The People of Tanzania
Tanzania is ethnically diverse, with over 120 ethnic groups residing in the country.
The Sandawe hunters are believed to have been the first descendants of the country, about 1000 BCE.
Cushitic people arrived from Ethiopia around 1000 CE, and the Bantu people came around 500 CE.
Some of the notable Tanzanian tribes are the Masai people, also found in Kenya.
They usually live in areas around national parks and have very distinctive culture and way of life, different from other tribes.
You can visit their homesteads while on safari to learn more about them and enjoy African traditional music and dance.
The Culture of Tanzania
Tanzania has diverse tribes found in Tanzania, and each of these has its own distinctive cultures.
Some of the few cultures that are commonly shared within communities can be seen below:
- While greeting a Tanzanian, use the right hand as it’s considered clean. It’s common to shake hands while greeting.
- You might enjoy sniffing the food aroma while preparing to enjoy a meal, but in Tanzania, it’s considered as being suspicious and not trusting that the meal is safe.
- Avoid public affection while in Tanzania, as affection is believed to be a bedroom affair and should not be displayed in public.
- Dress decently and wear modest clothes, especially in public places, because wearing clothes that reveal too much is considered disrespectful.
