Tanzania

Tanzania is a culturally diverse country with over 120 ethnic groups, each with its unique traditions and customs. Here are some unique cultural attributes of Tanzania:

Traditional Maasai culture: The Maasai are one of Tanzania's most famous ethnic groups, known for their traditional pastoralist way of life and distinctive clothing, which includes brightly colored shukas (cloths) and beaded jewelry.

Music and dance: Tanzania is known for its vibrant music and dance scene, which draws from traditional tribal music, as well as modern influences. Tanzanian music often features the use of drums, xylophones, and other traditional instruments.

Swahili culture: Tanzania is home to a large Swahili-speaking population, and Swahili culture has had a significant influence on the country's history and traditions. Swahili culture is characterized by its unique blend of African, Arab, and Indian influences, as well as its rich poetry, literature, and art.

Art and handicrafts: Tanzania has a thriving arts and handicrafts scene, with traditional crafts such as weaving, pottery, and beadwork still practiced in many rural communities. Tanzanian art often features bright colors and bold patterns and is inspired by the country's wildlife and landscapes.

Traditional medicine: Tanzania has a long history of traditional medicine, with many traditional healers still practicing in rural areas. Traditional medicine in Tanzania often involves the use of herbs, roots, and other natural remedies, as well as spiritual practices such as prayer and meditation.

Food culture: Tanzania's food culture is influenced by the country's diverse ethnic groups, as well as its history as a center of trade and commerce. Traditional Tanzanian cuisine includes dishes such as ugali (a type of porridge made from maize flour), nyama choma (grilled meat), and pilau (spiced rice).

Greetings are important because they show politeness and respect. The type of greeting offered depends on the person's status and age. A common Swahili greeting among friends is "Hujambo, habari gani" (How are you? What is your news?).

Greetings may vary according to the time of the day or the length of time since the last meeting. "Shikamoo" is used to greet respected persons. Young children are taught to greet older people by kissing their hands or kneeling down. Friends who meet after a long time may shake hands and kiss each other on both cheeks.

In Tanzania, the right hand is thought to be "clean" and the left hand "unclean." Therefore, people use the right hand to eat or to give or receive gifts. The polite way to accept a gift is to place the left palm under the right palm, so that the right hand touches the gift first.

Women gather to talk at the homes of their friends and relatives, while men usually meet friends in public places. Visiting is an important custom. Women often go visiting or receive visitors in the afternoons. Hospitality is prized in Tanzania, and friends or relatives who arrive from distant places are asked to stay overnight.

Dress in the Iringa region is predominantly Western-style, with khanga and kitenge clothes mixed in. Easily regarded by the female population as their most useful garment, they are worn by all ages and for all occasions. For the men, a light toga-like drape covers their lithe bodies. Spears, knives (some), and sticks are essential accessories.

The woman heavily load their necks, arms, legs, and ears with bead jewelry, resisting Western makeup and decorations. Only silver, bronze or copper, and glass beads are used by the Masai for jewelry. In fact, the beads are often given as barter for these valued metals.

The men smear ochre mixed with oils over their bodies and on their elaborately plaited hair. Young males approaching circumcision paint their faces white while dressing in black calico.

Tanzanians usually eat two main meals a day. It is common practice to pass a bowl of water for washing hands before and after the meal. A dish known as ugali, made from cassava, corn, sorghum or millet flour, is very common. It is often accompanied by a fish stew, vegetables or meat. People who live on the coast often prefer rice to ugali. A popular main dish is pilau, cinnamon-flavored rice.

Each cultural and religious group in Tanzania has its own eating customs. Some women do not eat any eggs or chicken. In some tribes, it is forbidden for a father-in-law to eat at the same table as his daughter-in-law. In others, the men in the family are not allowed to enter the kitchen. In some Muslim households, men and women do not eat together.

Tanzanians' tastes in food vary a great deal, but they are generally fond of goat, chicken, beef and lamb. Barbecued meat called mishikaki is very popular and is often eaten at restaurants and pubs. Plantains (cooking bananas) are common in the northern part of the country, the southern highlands and the region surrounding Lake Victoria. On the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, people enjoy Swahili dishes, such as seafood seasoned with coconut milk and spices.

Tanzanians usually eat two main meals a day. It is common practice to pass a bowl of water for washing hands before and after the meal. A dish known as ugali, made from cassava, corn, sorghum or millet flour, is very common. It is often accompanied by a fish stew, vegetables or meat. People who live on the coast often prefer rice to ugali. A popular main dish is pilau, cinnamon-flavored rice.

Each cultural and religious group in Tanzania has its own eating customs. Some women do not eat any eggs or chicken. In some tribes, it is forbidden for a father-in-law to eat at the same table as his daughter-in-law. In others, the men in the family are not allowed to enter the kitchen. In some Muslim households, men and women do not eat together.

Tanzanians' tastes in food vary a great deal, but they are generally fond of goat, chicken, beef and lamb. Barbecued meat called mishikaki is very popular and is often eaten at restaurants and pubs. Plantains (cooking bananas) are common in the northern part of the country, the southern highlands and the region surrounding Lake Victoria. On the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, people enjoy Swahili dishes, such as seafood seasoned with coconut milk and spices.

In most ethnic groups there is a strict division of labor between men and women. Men are generally considered the heads of the household. Women perform most of the household chores. They also plant and tend crops, and fetch firewood and water. If both parents work outside the home, young children are usually looked after by a close relative. Children are expected to listen to their elders. In general, older people are respected in Tanzania and are often asked for advice.

