Spending A Full Day With Semi-Nomadic Barbaig In Tanzania : In the northern of Tanzania, stands a 3, 418 meters high, Mount Hanang. Behind and around this mountain you will find a group of indigenous people whose characteristics, culture, norms, traditions, values and especially language make them the vulnerable and exulted type of tribe in Tanzania. They are originally Nilotic people from Sudan who long ago freed their country to Manyara, Mara, Arusha and Singida in Tanzania. This special tribe is known as the Barbaig and sometimes the Dagota. Unlike other tribes who have started to acknowledge the development of science and technology, the Barbaig are not. They still practice old times traditions and culture which makes them so special to learn and expedite from them.
The Barbaig are semi-nomadic, which means they live in forest areas and keep a small number of animals for movement. The Barbaig’s means of production include designing metal tools like spears, knives and machetes. On top of their specialities is their Datoga’s dialects while communicating, this language seems to be very difficult in terms of pronunciation of its words and yet, the Barbaig makes it perfect to hear from.
Explore the Barbaig Tribe
Much of Barbaig’s activities will amaze you while paying a visit to the tribe’s headquarters. Their ways of living like the old people who lived in the early Stone Age and medieval period will astound your day. Flour grounding using stone, clothes, songs, blacksmithing, and shelter are some of the activities many travellers are shocked to witness. However, some travellers are attracted to Barbaig’s clan system, administration and housing which we are quite sure will do the same to you.
Life of the Barbaig.
Many semi-nomadic tribes’ major means of production involve cultivating and holding herds of animals and birds (such as Cows, Donkeys, Sheep and Chickens). The same goes for Barbaigs. However, the Barbaig goes further to include, cattle breeding as part of their daily activities. While keeping herds of animals, they use animal products such as milk, meat, blood and fat to extract their food. If the cultural settlement system is what you want to experience, then the Barbaig will be worth exploring. Their settlement system is composed of all age groups. While the young men have been imposed with duties of watching over social discipline and maintaining the local laws, their elders protect the traditions, culture, norms and customs of their tribe as well as responsible for prizing and punishing the complying and contrarian persons respectively.
Marriages of the Barbaig
While performing marriage the groom usually drinks traditional alcohol known as Gisuda to swear his loyalty to his bride. Although their marriage is polygamous as in other Nilotic tribes, their nature is restrictive. The Barbaig marriage must happen outside the clan to restrict people from inside the same throat to marry each other as it is a taboo to their culture and traditions.
Barbaig Burials
One thing special about the Barbaig burials is that they use these occasions to draw lessons for others who remain alive. The elders direct the burial of any Barbaig in terms of how he lived in the society. In this case, if the dead lived on good terms his burial would hold dignity and he would be honoured, likewise, if he lived on bad terms he would be buried with the same procedures as if he were an animal. Although they bury their dead in the grave, their grave is always in a circle and known as Bungeda, the dead person is buried while standing and facing east where the sun always rises.
Barbaig relationship with others’ customs and traditions.
The Barbaig are people who have due respect for their tribe’s customs, culture, norms and traditions. However, their traditions and culture do not see them as breaching other surrounding communities’ customs. This is due to their love for others, dignity and prosperity. One of the Barbaig principles of life is love and cooperation. This principle is the rationale for the prosperity, peace and harmony of the people of the Barbaig tribe. It is very rare to find the Barbaig fighting each other over women or other things. Perhaps, the linkage of family members and parenting in one house for their children is the reason behind this.
Are Barbaig Isolated by other Tribes?
Sometimes, the above question might pop into your mind after visiting the Barbaig. But the answer to that question is No. As they do not wish for quarrels and fights with other communities the Barbaig tend to move into interiors to prevail their peace. However, the semi-nomadic way of life involves shifting so the Barbaig in time do practice their nature.
