About The Hadzabe

The Hadzabe tribe is an indigenous hunter-gatherer community living in the remote areas of northern Tanzania near the shores of Lake Eyasi. While the exact population size is not known due to the semi-nomadic living style of the tribe, estimates suggest around 1,200 individuals are currently part of the Hadzabe. Management of resources and subsistence practices are passed down through family lines and function within the tribe's matrilineal system. They primarily hunt with bow and arrow, fish, gather wild fruits and honey, and supplement their diet with livestock herded by neighboring cattle farmers. There is little to no access to outside food or technology within their habitat. Their preservation has proven successful but remains at risk due to encroaching wildlife poaching adjacent to Hadzabeland, as well as the expanding tourism industry found in Arusha National Park nearby. With their unique customs, culture, traditions and language being passed down through generations, UNESCO awarded the Hadzabe with an International Safeguarding Status in 2019 in support of keeping these tenacious ancestral practices alive.