Young girls are considered marriageable when they reach their early teens. In rural areas, young people choose their spouses, often with the help of a matchmaker, who may be a friend or a relative.

Before marriage, a bridegroom's family must offer a bride price to the bride's family. The bride price usually consists of gifts, cattle, or money paid to the bride's parents, grandparents, and other close relatives.

Marriage is an important milestone in the lives of Tanzanian women. It defines a woman's rights to land, labor, and resources in the community. Great importance is also attached to motherhood. Adult women are often called by the name of their first child. For example, after giving birth to a boy called Juma or a girl called Christina, the mother may be called Mama Juma or Mama Christina.

Young boys play soccer and girls run races or play a game called netball, which is similar to basketball. Poor children often make toys such as kites, dolls, toy cars, or playhouses out of items that they find at home. Hopscotch and dodgeball are very popular.

A common Tanzanian game called bao or mbao is enjoyed by young and old alike. It uses a board that has several circles carved into it and is played with small round objects, such as seeds, as markers. The object of this game is to capture an opponent's markers.

During their leisure time, Tanzanians enjoy visiting their friends and relatives. They gather at people's homes or chat while drinking tea or coffee from roadside vendors. Some Tanzanians enjoy picnics and going to the beach in their spare time. Traditional dances, such as “sindimba” and “mdundiko” are popular forms of recreation.

Most children wake up to a light meal mostly consisting of either home made coffee or tea drink or porridge in some of the rural areas of the country. School kids in the urban towns such as Arusha, Dodoma and Daresalam are more likely to have breakfast consisting of tea and bread or the locally famous “mahamri” which is a local type of deep fried bun that is spiced in the Arabian style of cooking. It is important to note that some of the kids in the rural may be obliged to carry out some light duties in the mornings especially depending on the predominant economic activity in their respective areas before going to school. This may include taking the animals out of their sheds and tethering them strategically within the compound or other simple chores.

For students who reside in the towns, it is common for them to use public transport to go to school although some well established primary schools may have their own school transport. Depending on the distance from your home to the school, the students may either walk or board public buses in order to get to school. It is however important to note that the privately owned schools are usually more expensive.

The early traces of formal education were introduced by the German colonialists in the early days. The influence of these early education systems can still be felt although not to a great extent. The nature of class rooms vary a great deal depending on the location, it is much easier to find better class rooms in the urban areas. Aome rural schools may have less permanent structures due to the remote locations where electricity and other infrastructure are unavailable. The typical greeting between the children and teachers or their parents is usually in Kiswahili and the greeting is “Shikamoo” to which the kids respond “marahaba”. This greeting is similar in meaning to the common English greeting “how do you do”. The only difference is the fact that this greeting is only administered from the teacher or an older person to a younger person. The school class rooms are equipped with learning materials although some of the class rooms and learning materials may not be up to standard due to the economic situation. Computers and electronic learning materials are not a common feature in public primary schools since some of them especially in the rural areas do not have electricity to power the computers even if they were available. The only common electronics leaning equipment is the radio which the government uses to broadcast some educative programs during regular school lessons.

All school kids are expected to wear school uniform and to be on time when going to school. The school curriculum is taught in the Swahili language which happens to be the national and official language in Tanzania. The school runs for about eight hours every day with mid morning break and lunch breaks in between. Some private schools have a school feeding program which the students pay for together with the school fees. Public schools however are not able to provide regular school meals unless in special situations. The normal school day begins at eight in the morning and ends at four o’clock in the afternoon. The education system in Tanzania is based on a 7-4-2-3 system where the kids start school by attending their first seven years in pre-primary and primary school before proceeding to secondary level where the students spend four years before proceeding to A levels for another two years. It is after the two years at A level that students can seat for their three year course leading to the world recognized Advanced Certificate Examination. Tanzanians value education a great deal and scholars are widely respected across he country.

After leaving school in the evening, children are likely to get some time to carry out small chores in the home. It is a common practice that children take their showers after school and therefore this time is usually spent taking care of their personal needs such as showers or cleaning the uniform for the next day. This scenario is more prevalent in the rural areas since the urban school kid may be more privileged depending on their financial status.

Due to the tight schedule of the school children and considering the responsibilities that they have to carry out and the time available, children only find playing time in school during school breaks. Besides the school breaks, it may not be very easy for the children to get enough play time since after leaving school at about four in the afternoon, some of them may have to walk for thirty minutes to get home by which time they have to look after their personal care such as cleaning and taking a bath. Some children have to take bath at the stream while others may be forced to carry the water from the nearest spring in order to take a bath. The nearest spring may be a few meters down hill or even kilometers away depending on the area in question. In simple terms, the rural kid in Tanzania may only get free playing time on weekends. At such times, the kids engage in soccer games for boys and the girls may play some games such as hide and seek or rope skipping or racing.

During school days, most children in the rural simply find themselves reaching night fall without getting time to relax at all. The urban kid may be lucky to get some time if they are living nearer to their school. Since most schools will always give children some home work, most children will find time to do the home work only after finishing the domestic chores that they may be given and after having the evening meals. Evening meals may vary depending on the location of the children. Children living in urban areas are more likely to eat rice and meat or beans or the famous “Pilau’ meal which comprises of spiced rice tactfully mixed with meat and other numerous flavors. This is a national favorite in the country for any body who is financially stable. For the rural kids, the evening meal will be dictated by the crop in season in their particular areas. Beans and maize meal is a common staple food for most of Tanzanians and therefore the kids will most likely be treated to the same. It is also at these evening mealtimes that the family may find time to sit together and discuss any matters that may need the entire family’s attention.