Julias is using the artist name Mtapwata because there is already a painter using the signature Julias. Julias is born to Makua parents in Namakogwa in the district of Masasi in South Tanzania on 2nd October 1982. Before he came to Dar es Salaam in 2002 he studied the Primary School in Masasi. It was his uncle Z.Chimwanda who took him to Dar es Salaam and who taught him to paint. Now he is living with his wife and one child in Msasani. He sayes that he started to paint the butterflies after he saw his cousin Zachi Chimwanda took up an order from a tourist to paint the same.