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General Information > Culture and Food |
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 Iron
Age Civilization
The knowledge to work and use iron existed in the area along Lake Victoria
in early Iron Age. The people who manufactured iron also produced distinctive
pottery known as Urewe ware. The earliest Urewe culture site is in Kagera
Region and was already established by 500 B.C. Urewe excavations by Peter
Schmidt have shown evidence of production of steel-like metal with high
carbon content centuries before similar quality of iron was produced in
Europe. Later in the 19th century, colonial powers are said to have suppressed
traditional smelters and blacksmiths to discourage manufacturing locally
and provide markets for European goods instead. Thus, the traditional
iron worker is hard to find nowadays except in rare places in Western
Tanzania (the Fipa tribe). A traditional iron kiln of the Fipa tribe is
preserved in the National Museum of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam.
Swahili Culture
 Swahili
culture like the language is influenced by Arabic culture and is the main
way of life along the Coast, and in Zanzibar. Rulers of important "city-states"
along the Coast were known as Sultans and their names from 900 A.D. can
be traced in coins that were minted during this period. The sultans dressed
in round hats (fez) made of colourful beads. Until to-day, round hats
are common for men.
In the interior of Tanzania on the other hand, there are about 126 tribes in
Tanzania each with a separate language, culture and traditions. However,
there are many similarities of culture among the Bantu tribes even though
they speak different languages. The Nilotics such as Maasai have different
culture based on pastoralism and proudly resist assimilation to foreign
cultures. Traditional rulers are highly respected and their thrones are
inherited on basis of male lineage except for few tribes where women could
become rulers in absence of a male heir. Common titles for traditional
rulers are Sultani, Jumbe, Chief, Mangi, Mwami, Mtemi, etc.
Traditional Rules and Obligations
There are traditional rules, duties and obligations among all tribal communities.
Respect for the ruler and for elders, maintaining harmony and order in
the community, respect for the worshiped God, respect to rights over personal
property and land, and community service are among obligations of every
citizen. Helping the aged, the sick, assisting one another in farming
or construction of houses, participating in marriage or funeral ceremonies
are some of the duties expected from all citizens.
Values
The common values of society include adhering to principles of humanity
"utu" and civilized behavior "uungwana". There are taboos such as incest,
swearing before parents or elders, mocking parents-in-law, jumping over
the legs of others or handing anything to someone by your left hand.
Religion and Superstition
Traditionally, religious belief was essential to every citizen but different
tribes worshiped different gods. Many worshiped ancestors but others worship
the baobab tree, an identified forest, the sun, etc. There are also superstitious
beliefs such as belief in witchcraft or belief that having twins bring
bad omen but superstitions are slowly disappearing from society. However,
many people still believe that parents can curse their misbehaving children
and ruin their lives or make them biserk. Some people believe certain
charms can drive away evil spirits and it is common in some places to
find people with certain charms around the neck, wrist or waist known
as "hirizi". Currently the majority of Tanzanians have adopted Christianity
(35%) and Islam (35%). Only 30% of the people stick to traditional beliefs.
Architecture
Houses of the affluent along the Coast were built by stone and had wooden
doors whose middle pieces were decorated by distinct style of woodcarving.
The doors had big iron or brass spikes with mountings and chains. These
traditional doors are sometimes engraved with verses from the Koran. Such
doors are still being made in Zanzibar today and known as Zanzibar doors.
Simpler houses are round or rectangular and are built in poles and mud
with dry grass or palm leaves on their roofs. The size of the house normally
reflects the social status of its owner.
Cuisine and Drinks
Almost each of the 126 tribes have preferred cuisine and drink types.
Along the coast, rice and green vegetables (mchicha) or fish or meat is
the popular staple food. In the interior of Tanzania, people eat cooked
or steamed green bananas (matoke) or maize and millet meal eaten with
relish such as beans, fish or meat relish. Relish for maize meal or rice
is normally cooked with coconut stew obtained by grating the coconut and
squeezing the fatty juice. Maize cooked with beans or meat (makande) is
also the staple food of several tribes especially the Pare tribe of Kilimanjaro
Region. Instruments for peeling maize, millet or rice are usually a wooden
mortar and thick stick. Peeling is achieved by pounding the grain in the
wooden mortar using the stick. Maize, millet or dry cassava is also pounded
to flour and cooked into hard porridge or dough known as "ugali" . To
eat, one makes a ball, dips into the relish broth and then into the mouth.
Drinks are made of different types of grain, or banana, sugar cane, honey,
bamboo juice or palm juice. After the drink is processed, it is left over
a night or several nights to ferment into a light or potent alcoholic
drink.
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