The Maasai People in Tanzania

                     
                                                                                                                                     

Of all African people, the Maasai are one of the best known to the western world. They have a reputation of being brave fighters who kept the slave trade at bay and challenged early explorers. 

Yet today they are having to struggle to keep their identity and what remains of their land.

The Maasai live in the semi-arid Rift Valley region of Kenya and Tanzania. 

They own large herds of cattle, sheep and goats, which they follow around seasonally in search of water and grass. Cattle plays a central role in the life of the Maasai as it represents food and power; the more cattle a Maasai has, the richer he is and therefore the more power and influence he will have within his tribe. 

 

Milk is their everyday food, and in times when food is scarce they also draw blood to drink from the neck of a cow or an ox (a procedure from which the animal soon recovers). Cattle are killed for meat only on special occasions. 

 

These days the Maasai have a more mixed diet. As a result of global warming, droughts are becoming severe in East Africa, forcing the Maasai people to seek out alternative livelihoods. Herds are smaller than ever before, and most people can’t live from their cattle alone. The Maasai have increasingly been forced to settle, and many take jobs in towns.

                                                                                                                          maasai men

While the Maasai lifestyle has undergone some changes in the past three decades in particular their strong social traditions remain intact. Maasai men are first and foremost warriors. They protect their tribe, their cattle and their grazing lands. Maasai boys go through a circumcision ceremony at the age of 14 and then traditionally spend up to 8 years looking after livestock far from their villages. They become warriors upon their return to the village to get married. The Maasai women are responsible for all domestic tasks which include making their homes. Houses are made from mud, sticks, grass, cow dung and urine. The women also milk the cows, collect water, cook and look after the children. 

                                                                    maasai women

The Maasai have no chiefs, although each section has a Laibon, or spiritual leader, at its head. They worship one god, Engai, who dwells in all things, but may manifest himself as either kindly or destructive. Many Maasai today, however, belong to various Christian churches.

A Word from the 1st President of Tanganyika

"We, in Africa, have no more need of being 'converted' to socialism than we have of being 'taught' democracy. Both are rooted in our past -- in the traditional society which produced us."

Julius Kambarage Nyerere, from his book Uhuru na Umoja (Freedom and Unity): Essays on Socialism, 1967.

THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF TANGANYIKA
THE TIME OF ADMINISTRATION 9 December 1962 – 25 April 1964
PRIME MINISTER	Rashid kawawa

Tanzanian Rapper

Name: Simalike "Sima" Musika.
Birth of date: 25th September 1989
Age: 23 years old
Home town : Mbeya
genres : hip-hop
Occupation: College Student/ Emcee/ Poet/ Entrepreneur/ 
language speaks : English,  Swahili
Years active : 2010 to present
Twitter: @Godzambassador.
FB: uHuRu Arts/ uHuRu/ MADE Society

Born Simalike Walter Musika, SIMA is a Tanzanian underground Hip Hop recording artist from the self-entitled crew “wanaitwa uHuRu”, (They are called Freedom) located in the heart of the slums of Dar-es-salaam Kinondoni, Muslim a.k.a “Mnazi Dume”. Sima started his musical journey at the age of 12, developing a diverse taste for music from the different tape records he would find from his sister and brother’s collections including the likes of Backstreet boys, Nsync, Craig David, Michael Jackson and other pop artists.

 He first fell in love with Hip Hop music the day  he came across Eminem’s renowned 3^rd album Marshal Mathers LP. He became an instant fanatic and got more and more interested in the art. “I used to listen Missy Elliot, L.O.X, DMX, D12 but if you grew up watching MTV in the early 2000’s  you would know how great the rock music was, that’s why I still loved listening to Blink 182, Sum 41, Limp Bizkit and the such, I even wanted to get a lip piercing like that white dude from Blink…lol!”. Sima says he never gave thought to rapping or writing his own lyrics, until he bought his first Jay-Z album the “The Gift & The Curse”; “When I first heard Jay-Z rap on that Hola Hovito track?!, I just wanted to rap like him!, so I started writing my own lyrics, I was 15 by then”. He kept on perfecting his skill, constantly inspired by a lot of international and local artists like Juma Nature, Professor Jay, Ay, Mwana FA and Noorah. Throughout high school, He would secretly write his lyrics but never shared them with a lot of people, only his closest friends. While always trying to get a place to record (studio).  Due to the conservative nature of the Tanzanian culture and his family upbringing, Sima found it hard to freely express his talent, but being a is free-spirited individual, with a constant desire to grow and get new experiences he would come across more and more people who would encouraged him to expose his talent.     

