Aminata was born to Makonde mother and Makua father in Dar es Salaam in 1st September 1984. She finished the Primary School in 2000 and two years later she started to paint. It was Mwamedi Chiwaya who introduced her to Tingatinga. But even Aminata´s father was a painter - Rashidi Mlaponi. (Don´t confuse with Issa Mlaponi who now paints in Slipway - it is Aminata´s uncle). Now she is living in Msasani with her husband Mussa and two children - Adija and Rashidi.