11/01/2025
Did you know that near Lake Eyasi in Tanzania, there’s an ancient tribe of around 1,000 people who are the last remaining hunter-gatherers in the country? The Hadzabe people have lived much as they have for thousands of years, relying on their deep knowledge of nature and traditional practices to survive. Despite pressure from neighboring pastoral tribes and failed attempts to assimilate them into "modern" society, the Hadzabe remain resilient, maintaining their ancient way of life and thriving where others might struggle.
Hadzabe men spend most of their time hunting, using incredibly precise bows and arrows crafted from local materials. Their favorite prey is baboons, which they hunt in the trees during the new moon, but they also hunt smaller animals like birds, bush babies, and impalas. The arrows they use are carefully crafted, straightened with their teeth, and tipped with metal arrowheads traded from the neighboring Datoga tribe. The bows are made from local branches and shaped after being heated and bent in the crook of a tree, with a pull of up to 100 pounds.
In the Hadzabe culture, childcare is a communal responsibility. Mothers, aunts, and older sisters all share in raising the children. By the age of 6 or 7, children are already gathering up to 60% of their own food and learning essential survival skills, including how to make arrows and practice their aim. Boys spend much of their time target practicing with bows and arrows, and by the time they are teenagers, they are already hunting alongside the men, becoming highly skilled hunters.
Unfortunately, the Hadzabe face a high infant mortality rate, with one in five babies not surviving. A lack of access to modern healthcare means that many children succumb to illness, such as diarrhea, malaria, or accidents, and are treated with bush medicine passed down through generations. The infant mortality rate is a harsh reality of their world, but the Hadzabe's way of life remains remarkably resilient.
The Hadzabe are illiterate by our standards—without a written language—but they are incredibly literate in the natural world. Their knowledge of plants, animals, and survival techniques is unparalleled, making them some of the most skilled and adaptable people on Earth. Unlike their neighboring pastoral tribes, who have experienced famine, the Hadzabe have never gone hungry. They are the only tribe in the region that doesn’t adversely impact the environment, living sustainably without depleting the land around them.
Their culture is passed down through oral traditions, and children learn how to find food at an early age, deeply connected to their environment and the rhythm of nature. They are living proof that ancient ways of life are not only resilient but can offer valuable lessons in sustainability, resourcefulness, and connecting with the land.
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