{"id":60261,"date":"2018-01-29T21:00:47","date_gmt":"2018-01-29T20:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/the-tribes-of-lake-eyasi-meeting-with-the-locals\/"},"modified":"2026-10-10T01:09:49","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T23:09:49","slug":"tribes-of-lake-eyasi-hadzabe-datoga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/tribes-of-lake-eyasi-hadzabe-datoga\/","title":{"rendered":"The Tribes of Lake Eyasi: the Hadzabe and the Datoga"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>At the foot of the Eyasi Escarpment, a couple of hours from the Ngorongoro Crater, live two peoples who could not be more different:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the <strong>Hadzabe<\/strong>, among Africa\u2019s last hunter-gatherers, who even today obtain most of their food using bows, arrows, and wild honey;<\/li>\n<li>the <strong>Datoga<\/strong>, herders of Nilotic origin, renowned as blacksmiths.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Visiting them is one of the most intense experiences of a trip to northern Tanzania. It is also one of the most sensitive: for this reason, it must be approached with the right mindset.<\/p>\n<h2>Lake Eyasi and its territory<\/h2>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/destinations\/lakes-of-tanzania\/lake-eyasi\/\">Lake Eyasi<\/a> is a shallow, salty lake, located about 1,000 meters above sea level in the eastern branch of the Rift Valley. It is sandwiched between the Eyasi Escarpment to the north and the Kidero Mountains to the south. During the dry season, it shrinks to a white expanse of salt, while during the rains it fills, attracting flamingos and pelicans.<\/p>\n<p>The area is surrounded by acacia and baobab forests and the farming village of Mang&#8217;ola, where hot springs irrigate vast fields of onions. In addition to the Hadzabe and Datoga, farmers from the Irakw and other ethnic groups live here.<\/p>\n<h2>A Comparison of the Hadzabe and Datoga<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><\/th>\n<th>Hadzabe<\/th>\n<th>Datoga<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Way of Life<\/td>\n<td>Hunting and gathering, seasonal migrations<\/td>\n<td>Cattle, goat, and sheep herding, along with some farming<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Language<\/td>\n<td>Hadzane, a language with &#8220;click&#8221; sounds. It is an isolated language with no known linguistic ties to other<\/td>\n<td>Datooga, a Nilotic language<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Housing<\/td>\n<td>Shelters made of branches and grass, caves, and rock shelters<\/td>\n<td>Low-lying houses made of mud, dung, and branches, with enclosures for livestock<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Skills<\/td>\n<td>Archery, tracking animals, honey gathering<\/td>\n<td>Iron and copper smithing, leather tanning<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Number<\/td>\n<td>Approximately 1,000\u20131,300 people. Only a few hundred still live primarily by hunting and gathering<\/td>\n<td>Tens of thousands, scattered across the Manyara, Arusha, and Singida regions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>The Hadzabe: Hunter-Gatherers for Millennia<\/h2>\n<p> The Hadzabe, or Hadza, have lived in the Lake Eyasi area for thousands of years. Genetic studies indicate that they descend from one of humanity&#8217;s oldest lineages. They are sometimes called &#8220;Bushmen,&#8221; but this is incorrect: this name refers to the San of the Kalahari, a distinct people living thousands of kilometers away. The Hadzabe and San share only their lifestyle and the use of clicks in their language.<\/p>\n<h3>How they live<\/h3>\n<p> They live in small groups of 20\u201330 individuals, without formal leaders and with a strong tendency to share. The groups move several times a year, following water, game, and fruit. Tasks are divided as follows:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Men<\/strong> hunt with handmade bows and arrows\u2014sometimes with poisoned tips\u2014and gather wild honey;<\/li>\n<li><strong>The women<\/strong> gather tubers, berries, and baobab fruit, which are a staple of their diet.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One of their most fascinating skills is their relationship with<strong>the black-capped weaver<\/strong>, a bird that guides the men to the beehives. Hunters call it using a distinctive whistle. Once the hive is opened, the bird is left with the wax. It is one of the rare documented examples of collaboration between humans and wild animals.<\/p>\n<h3>A Shrinking Territory<\/h3>\n<p>In recent decades, much of the Hadzabe\u2019s land has been taken over by farmland and pastures, and game populations have declined. Today, many Hadzabe lead a mixed lifestyle: they hunt and gather to some extent, while also working, attending school, or receiving aid. In the 2000s, some communities obtained formal recognition of their customary rights to over 20,000 hectares of land. For several years now, they have also been receiving compensation from a project that sells carbon credits for the protection of their forests. Responsible tourism is another important source of income.<\/p>\n<h2>The Datoga: shepherds and blacksmiths<\/h2>\n<p> The Datoga, also called Tatoga, speak a Nilotic language. Their ancestors arrived centuries ago from the regions of present-day South Sudan. Among the Datoga groups, the best-known is the Barabaig. They are pastoralists: livestock is at the heart of their economy and social life, as is the case with the <a href=\"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/masai-tribe\/\">Maasai<\/a> , with whom they once competed for pastures.<\/p>\n<p>They are best known as <strong>blacksmiths<\/strong>. They melt down brass, copper, and scrap iron to make:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>arrowheads, which they trade with the Hadzabe;<\/li>\n<li>spears and knives;<\/li>\n<li>bracelets and ornaments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The women wear tanned leather skirts decorated with beads. Some, especially the older women, have traditional circular decorative markings around their eyes. Compared to the Hadzabe, the Datoga are more sedentary: they live in extended families, in low-lying houses surrounded by livestock enclosures.<\/p>\n<h2>How the tour takes place<\/h2>\n<p>The tour is almost always done in a single day, starting at dawn from a lakeside lodging or from Karatu. A typical day:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>At dawn, with the Hadzabe.<\/strong> You arrive at the camp around 6 a.m., when the men are getting ready to head out. You watch as they light a fire with sticks and try your hand at archery. Anyone who wants to can follow the hunters into the bush for a couple of hours. Keep in mind that this is a real hunt: if they\u2019re successful, the animal is killed and cooked right there.