Tim O'Toole (American, B. 1949) "Tanzania Wildlife" Signed lower left. Original Oil painting on Cold Press Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood Tanzania Mint Stamp of the World Panel in 1987. Tanzania is an African nation found on the eastern coast of the continent ... and the country exhibits a remarkable array of cultures which today live and work side by side. The earliest clue of man in Tanzania dates back into history one and a fourth million years -- rock paintings, mounds and other prehistoric evidence can be found in the Olduvai Gorge of a manlike creature called australopithecus. In recent history, Arab traders -- intent on profiting from the slave trade -- settled on the coast of Tanzania. Later, Asians came to Tanzania ... and today these groups live alongside the natives of the nation. Most of the natives of Tanzania speak Swahili ... the national language and perhaps the most useful language in all of Africa. Settlers coming to Tanzania brought with them their religions and customs ... and although a majority of the tribal peoples practice animism -- a belief that all things in nature have spirits there are some Christians. Sunni Muslems live on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar. Zanzibar has been famous through the ages for its spices, especially cloves -- and it remains so today. Both the islands and mainland of Tanzania have some of Africa's most exciting wildlife. Mount Kilimanjaro -- the tallest mountain on the African continent -- towers over the famous Serengeti plains of northern Tanzania, where a multitude of African wildlife thrives. Gazelles, elephants and crocodiles are just a few of the animals to be found in the rivers and plains of Tanzania. Image Size: 27 x 21.75 in. Overall Size: 30 x 24 in. Unframed. (B10828)