The living Hunting and Gathering Culture in Nothern Tanzania-Hadzabe,

The Hadza, or Hadzabe, are an ethnic group in north-central Tanzania, living around Lake Eyasi in the central Rift Valley and in the neighboring Serengeti Plateau. The Hadza number just under 1000. Some 300–400 Hadza live as hunter-gatherers, much as their ancestors have for thousands or even tens of thousands of years; they are the last full-time hunter-gatherers in Africa.

The Hadza are not closely genetically related to any other people.[2] While traditionally classified with the Khoisan languages, primarily because it has clicks, the Hadza language appears to be an isolate, unrelated to any other.[6] The descendants of Tanzania's aboriginal hunter-gatherer population, they have probably occupied their current territory for several thousand years, with relatively little modification to their basic way of life until the past hundred years.[7] From the 18th century onwards, however, the Hadza came into increasing contact with farming and herding people entering Hadzaland and its vicinity from elsewhere.


CULTURE AND SPIRITUALITY.

Hadzabe still hunt in the traditional way, using bows and arrows, both of which are made from specific kinds of wood. Different types of arrow poison are be made from the sap of trees, or by boiling together different parts of plants. After being struck by a poisoned arrow, an animal typically takes 45 minutes to an hour to die. Hadzabe eat every kind of animal that can be found in their environment, with the exception of snakes (although they do use python fat as a traditional medicine for asthma).

Two animals that have a special meaning to Hadza society are the eland and the warthog. When a young girl is engaged, her fiancé goes on a special hunting expedition to track and kill these two animals. He must take the meat and fat to his prospective father-in-law as a bride-wealth gift before the wedding can go ahead. During the wedding ceremony itself, the bride and groom are both anointed with the eland fat, and decorated with a lot of bead jewellery.

In addition to meat, Hadzabe eat a lot of baobab fruit, many different kinds of wild berries, and a variety of edible tubers. Their diet changes according to the seasons, and which foods are ready to eat at a given time.Hadzabe love honey! There are two different kinds of honey, one made by tiny stingless bees which look more like ants, and the other by larger bees. The honey from the stingless bees is an excellent medicine for chest problems.
CEREMONIES.
Our most sacred ceremony is called the Epeme, which forms part of our traditional worship of God (Hainei in the Hadzane language). It takes place only at night, during the dark phase of the moon. The elders, women and young girls can take part, but the young men are not allowed. It is a ceremony that includes a lot of singing and dancing.

WORSHIPING.
Hadzabe ncestral land there are also many sacred places, where they go to pray and worship. The Kambebe mountain close to the Bush Camp site is one of these. In another area, called Dundubi, worshippers have to be silent: there is a belief that anyone who speaks there will be cursed and will walk around naked without realizing it! A third sacred mountain is Anao, known to some people as Mount Hanang. When they go there, take an offering of meat and skins. Special songs are sung there to pray for the ongoing survival and health of the Hadzabe people.

MUSIC

Music and dancing are very important in Hadzabe culture. Made of a traditional violin called the zeze, and a type of drum called the ndonoko. The zeze is made out of a gourd with wire strings attached, and played with a small bow. The ndonoko is also made from a gourd, but in this case, a very large one! Our songs are mostly for praising and worshiping Hainei, but others are about courage.