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mid-morning, with the Datoga.<\/strong> You\u2019ll visit a family in their home and watch them grind corn by hand. Then you\u2019ll watch the blacksmith at work as he melts metal with a leather bellows and forges it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>In the afternoon.<\/strong> Visit the onion fields of Mang\u2019ola and the springs, or take a walk along the lake\u2019s shores at sunset.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The tour is always led by a local guide who acts as an interpreter, since few Hadzabe speak Swahili well. A portion of the cost goes directly to the communities.<\/p>\n<h2>Visiting Respectfully<\/h2>\n<p>Tourism among the Hadzabe is a topic of debate. On the one hand, it brings income to a community with few alternatives. On the other hand, it risks turning their lives into a spectacle. Here are some ways to behave that make a difference:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Choose operators who work with the communities and pay them a transparent fee, rather than making unannounced visits.<\/li>\n<li>Always ask for permission before taking photos. Accept \u201cno\u201d for an answer, and do not photograph children without the consent of an adult.<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t bring random gifts, such as candy or clothes: they create dependency and conflict. If you want to contribute, ask your guide, or buy handicrafts.<\/li>\n<li>Dress modestly and follow your guide\u2019s instructions, especially during hunting.<\/li>\n<li>Remember that you are not visiting a \u201cpeople frozen in time.\u201d They are people of today who have chosen to maintain a way of life different from ours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Practical Information<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>How to get there:<\/strong> From Karatu, it takes about 1.5\u20132 hours on roads that are partly unpaved. From Arusha, it takes about 4 hours.<\/li>\n<li><strong>When to go:<\/strong> All year round, but the dry season\u2014from June to October\u2014makes the roads and travel through the bush easier. It gets very hot during the midday hours.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What to bring:<\/strong> closed-toe shoes, a hat, water, sunscreen, and neutral-colored clothing. Details are in our guide<a href=\"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/safari-clothing-what-to-pack\/\">to safari attire<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How to fit it into your itinerary:<\/strong> Eyasi pairs well with <a href=\"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/destinations\/tanzania-national-parks\/ngorongoro-conservation-area\/\">the Ngorongoro Crater<\/a> and Lake Manyara. You\u2019ll need at least one night in the area. Along the way, you can stop at <a href=\"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/mto-wa-mbu-the-masai-village\/\">Mto wa Mbu<\/a>, the village of 120 ethnic groups.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions About the Tribes of Lake Eyasi<\/h2>\n<details>\n<summary>Who are the Hadzabe?<\/summary>\n<p>The Hadzabe are a hunter-gatherer people living around Lake Eyasi in northern Tanzania. There are about 1,000\u20131,300 of them, and only a few hundred still live primarily by hunting and gathering. They speak Hadzane, a language with click sounds.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Are the Hadzabe Bushmen?<\/summary>\n<p>No. The term \u201cBushmen\u201d refers to the San people of southern Africa, a distinct group. The Hadzabe and the San share a hunter-gatherer lifestyle and the use of clicks in their language, but they are not the same people.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Who are the Datoga?<\/summary>\n<p>The Datoga are a Nilotic-speaking pastoralist people whose ancestors arrived centuries ago from regions in what is now South Sudan. They are known for their blacksmithing: they melt down scrap metal to make arrowheads, spears, and jewelry.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Where is Lake Eyasi located?<\/summary>\n<p>Lake Eyasi is located in northern Tanzania, southwest of the Ngorongoro Crater, about 1.5\u20132 hours by car from Karatu and about 4 hours from Arusha.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Can you hunt with the Hadzabe?<\/summary>\n<p> Yes, during the visit, you can accompany the hunters for a couple of hours at dawn, following the guide&#8217;s instructions. It&#8217;s a real hunt: if successful, the animal is killed and cooked on the spot.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Is it ethical to visit the Hadzabe?<\/summary>\n<p> It can be if the visit is organized with the communities, a portion of the cost goes directly to them, and visitors behave respectfully, asking permission before taking photographs. Impromptu visits and randomly distributed gifts should be avoided.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<p> Lake Eyasi is a stop on our <a href=\"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/trips-to-tanzania\/encounters-with-africa\/\">Safari Culture<\/a> , designed for those who want to get to know the Tanzanian people as well as the animals. The seventh day is dedicated entirely to the Hadzabe and a Datoga village. If you prefer to include it in another itinerary, <a href=\"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/contact-us\/\">ask us how<\/a> .<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At the foot of the Eyasi Escarpment, a couple of hours from the Ngorongoro Crater, live two peoples who could not be more different: the Hadzabe, among Africa\u2019s last hunter-gatherers, who even today obtain most of their food using bows, arrows, and wild honey; the Datoga, herders of Nilotic origin, renowned as blacksmiths. Visiting them [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":70804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[366],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60261","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tanzania"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60261","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60261"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60261\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76131,"href":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60261\/revisions\/76131"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60261"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60261"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60261"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}