntembo, was a Christian and Makua by tribe. His father, Saidi Tingatinga was a Moslem and a Ngindo by tribe. Tingatinga came from a poor peasant family. Edward was the first born in a family of four children. The others are Galus Andrea, Cesilia Mpata and Simon Mpata. Tingatinga attended the Nandembo Catholic Primary School in Ruvuma region where he reached Standard Four. He could not study further because of unfavourable family circumstances.
In 1957, Tingatinga left his village and went to Tanga region to look for employment. He was employed in the sisal plantations and remained there until 1959 when he decided to leave for Dar es Salaam where his cousin Salum Mussa Mkayoga, popularly known as Mzee Lumumba, had been living since 1943.
Mzee Lumumba was already working as a cook at Oysterbay for one Mr. George Pollack. Tingatinga found favour with him and consequently, he was employed as a gardener. When their employer left Tanzania, Tingatinga and his cousin, Mzee Lumumba, left Oysterbay and went to stay at Msasani Mikoroshoni. In the same year, Tingatinga decided to become a street-vendor selling fruit and vegetables around Oysterbay area on a bicycle. Apart from selling fruit and vegetables, Tingatinga had started doing embroidery work on pillow cases, table clothes and bed covers. He was also learning to weave mats and baskets. He even decorated some houses with wall paintings thus taking up a tradition practised in many parts of his home region. He was a very creative person in every respect.
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One day, early in 1968 he started painting by using the brush and oil colours. He started to paint animals and other scenes and motifs on square hardboards, usually of the size of 2 x 2ft. Also around this time, Tingatinga joined a Makonde traditional dance group. He was good at playing the xylophone. Through this group, he joined the TANU Youth League, a political wing of the ruling party- by then.
In 1970, Tingatinga officially married Agatha Mataka. In 1972 the TANU Youth League secured a job for him at the Muhimbili Medical Centre in Dar es Salaam.
Meanwhile, Tingatinga continued to paint. His studio was at his residence at Msasani Mikoroshoni where he stayed with his family in one room. His paintings were sold at Morogoro Stores in Oysterbay area by his wife, his nephew, Omari Amonde, and sometimes himself. The paintings were sold at between Tsh. 10 and Tsh. 30 each.
Eventually things slowly started to work in Tingatinga's favour. One day, a tourist, who had bought one of his paintings, introduced him to the then National Arts Company, a subsidiary of the National Development Cooperation. The company became interested in Tingatinga's paintings straight away. It was agreed that the artist should supply the company with his paintings. With this newly acquired client, each of his paintings could now fetch up to Tsh. 60. Having found himself financially fit, he decided to quit his job at Muhimbili Medical Centre and began to live entirely on his paintings.
Tingatinga took several young relatives as his apprentices. They were called Ajaba Abdallah Mtalia, Adeusi Mandu, January Linda, Casper Tedo and Simon Mpata. First, they were just helping him with the work but then he encouraged them to do their own paintings.
Tingatinga was known by many as a talented man who was also very social. One Saturday night in 1972, Tingatinga met his untimely and tragic death. There were three people in a Volkswagen Beetle speeding away from a police patrol car along Independence Road, now Samora Avenue, in Dar es Salaam. The police had mistaken it for a get-away car used by robbers. They fired several shots at the car, one bullet got Tingatinga. He died on his way to the hospital. His two colleagues, Tedo and Daudi, escaped the shooting miraculously. In the subsequent police interrogation, it was discovered that Daudi, the driver, was in fact running away from the police because he had no valid driving license. The three were using the car without the permission of the owner who happened to be their relative. They were not robbers at all but that was the end of Tingatinga's life.
Edward Tingatinga was buried at the Msasani Mikoroshoni cemetery in Dar es Salaam. He died at the age of 40 leaving behind his wife and two children, Daudi and Maritina. Daudi is presently an active member of the Tingatinga Arts Co-operative Society while his sister, Maritina, is married and lives in Dar es Salaam. Their mother died in 1995.
Although Edward Said Tingatinga is dead, his memory is still fresh and alive among us all. His art will make him live among us for ever.