                

“Glonight” was the name of the Event that changed my life. The poster I saw the day before said it was a diverse Art event, so I knew I had to show up.  I arrived late since it was happening at the other side of the city from where I stayed, [Quality Plaza] the place was packed with local and international students and hiphop fans together exhibiting graffitti,drama,fashion and hiphop music.A bit later when the event was closing up and people were mingling I was introduced to uHuRu(who then were Killy and pH) by the Event organizer Caleb, who happened to be one of my friends from high school, as the vibe kicked in we started doing a ciphering (freestyle), I made a huge impression on them and soon the music conversation came up,they told me they had access to a studio(that I later found out was a mic,two speakers and a laptop at Killy’s place!)we exchanged contacts, hooked up the following week,The highlight of my career and the beginning of my journey in uHuRu.

At present Sima is in his final year at the Institute of Finance Management in the city of Dar-es-salaam taking Bachelors in Finance, working on establishing his own movement through the Hip Hop culture (uHuRu). A dreamer, spreading a message of consciousness, freedom of the mind, breaking away from tradition, acknowledging one’s own roots and origins. uHuRu is working on establishing their own recording studio, a brand franchise, Skate park a Hip Hop/Jazz lounge and even a record label in the long run.

Natural Medicine -Amaranth green

Related to common weed you probably know, pig weed is amaranth green species.The weedy amaranth types are edible and taste like cultivated varieties but they just don't grow as large and leafy, or produce as many grains, or look as half good in the garden.

Amaranth is a genus of herbs that contain over 60% species with variety of colors and uses, most people around the world consume amaranths as grains, vegetable and cereals for their many health benefits.In Africa amaranths is advised by doctor or recommended for people with low red blood cells count.

Amaranth leaves are nutritionally similar to beets, Swiss chard and spinach, but are much superior . For example amaranth leaves contain three times more calcium and three times more niacin(vitamin B3) than spinach leaves.They have 62.25g of carbohydrates,57.27g starch and 7.02g fats when uncooked,1 cup of coffee has 132g. Amaranth is much closer genetically to its wild ancestors than our over developed and nutritionally depleted typical vegetables.Amaranth leaves are an excellent source of carotene,iron,calcium,protein,vitamin C and trace elements.

Some cultivated amaranth varieties grow to two meters or six feet tall and individual plants that landed in a great spot with no competition may grow even taller.

A local farmer markets may offer bunches of amaranth greens, but those don't keep at all so you'd have to use them quickly.It's much easier to grow amaranth and cut it as needed.

Mchicha as medicine

Its used for curing:

• Backbone pains
• kidney problems
• goiter
• fever
• Increase blood volume in the body                       
• used as Hair Tonic

Preparation

• 1kg amaranth green
• 21/2 litres of water

procedure

• Boil the water
• Soak the amaranth into the boiled water
• Take out the green and store the water is a safe cool dry place.

Use 

Drink in a cup of coffee for the whole day everyday for five(5) days

For backbone pains and Goiter

• grind the amaranth greens
• rub the grinded greens on the pain feeling area
• Tie the grinded greens on pain feeling area
• sleep with it
• everyday put fresh greens on the ares of infection for five(5) days.

Tanzanian Famous Liquour - Konyagi

 It looked like water, so still, calm and transparent clear but i wasn't fooled, I knew it was nothing like it, there were something majestic about it, in that Tanzania distillers re-brand bottle and the stating of its delightfully unsuspecting label "Tears of the Lion" not Gin, not beer, just pure liquor, I couldn't resist to try one of the Tanzanian best, Konyagi.

