Discover the Tribes of Tanzania

Famous for its wildlife, Tanzania is also a cultural melting pot with more than 100 distinct ethnic groups and tribes calling it home.

The vast majority, 95% of its population in fact, is of Bantu origin, with the remaining 5% made up of Nilotic speakers and descendants of the Khoisan, with an even smaller minority of Arabic or Indian descent, who are typically based along the coastline near Dar es Salaam or on the exotic spice island of Zanzibar.

If you dig deeper and immerse yourself in the destination a little, you will discover that Tanzania also boasts fascinating history and diverse culture thanks to some of its best-known and loved tribes, who have been the primary custodians of iconic wildlife areas such as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and the Nyerere/Selous for centuries. Embracing the full experience will ensure you leave with this country firmly embedded in your hearts and memories.

The Khoisan-speaking hunter-gatherers are presumed to be the earliest inhabitants of Tanzania. Over the centuries that followed, various other tribes migrated into the region from West and Central Africa, speaking mostly Bantu. They brought with them new knowledge and skills such as farming and ironwork, which has left a lasting impact on the various countries in East and Southern Africa.

There are more than 120 ethnic groups in Tanzania, each with its own variation of the culture, social organization and Swahili language. The tribes fall into four main categories, namely Bantu, Cushite, Nilo-Hamite and San. There are many tribes that still live traditional lives in rural villages, but in and around the bigger towns and cities, people tend to embrace modern lifestyles, living in western-style houses of brick and mortar. Despite mixing with other tribes and religions and embracing the 21st century modern world, most Tanzanians still usually proudly identify as being part of a specific tribe.

The Sukuma

The Sukuma are the largest and probably most influential ethnic tribe in Tanzania, with around 10 million members residing mostly in the northwestern regions of the country around Lake Victoria. Sukuma means ‘people of the north’, and they mostly speak Kisukuma.

While there is little historical data about the Sukuma tribe, it is believed that they migrated to Tanzania over the centuries, with their ancestors likely originating from the Bantu-speaking populations in West Africa. Historically agriculturalists, the Sukuma people primarily grow crops and engage in small-scale farming. They are also known for their snake-like dance, the ‘Bugobogobo’, which forms part of their medicinal and spiritual rituals. Sukuma women traditionally wear brightly coloured kangas and beads, while the men tend to wear simple, practical clothing, suited to farming.

The Nyamwezi

In Western Tanzania, the Nyamwezi tribe stands as the second largest, after the Sukuma. Nyamwezi translates to ‘people of the moon’, reflecting their ancient traditions of moon worship. It is believed the Nyamwezi people settled in west-central Tanzania in the 17th century and its people have always been known for cereal agriculture (sorghum, millet, maize) as well as rice.

They also acted as porters, engaged in long-distance trade and exploration. Ancestral spirits played a pivotal role in everyday life, believed to have the power to affect their luck, and various rituals and forms of worship are performed to appease these spirits. Nyamwezi staple food has historically been ugali, a porridge made from hominy (soaked and dried field corn) and served with meat and vegetables.

The Chagga

The Chagga tribe is the third-largest ethnic group in Tanzania, based primarily on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, also known as Chaggaland, in homesteads called Kihamba, which are passed down through generations.

They have a rich culture and were traditionally led by local chiefs in small kingdoms called ‘Mangi’ until Tanzania’s independence in 1961. Many people still live traditionally, but others have also moved away and have built modern houses. This tribe is known to be very economically successful thanks to their sense of enterprise and work ethic. They are known for their Arabica coffee, which is exported globally.

The Maasai

Many members of the Maasai tribe still live in their traditional, semi-nomadic way, wear their traditional clothes, herd livestock and speak their own language, Kiswahili. The Maasai people are believed to have their roots in the Nile Valley in North Africa, before migrating in the 15th century and settling in northern Tanzania and Kenya, mostly around the national parks.

The Maasai are easily recognizable with their dress code (typically red, often checkered wraps known as ‘shukas’), beaded jewellery and ear piercing and lobe stretching. They are traditionally pastoral herdsmen and cattle makes up their primary source of food and is primarily how they measure their wealth. Their warriors use spears and shields, but they were most feared for their ability to expertly throw the ‘orinka’ (club).

The tribe is generally led by male elders, guided by their god called Enkai or Engai. It is a real treat to visit a traditional Maasai ‘manyatta’ or village, to experience the Maasai performing their traditional Adumu, also known as the Maasai jumping dance.

The Kuria

The Kuria tribe comprises around 16 clans that range from Northern Tanzania where they tend to live as pastoralists to the southwest of Kenya, where they are mainly agriculturalist. Subsistence crops like maize, beans, millet, sweet potatoes and cassava are grown for food and tobacco for trading. It is believed that a Maasai attack in the early 19th century divided the Kuria from the Kisii people of Kenya, who resemble them both in language and physique. Their homeland is bounded on the east by the Migori River and on the west by the Mara River estuary, and they live in homesteads made of circular grass thatched huts, and having many wives and a large homestead is a sign of status, although this is slowly changing in modern times.

The Gogo

The Gogo tribe is a Central Bantu ethnic group residing in the Dodoma Region of central Tanzania, who migrated from across Africa around 2,000 to 3,000 years ago. The Gogo people are diverse and vibrant, known for their traditional music using instruments such as the two-stringed Zeze, drums and the single-stringed Ndono, made from a calabash.

The Haya

Residing in the Kagera region near the shores of Lake Victoria, the Haya people have a rich cultural history, descending from a group of iron-using agriculturists, believed to have produced steel and hard metal as far back as 2,000 years ago. They are known for their unique architecture, which includes large roundhouses made of mud and thatch called the ‘mushonge’.

We encourage all our travellers to Tanzania to spend time getting to know the people you encounter on your adventures, be it your safari guide or tracker, the staff at the various camps and lodges – or by going into local villages and schools to learn more about the day-to-day lives of local communities for genuine cultural exchange.

Picture yourself on a nature walk with a proud Maasai warrior, learning about the fascinating uses of indigenous plants and trees, passed down through the generations by way of dance and song from their ancestors. This is the real Tanzania, a living, breathing cultural experience brought to life, preserved and celebrated through the power of positive impact tourism.

If you would like to embark on the trip of a lifetime that combines sublime safaris with immersive cultural engagements with the tribes of Tanzania, please reach out to our expert travel team today on +44 (0) 20 3821 5994 (UK), +1 (833) 215 9353 (US), explore@niarratravel.com and begin creating your dream trip.