CULTURE TOURISM

CULTURE TOURISM Culture is the characteristics belief of a particular ethnic group which are being performed daily. Tanzania is a haven of culture as it has over 120 tribes to which each has its own unique taste and style. These characteristics will revoke your personal feelings getting you into close contact with Africa’s most famously known Maasai (Pastoralist), the Hadza (Hunters-gatherers) and many more sharing your precious time with them gives you a real experience of a lifetime as you will learn, hear see, eat, touch, and feel the real Africa is in you. What more attracting is their eye- catching dressing styles, their eye- catching and ear- catching local languages, lullaby songs and dances, how they procure food and genera lifestyle.
Never get confined in a safari jeep, step out of vehicle and share what you have with them.
The following are some of the most interesting ethnic group in northern and north-central Tanzania you should plan to visit and learn from them;
THE MAASAI (MAA PEOPLE)

The Maasai are Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting East Africa mostly Kenya and Tanzania. In Tanzania they are commonly known to inhabit the northern part of the country while in Kenya they do inhabit north, central and southern parts. Maasai are among the best-known local populations internationally due to their residence near many protected areas most notably the Game Parks, Game Reserves and Game Controlled Areas and along the African great lakes and their distinctive customs and dress. The Maasai were famously known for their fearsome reputations, mostly their warriors ensured that the 19th century slave caravan studiously avoided their territory, which was also one of the last parts of east Africa ventured into by Europeans. They are among the people who still practice and live their traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle, continuing with their age-old customs.

According to their Oral history, the Maasai originated from the lower Nile Valley, north of lake Turkana and began migrating south around 15th century arriving in a long trunk of land stretching from what is now north Kenya and central Tanzania between the 17th and 18th century. Being known for their fearsome reputations, Maasai warriors were cattle rustlers, raiders used spears and shields and were mostly feared for throwing clubs (Orinka) which could be accurately thrown from up to 80m. Piercing and stretching of earlobes are common among the Maasai, amongst maa male’s circumcision is practiced as a ritual to transition from BOYHOOD to MANHOOD (body modification common features) Head shaving is common at many rites of passage, representing the fresh start that will be made as one passes from one chapter to another.

Clothing in maa changes by age and location with each color carries a vivid meaning, immersing yourself in the Maasai land will made you learn a lot as their lifestyle is very thrilling and alluring making someone feel like just to keep staying and interacting with the locals. Come mingle with the raw meat, blood and milk consumers, a healthy combination of soups, honey, bitter barks, root decoction or soup plant are all consumed making them energetic and fearless.

These nomadic to semi-nomadic pastoralist relied traditionally on local readily available materials and indigenous technology to build or construct their houses. Maa houses are designed for people on the move and was thus very impermanent in nature. The houses were somewhat rectangular in shape with extensions of circular and constructed by able-bodied women. They use grass, sticks, cow dung, mud, urine and ash to construct, as all these materials are avail locally. The most interesting and hilarious thing is their traditional music and dance characterized by rhythms provided by a chorus of vocalists singing harmonies while a song leader OLARANYANI, sings the melody what made this traditional music and dance more eye catching is the neck movement accompanied by singing, learning forward of the neck when breathing out and tilting back of the head when breathing in. Maasai are monotheists whose belief in a single deity with dualistic nature the benevolent ENGAI NAROK (Black God) and vengeful Engai Nanyokie (Red God). They believe that god created cattle and gave them and they are the only one who has right to own them, when raiding cattle from other tribes they claim to be taking back what’s theirs.