Hadzabe & Datoga Visit

Hadzabe & Datoga Visit

Hadzabe

The Hadza, or Hadzabe, are a protected hunter-gatherer Tanzanian indigenous ethnic group, primarily based in Baray, an administrative ward within Karatu District in southwest Arusha Region. They live around the Lake Eyasi basin in the central Rift Valley and in the neighboring Serengeti Plateau.

The Hadza remain an important study focus for anthropologists, as they represent a modern link to ways of human existence and survival largely abandoned by most of humanity. As a hunter-gatherer society, the Hadza have no domesticated livestock, nor do they grow or store their own food. The Hadzabe survive by hunting with hand-made bows and arrows, collecting honey and gathering eatable plants. The two first tasks are assigned to men while the last one is women’s duty. Their diet is mainly plant-based but also includes meat and honey.

You will learn about their traditions and daily life, and have an opportunity to hunt with the men, practice your bow and skills, walk with the women as they gather wild plant foods, and purchase crafts made by families.

Dagota

The Datoga are Nilotic pastoralists living only in Tanzania. They are semi-nomads (population of about 85,000). They have a strong warrior tradition and male domination of political and social life. They are also talented blacksmiths.

The Datoga tribe is known for their skilled craftsmanship, particularly in metalwork and beadwork. During your visit, watch as they melt metal and form it into arrowheads, utensils and jewelry using age-old techniques, and even try your hand at crafting your own unique piece to take home as a special souvenir.