Datoga home visit

Datoga home visit

Heading over to the Datoga home, we were too late to see the goats and cattle heading out to graze, but the chief and his family were up for a visit. Their homes are small and fairly dark, and the ladies showed us how to grind maize, one of their staple foods. I had been given a three legged sitting stool last year and brought earrings for the ladies this year. Lissa Flemming of Silver Waves Jewelry helped to sponsor the gifts (thank you Lissa!). She made silver hoop earrings with a Lake Superior stone on each. I am shown here holding her logo and explaining that my home and the stones are both on the shores of Lake Superior.

My hosts were simply delighted and are seen in the photo with their jewelry and Lissa's as well. We were treated to a sweet song of thanks afterwards.

Datoga Blacksmith

Datoga Blacksmith

We headed south from Ngorongoro to the Lake Eyasi region. It's amazing how much biodiversity there is in Tanzania and it's one of the things that keeps us so entranced along the journey. We entered a drier and rockier area with a large seasonal lake and a thick palm forest with numerous freshwater springs around our deluxe tented lodge (Kisima Ngeda).

Our first visit was to the Blacksmith tribe. They are a part of the Datoga, but have broken off and lived and married independently for decades now. Their income source is forging knives, arrowheads and jewelry for the greater Datoga tribe and for the bushmen known as the Hadzabe.

In the photo, the man in the foreground is hammering, then sharpening an arrowhead. The two at the back are melting down various metal scraps with the help of a goat skin bellows. In no time at all, the metal has been formed to the size needed for the beginnings of a new bracelet.

Kilimatembo Secondary School

Kilimatembo Secondary School

We visited Kilimatembo Secondary School today. Most of the students were in a test and we visited with the headmistress and some teachers. They gave us a few science presentations and we learned about the many ways we can help them.

Kristine Rikkola, from Superior, Wisconsin donated a microscope which I was able to deliver and present for her family. I dusted off my skills from a college Biology degree and gave a few lessons on it. They were absolutely delighted.  It is the only microscope in any school for a few hours drive.

Iraqw Cultures

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On our way to Karatu, we stopped by to visit with Daniel, an Iraqw tribal elder. He's a plethora of information on not only Tanzanian history and tribal cultures, but also of U.S. and world history as it relates to the independence and development of his peaceful country. We had a delightful afternoon learning about everything from marriage customs to how to build a methane system to power your rural home!  

Tarangire National Park

Elephants at Tarangire National Park

We arrived to herds of elephants streaming by the vehicles on the way to the river for water; bulls, momma's and many little ones. They were all of different colors from the various dust or mud baths that they had been participating in.

The team was a lucky one on many counts, Kudu, Oryx, and even a zebra lion kill. Tarangire, my favorite park, may we come back often to visit your wonders.

Off to Karatu and some visits to the local people next, stay tuned...