IN THE NEWS: Ethnic Sandawe now want govt to protect their culture

By Gerald Kitabu

Sandawe ethnic group in central Tanzania Mainland have asked authorities to put in place measures that protect their environment, identity and culture citing economic activities by other communities that threaten their very survival.

The Sandawe who inhabit Chemba and Kondoa districts, in Dodoma Region, are predominantly a hunter-gatherer tribe who earn their living from the surrounding environment.
 
They said unlike in the past, their unique life and culture are at risk of disappearing owing to unabated invasion of their areas and degradation of the environment by ‘immigrants.’
 
The tribesmen were speaking this week during a community inception workshop on the state of land based investment and resource conflicts organized and conducted by the Tanzania Natural Resource Forum (TNRF) at Kwamtoro Ward in the district.
 
The workshop is part of a programme titled Ardhi Yetu, funded by CARE International and coordinated by CARE Tanzania, and implemented by the Tanzania Natural Resource Forum (TNRF).
Deodutus Mungee from Ovada Ward said many ‘immigrants’ are clearing huge chunks of their traditional land for agriculture and settlements.
 
For example, he said, Bubu River supplying water to Sandawe communities down stream is seriously degraded as a result of farming activities.  If the trend is allowed to continue it could lead to the drying up of the river.
 
“This river is very important to us. It supplies water to Kisande, Handa and Lahode villages, but these people are clearing the catchment areas causing erosion and drought,” he lamented.
 
Another Ovada villager Elid Joachim said Sandawe communities have always been friends of the environment but today it can no longer support healthy life. “We used to live with animals very friendly, we had beekeeping projects for food but today trees have been depleted and the government is taking no measures, ” he complained.
 
Besides, he said their culture such as food and their tonal language with clicks, unrelated to any other of the 120 languages spoken in the country, have been altered in recent years due to the influx of ‘immigrants.’
 
Earlier, commenting on the challenges they face, the Secretary of Kwamtoro Peoples Development Association (UMAKWA) Frank Saki said transport and communication were the main challenges.
 
Programmes Coordinator for Land based investments for Tanzania Natural Resource Forum (TNRF) Godfrey Massay said the indigenous community had the right to clean and healthy environment.
 
“This clean and healthy environment must be safeguarded by the government. Environment and land rights are basic, which must be recognized and protected constitutionally,” he said.
 
The Sandawe tribe also known as ‘Bushmen’ believe in tradition and protected culture, but today, increased population coupled with climate change have forced people from other parts of the country to ‘invade’ their  neighbourhoods to start farms and set up settlements.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN