Visiting 3 Tribes in Tanzania: 2 That Felt Authentic and 1 That Didn’t
The main reason you’re visiting Africa is probably to go on safari, but you shouldn’t miss the chance to explore its cultural side while you’re there. Alex and I visited 4 tribes in East Africa, 3 of which were in Tanzania, and we had drastically different experiences at each of them. In this article, I’ll break down which are worth prioritizing.
OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE HADZABE
Alex and I spent 3 hours with the Hadzabe, Africa’s last hunter-gatherers, near Lake Eyasi, Tanzania. We witnessed a hunt, showed off our archery skills, and listened to the Hadzabe’s unique clicking language. We learned so much and found the Hadzabe to be very friendly.
If you’re uncomfortable with hunting, this visit might not be a great fit for you. Many people were surprised I was interested as someone who hasn’t eaten meat in 6 years (except for a bite of goat I accidentally ate in Uganda, but that’s another story). However, hunting and gathering has been how humans have sustained themselves for millions of years, so it offered insight into our evolution and was an educational experience. That being said, it’s up to you if that’s something you’re comfortable witnessing.
To read our full experience with the Hadzabe, check out our article.
Hunting with Africa’s Last Hunter-Gatherers: Our Experience With the Hadzabe
OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE DATOGA
Immediately after visiting the Hadzabe, we visited the Datoga: a tribe known for their blacksmithing skills. They are able to melt metal from scraps, such as old kitchen faucets, and convert the metal into beautiful jewelry and other useful items (like the arrowtips that they trade with the Hadzabe in exchange for meat). They even make bracelets that they use in place of rings to signal engagement and marriage. The Datoga are said to be from South Sudan and Ethiopia originally, but migrated to Ngorongoro Crater later. They had a conflict with the Maasai over land and cows, so they migrated once more to Lake Eyasi.
We spent time with the women first, who taught us how to grind corn on a grinding stone, and then with the men who showed us how they melt the metal. I picked up a couple bracelets on my way out.
Overall, we felt that the visit with the Datoga was interesting and genuine and we were impressed with their craftsmanship. However, it didn’t offer the same depth as the visit to the Hadzabe.
OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE MAASAI
We spent 30 minutes with the Maasai outside Ngorongoro Crater. The Maasai are one of Africa’s most famous tribes and have many well preserved cultural traditions, including their “jumping” dance, their shuka clothing, and their reliance on cows (they drink the cow’s blood and use their dung for their houses). We unfortunately found the visit to be disappointing, as we didn’t learn much and felt the tour was rushed and performative. We were also quite flustered when the Maasai put us in the uncomfortable position of requesting donations in front of an audience.
To read more about our experience, check out this article.
The Reality of Maasai Village Visits: Here’s What Didn’t Sit Right
OUR RECOMMENDATION
The clear winner if you’re looking for the most authentic and educational experience would be a visit with the Hadzabe. If you want to pick just one, I’d make it this one. However, the Hadzabe are located right near the Datoga near Lake Eyasi, so it makes sense logistically to visit both tribes in one day, especially since the visit with the Datoga lasts less than an hour. I’ve also read that the visits with the Maasai in Lake Eyasi are less commercialized and more authentic, although I can’t confirm as I didn’t visit them there. It could theoretically be possible to visit all three tribes in one day in Lake Eyasi, but it might be a long day.
If you’re uncomfortable with hunting, then you might want to skip the tribe visits altogether. It’s probably not worth a night in Lake Eyasi for such a short visit with the Datoga, especially when I can’t confidently say that a visit with the Maasai will be authentic in Lake Eyasi.