Meeting “Mama Swahili” and the Datoga of Tanzania

The sparkle in someone’s eyes – literal and figurative – captivates me. The spirit of Africa shines so brightly in its people. Although I am a nature writer and photographer, I’ve also fallen in love with the diversity of the human spirit, and how it manifests in Africa’s diverse people.

I’ve been fortunate to interact meaningfully with some very different cultures: the Bushmen of the Kalahari, the Ba’aka of Congo, the Samburu of Kenya, the Tonga of the Zambezi Valley, the Nama of Namibia, the Shona of Zimbabwe, the Bayei of Botswana’s Okavango…and most of the fascinating cultures of South Africa, my home country.

In Tanzania, the Datoga number only 90 000 people, and are a small Nilotic tribe that consider themselves the oldest of all pastoralist groups in the region, migrating from Southern Sudan and Ethiopia about 3 000 years ago.

They are largely unknown to outsiders. Even within their own country of Tanzania, the Datoga are marginalized and misunderstood. Proudly independent, they have apparently resisted most attempts at development and modern education.

Up to the 18th century they dominated large areas of northern Tanzania, herding their short horn zebu cattle, but were then displaced by the Maasai who moved south from Kenya.

I’ve noticed on my travels around Africa that so-called “traditional” cultures like the Datoga place a lot of emphasis on rituals, something which perhaps we’ve lost in the “modern” world.

When meeting a group of people for the first time, it’s important not to rush the process…instead, there’s an intentional slowness to the occasion. Whereas in the West we tend to rush through formalities, in Africa I’ve learnt that it’s essential to take lots of time to greet everyone present, especially the adults. Before I pick up my camera, I make a point of introducing myself to everyone, shaking their hands and asking their names.

This simple, intentional act builds a small foundation of respect and trust. Meeting everyone can take a while, however, especially when there’re 50 or more Datoga! But it’s so much fun, and very rewarding. Remembering all the names is challenging, however!

People tend to be awkward and stiff in front of a camera, but once there’s a personal, human connection with the photographer, they can start to relax. But it takes time…as a photographer, you can’t rush it!

Instead of “taking” photos I try to “give” photos, if you know what I mean. There’s a difference. The intention is important. Can I honour the subject? I have to be totally present with my subject, and I have to give a bit of my soul to the moment. The feeling of the connection between me and my subject determines the impact of the image on the viewer…

The other thing I’ve noticed with “traditional” cultures is that in-person, long conversations are the norm. Communication is never rushed, and there is considerable emphasis on listening, rather than talking. Responses are not immediate. Instead the conversation is intentionally slow, and meandering. I resist taking photos until I’ve had a while to chat with the elders, ask them some meaningful questions, and build a semblance of rapport and respect.

“Traditional” cultures like the Datoga are also far more connected to the cycles and rhythms of Earth and Nature than most “modern” cultures. And their happiness and contentment seems predicated on far fewer needs.

Paul Myburgh, the anthropologist and author who spent seven years living with the Kalahari Bushmen, had this to say of the difference between modern and ancient cultures:

“The needs of humanity were once food, shelter and companionship, and those remain the needs of modern humanity, but we have becomes so cluttered with incidental needs. We now have a thousand alternatives for every need, and we spend our lives pre-occupied with those alternatives. The fundamentals of the world hold infinitely more value than the incidentals…”

After 15 years of spending time in different parts of Africa, it’s clear to me that cultures like the Datoga have far fewer requirements for contentment than most of us in the modern world. And Mama Swahili is the living epitome of this contentment. She has an effervescent glow that seems to radiate out of her.

I love my work as a photographer and writer, not only because I get to photograph amazing people and places in Africa, but because I have formed so many wonderful relationships along the way. People like Mama Swahili certainly give my work meaning.

