Research Articles Base: Hunters And Gatherers

Impacts of climatic change on livelihoods of Hunters and Gatherers: The case of Hadzabe of Tanzania

The Impact of Climate Change on Hadzabe of Tanzania                 The rapidly changing world brings adverse effects on some people   particularly in the underdeveloped countries. Technological, economical, political   and sociological factors change and poor nations can’t keep up-to-date because   they couldn’t afford to have access to such development. However, there are   certain groups of people that do not want to be touched by modernity because   they are contented with their ancient way of life.               One certain group of indigenous people that sticks to the tradition is the   Hadzabe of Tanzania. Hadzabe are hunter-gatherers exploiting a territory south   of Ngorongoro, covering a part of Rift Valley and valleys around the Lake Evasi.   The area is home to wide array of wildlife and rich source of flora, including the   baobab trees which are homes of the bees producing honey that is an important   part of Hadzabe’s gastronomy.               The Hadzabe survives using the most ancient way of life. The men hunt   wild animals using bow and arrow with poisoned tips. In their customs, a male   Hadzabe is only considered as grown up when he has already brought down a   lion. While the women do the rest of the work inside the tribe including collecting   fruits and roots, gathering wild honey, preparing meat, building camps, cleaning   the huts and doing the cooking. They produce fire by rubbing two pieces together   until sparks ignite the fire. The Hadzabe are almost territorial, and they don’t   have much contact with other people except for some anthropologists and   travelers. They want to preserve their traditions and customs to themselves as   much as they can, and are already contented as long as they have meat and   honey.               However, despite the reserved attitude of the Hadzabe people of   Tanzania, their life and tradition is threatened by external, uncontrollable factors   such as the climate change.               Tanzania is home to one of the large symbols of climate change, the   melting icecap of Mount Kilimanjaro which is projected to lose its permanence by   the year 2020 if the rise on temperature continues. If the icecaps of Mount   Kilimanjaro continue to melt, its great significance will impact on the temperature   change on sensitive forest ecosystem, driving away animals, killing plants and   even takes on effect water cycle. The water cycle plays a big role in ecosystem   and food chain. Insufficient source of water will drive away animals and dry out   plants. It could also bring drought to the Hadzabe.               The abnormal change of seasons also takes toll on the indigenous people.   When the wet season comes where rains are hard and typhoons are   continuously coming, the Hadzabe are forced to evacuate to caves which are the   earlier homes of their ancestors. The animals seek water and vegetation of the   plains when the lakes and valley floors become flooded. Thus, the meat is   relatively plentiful. But, the hunting game is still not favorable to the Hadzabe due   to the wet hunting floors and wild animals are more elusive. Also, the gathering of   roots and berries is not easier when rains are continuously dropping off their   homelands.               However, in the far longer dry season which gets longer and drier due to   global warming, the food becomes scarcer. The animals drive away to lands   where water and food are available, leaving the hunters to chase after them and   resulting to longer hunting expedition. The plant resources are also harder to   come by. Thus, the Hadzabe have to struggle with hunger until the hunting and   gathering finally pay off.                But, one of the adversities the Hadzabe faces now is the plan of buying   their homelands to be private hunting grounds of wealthy Arab princes. The   Tanzanian government seemingly supports the eviction of the indigenous tribes,   obviously because of large sum of money offered to the destitute East African   country. The eviction would wipe out the tradition and existence of Hadzabe of   Tanzania.               Hadzabe people had survived for thousands of years using their own way   of life. They are known for tremendous resilience and adaptability, preserving   their traditions and customs under difficult environmental conditions and   indifferent political climate. What the government has to do is let the Hadzabe   perpetuate their way of life, because even ancient simplicity of lifestyle teaches a   huge amount in terms of technological, environmental and existential arts of   sustainability.                                 References: Malone, Andrew, Face to face with Stone Age man: The Hadzabe tribe of Tanzania, July 2007, http://www.dailymail.co.uk Prendergast, Kate, Adapt or Die? The Hadzabe Hunter-Gatherers of Tanzania and the Art of Survival in the Modern World, http://www.islamonline.net   Climate Change in Tanzania, March 2009, http://uk.oneworld.net           Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Impacts of climatic change on livelihoods of Hunters and Gatherers: The case of Hadzabe of Tanzania

The Impact of Climate Change on Hadzabe of Tanzania The rapidly changing world brings adverse effects on some ...