The Sandawe Tribe of Tanzania

 

The Sandawe people

The Sandawe people reside in the central part of Tanzania, specifically in the Kondoa District and the surrounding areas.

They’re one of the few remaining hunter-gatherer groups in the region. 

The Sandawe descended from some of the first humans, and share a common ancestor with the San tribe, believed to be the oldest race in the world.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Sandawe people.

Family Structure

Traditionally, the Sandawe lived in a family comprising 25 men, women, and children. The families were nuclear and organized into patrilineal clans.

They lived harmoniously in camps loosely allied by descent, marriage, friendship, and common interest, the primary integrating mechanism being kinship ties. 

There were no elected leaders, and decisions were generally made by consensus of adult members irrespective of gender. Women had a status relatively equal to that of men.  

Clans

The Sandawe has over fifty clans shared with other tribes in Tanzania. They include the Bisa clan, the Elewa (half Gogo) and Alagwa clan of Tatoga. Clan councils headed the clans. 

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Dialects 

The Sandawe people speak one of Africa’s click languages. The click language is classified into two; the southern and Eastern click languages. 

The Sandawe, in this case, are the Eastern-speaking communities. It had two main dialects with slight grammar, pronunciation, and speech speed differences.

The two dialects are the western Sandawe and Eastern Sandawe. However, most Sandawe people also speak Swahili when conversing with neighboring communities.

Marriage/Courtship

The Sandawe were a monogamous society. A man was allowed to marry only one wife. Bridewealth was the main requirement, and marriage between parallel cousins was forbidden. 

Bride price mainly comprised of four or five cattle, eight sheep, and goats. One of each sheep and goat was slaughtered and eaten at the marriage feast.

A man was allowed to look for his preferred bride or, in some instances, parents were involved in choosing partners for their children.

Polygamy

Polygamy was not a practice in the Sandawe community. Over the years, other communities influenced them, and some Sandawe people adopted polygamy. 

In this case, each wife has a house and manages their households. The man took turns visiting each wife and providing for their needs.

Gender Roles in Marriage

Men among the Sandawe people were defenders of the family. More so, they helped in clearing land for cultivation, tending to animals, and hunting.

The women did cultivation and food gathering. They also gave birth to children and nurtured them to maturity.

Single Mothers, Widows, and Widowers

Marriage was sacred among the Sandawe, and having children outside marriage was shameful. Widows and widowers were respected and taken care of by other family members.

Divorce

Culturally, the Sandawe had no instances of divorce. The society was monogamous, and hence families lived in harmony.

Inheritance

The community was patrilineal, hence, inheritance was passed down the male line of the family. The eldest son inherited his father’s property and was required to care for his siblings and mother.

Beliefs

The Sandawe practiced an insular and deeply spiritual culture, emphasizing animism. They believed that caves in the hills harbored revered and feared spirits. 

They refrained from herding animals, cutting wood, or breaking twigs near the caves to avoid disturbing these spirits. 

Annually, they journeyed to the caves, performing sacrificial rituals to appease the spirits and safeguard the community's well-being. 

As a group, they shouted prayers, assuring the spirits of their respectful intentions, ensuring their voices reached the spirits no matter their location. 

The Sandawe also revered the moon, stars, seasons, and mantis insects. The moon symbolized life and fertility, bringing beneficial rains and influencing women's fertility cycles. 

The mantis was considered a divine messenger, often consulted through a medium to explain its appearances.

Death

Traditionally, the Sandawe believed that when a person died, their heart went into the sky. A shooting star signified a person’s death. They also acknowledged that death brought about rain or activated a dry season.