Ultimately, I think it’s about “spirit” – that intangible yet undeniable resonance that you have with a place or person…it can’t be forced, but when it happens, you know it. I love these instantaneous, serendipitous human connections that somehow cut through thousands of years of cultural and language differences. Humans are superficially so different, but deep down we’re all the same…this never fails to amaze me! And it’s one reason why I still love exploring new parts of Africa, and the world.

Below is the edited transcript of my chat with Mama Swahili, as we sat chatting on a small rocky outcrop, looking out over the woodlands of the southern Serengeti, towards Lake Eyasi.

Following the transcript are some photos which the Datoga graciously allowed me to take of them. Thank you to guide and all-round great guy Dave Mwami for translating, and for exploring with me for a few days. And big thanks to Legendary Expeditions for hosting me at the remarkable Mwiba Lodge!

“My name is Motorai Dumuyi.

My name means “Blessing”. It comes from the day I was born. There was a celebration in my village that day, and there were a lot of guests. My mother gave birth in the afternoon, when there were lots of people around who helped my mother give birth to me. She received lots of gifts.

Now that I am an older woman, I am the one in the village who now helps other women to give birth. One of my earliest memories is helping a woman to give birth. When I was very young, there were three women who came to visit. One of them was pregnant, and before I could even say hello to her, the baby started to come out. She had to give birth, right there, and I helped her. And that woman was so thankful that she gave me five cows. I won’t ever forget that.

I have seven children – four boys, three girls. My husband lives at the moment near Lake Eyasi. He lives there, looking after the cows. His name is Gidhamoyi. He is coming back after the market, which is tomorrow.

There are 28 boys and 15 girls that live here in this clan of Datoga. There are 20 older women here, and four older men. I am the 8th wife of my husband. Before men can marry another wife, he has to ask his wives for permission. If they say yes, he can.

My husband, sometimes he says he wants a new wife, just so he can sleep with her. But I know him now, and I say, you don’t need more wives. How much more do you need, I say. I say to him, if you want another wife, then you must let me go.

You can get divorced, but you must ask the committee who were there at your marriage, and if they agree, then you can just go.

When someone dies, we know it’s the plan of God. We don’t cry much. We slaughter a big black bull cow, then dig a grave, we’ll put the body in the grave, and cover the body with the skin. Then we eat the meat of the bull, and we celebrate.

The grave is in the place where we keep the cattle at night. We dig about eight feet down, and put the body there, under the feet of the cattle.

We don’t have graveyards, because then you are reminded of the person, and you feel sad every time. But we don’t want that sadness. We want to live on, free of sadness. So when we look at the cattle, where we bury our ancestors, we are happy.

We believe in God, we believe in the afterlife. We prayed this morning.

When someone is born, there is twice the celebrations. There will be lots of beer, meat, a lot of food, dancing and singing.

I am happiest in my life when I can deliver a baby. The saddest day in my life was when my children were fighting, and I had to get in between and stop them from fighting.

The Datoga are separate from the Maasai and Sukuma, but we are the same. Long ago, there was a man who wanted to leave the Maasai, and he left to go live by himself in the middle of the bush. He was there for a long time by himself. Then he came in, and took a woman, and they went to live in the bush together. Then he formed his own tribe, and now we are Datoga.

We like to trade with the Hadza. They will harvest the honey and give us the honey. And because we are blacksmiths, we will give the Hadza arrows and bows to hunt. We respect each other. We eat the cattle, but the Hadza eat wild meat. We don’t do any hunting of wild animals. We have our cattle.

I would like my sons to learn to speak English. But my sons also need to look after the cows, so they are busy.

The thing that was most beautiful for me in my life, was when I was collecting firewood once, and there was a lion, right there. It was a lioness. She was not aggressive. She was beautiful. If you mind your own business, lions are not aggressive.

I am very happy when people from other countries come here, and talk to me. It makes me happy.

I don’t know anywhere else but here. We just walk on foot around here. But if you want to take me some place, I will go. But don’t take me in an airplane because I will fall down out of the sky.”