The first hit is always the strongest, it doesn't have a killer burn and its not bitter but most of us like to mix it with some strawberry juice, soda especially Sprite or Pepsi, or straight with lime or ice. Even with a mix, having an alcohol volume of 35%. Your way more fun a few minutes later when you are telling your most embarrassing childhood stories, or confessing your undying love to your boss, when the energy starts to flow all over your body with an amazing warmth that makes you crave for more.

Konyagi is unique, its a smooth exotic metal spirit made from sugarcane [molasses] thus the smoothness. The flat-bottled style of package has given it a famous name of "bapa" in Tanzania. Since 1970 its been used in Tanzania and now its enjoyed in more countries, like UK, Australia, Paris- France, East Africa and USA. Its packed in bottles and/or sachets of 100 ml, 12 in a box, never a load to carry. it can be ordered online and straight delivered in many countries and regions of Tanzania through    DHL. its liquor is really Tanzanian, get a taste of it.                                    

Check out more info                                                                      Konyagi sachets                                                                             

Blog: konyagi.blog.wordpress.com

Website: www.konyagi.co.tz

Tanzanian 2nd Dish of the Nation

My watery taste bods first taste salty eggs then soft yellow potato chips, I crunch a bigger as soon as the chili effects sets in and i feel the tomato sweetness, i find my self altering the words" chips mayai "

chips mayai is one of the most common meals in Tanzania as its easy to make, easy to carry and ridiculously delicious and it is said to be the second dish of the nation.

 What is it?

Every country has its street food, in Tanzania in chips mayai also known as "zege" is the street food for local people in the country.

As it is described as chips mayai which means chips and eggs, mayai is the swahili name for eggs as it the national language of the country(swahili). chips mayai is the mixture of eggs with chips fried together in a non- sticky frying pan to form a pan-caked form.

Where to get in Tanzania?

It is found almost everywhere around the country in restaurants, hotels, pubs, cafe, bars and even on the road sides, most of the places it is sold for 2000Tsh,  you get a great meal in Tanzania like chips mayai for lunch or dinner but either way its satisfying.

How to make one?                                                                         

Ingredients

•  2 eggs
• cooking oil                                                      
• cup/plate of potatoes (french fries)
• salt     

Also you need to have:

• frying pan
• small bowl or jug
• spoon
• plate

Steps on how to make your own chips Tanzanian chips mayai

1. Peal the potatoes
2. Chop the potatoes into smaller chips shape
3. Wash the potatoes
4. Pour cooking oil on the pan
5. Heat the oil
6. Fry the chips
7. Set the chips aside to be warm
8. Beat two eggs in the bowl or jug, add some salt and mix them up with a spoon or fork
9. Heat an empty frying pan on the cooker and add up little amount of oil
10. Put fried chips in the pan
11. Pour the mixture of eggs on top of the chips and spread all over the chips
12. Wait for eggs to dry both sides and turn golden.
13. Take out your awesome chips mayai  ready to eat.

Chips mayai is mostly served with tomato ketchup, chili ketchup, salad in swahili called "kachumbari" a mixture of tomatoes and onion with lemon. The meal contain protein, carbohydrates and vitamin and it taste more better when you eat with your hands with its popular drink that is Pepsi or Fanta.





BRUNO STERENBERG from BRAZIL speaks about Chips mayai in Tanzania.

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Tanzania,15th December 2012, Saturday, 06:22 a.m, Kipepeo Beach, Mjimwema Kigamboni

SUNRISE IN TANZANIA

Staring onto the nothingness covering the water ahead. fading night shadows in my head, heart beat slower as I seat on the wet sand. The coldness of my skin warms up as the world light up. No birds or frog sound, the waves hit on the beach make a music with the sound of the music. The calmness of nature gets to me i look at the sunrise mesmerized. 

Like a real big shiny red watermelon, grew out of the ends of water, turning orange to yellow,getting bigger as it turns. Then there was light out of it rays splendidly reaching everywhere. The world stopped for a while, it was the most beautiful sixty seconds of my life.