Marriage and Family

Today it has become common, especially in cities, for individuals to choose their own spouses. Traditionally, the groom’s family gives a dowry to the bride’s family to thank them for raising the woman who will soon join their family, and to compensate them for the loss of a productive member of the family. This custom continues to be especially important in rural areas where extended families share work responsibilities.

President Julius Nyerere’s form of self-help socialism was based on ujamaa, or “familyhood.” Tanzania’s extended families have been encouraged to act as economic units as well as family units. Families are traditionally large, usually including a mother and a father, their children, and their unmarried younger brothers and sisters. Urban families are usually smaller and less cohesive than those in rural areas.

Eating

Grains, fruits, and vegetables are Tanzanian staples. Common meats are chicken, goat, beef, and lamb. A popular snack or energy food is kitumbua, a fried bread common in much of East Africa. Ugali, a stiff porridge made from maize meal, millet, sorghum, or cassava, is also eaten. Bananas are a staple in much of northern Tanzania—particularly around Lake Victoria and in the foothills of Kilimanjaro—and in the southwest around Mbeya and Lake Malawi. They are prepared in a variety of ways: roasted, fried, or made into a paste and mixed with meat and gravy. Rice is the staple of much of the coastal area and is often cooked with a variety of spices, such as cloves, curry, cinnamon, cumin, and hot peppers, to make pilau. Ugali, rice, or bananas are commonly served with a stew of one or a combination of the following: beef, chicken, fish, goat, beans, cowpeas, or green leafy vegetables such as cabbage, Swiss chard, and spinach. Observant Muslims do not eat pork or drink alcohol.

Food is usually eaten with the right hand, and even when utensils are used, a bowl or basin of water is offered for washing hands before each meal. The left hand might be used when handling difficult foods, such as meat with bones, but not for taking food from a communal bowl or for putting food in the mouth. Eating from a communal dish is common, especially when eating ugali or rice. Some families along the Indian Ocean coast, as well as those in villages and towns along the three lakes—Nyasa, Tanganyika, and Victoria—sit on woven mats on the floor to eat meals. Among Muslims, as well as some non-Muslims in rural areas, it is common for men and women to eat separately. When guests are invited, time is reserved for socializing both before and after dinner. It is therefore impolite to leave a home immediately after a meal.

Socializing

The most common Swahili greeting is Hujambo?, which means “How are you?” or “Are you well?” Hamjambo? is used when greeting more than one person. This is usually followed by a handshake. A common response to Hujambo? is Sijambo (“I am fine”). Hatujambo means “We are fine.” This exchange is followed by questions about the home, family, work, or other activities. For example, a Tanzanian might ask Habari za nyumbani? (“How are things at your home?”). A common response is Salama (“In peace, without problems”). Each geographic region has a variety of non-Swahili greetings particular to the local ethnic groups, but Swahili is understood by the vast majority of Tanzanians. Men and women shake hands with each other, although a man may wait for a woman to extend her hand before offering his.

It is customary to bring a small gift such as sweets or cookies—but not flowers—when visiting a home for the first time. Friends and family visit often, and even unexpected visitors are welcomed enthusiastically and made as comfortable as possible. In general, visits after 8 pm are avoided.

Recreation

Visiting and socializing with friends and family are the most common recreational activities. Soccer, track and field, and boxing are the most popular sports. Tanzania has produced a number of world-class runners. For tourists, the game parks offer opportunities for wildlife safaris, and the coast offers opportunities for water sports.

Holidays and Celebrations

Tanzania celebrates the New Year on 1 January. Zanzibar Revolution Day (12 January) celebrates the island of Zanzibar’s independence from the United Kingdom in 1963. Union Day (26 April) celebrates the 1964 union between Tanganyika and the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba to form Tanzania. International Workers’ Day is observed on 1 May. TanzaniaIndependence Day (9 December) celebrates Tanganyika’s liberation from British rule in 1961. It is a national holiday, and Tanzanians indulge in parades, school games, dancing, and flight maneuver displays put on by the Air Force.

In addition to these important historical days, both Christian and Islamic holidays are celebrated, including Easter and Christmas, and the Islamic festivals of ’Aid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan, and ’Aid al-Adha, which honors Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son at Allah’s behest.

Source: Encarta Interactive World Atlas

Twitter