Exploring Tanzania Tourism : Barbaig is a tribe of Nilotic people who migrated from Sudan and settled in the Manyara, Mara, Arusha, and Singida Regions of Tanzania. Currently, the large population of the Barbaig tribe lives near Mount Hanang (3,418 meters high) in the north of Tanzania. The Bargaigs are sometimes known as Datoga. They speak the Datoga language fluently, although its dialects differ, somewhat making communication difficult. A few of the Barbaig speak the Kiswahili language (the national language of Tanzania). They are semi-nomadic people who live in the forest, move around with cattle, and work as metalworkers designing metal tools such as spears, bracelets, swords, knives, bows, and arrows.
Visiting Barbaig Tribe
Doing tourism in the Barbaig tribe, you will not regret it. You will see how the flour is grounded using stones like the communities that lived in the stone age. Visiting this tribe is recommended for every tourism lover inside and outside Tanzania. Their culture includes clothes, songs, and a system of decisions and solutions. You will see how Barbaig blacksmiths make their tools, clan system, and administration. Also, you will see traditional houses different from other Tanzania tribes.
Daily Life of Barbaig
The main activity of the Barbaig tribe is Cattle breeding. They raise cows, goats, donkeys, sheep, and chickens. Their food depends on domestic animal products such as meat, animal fat, leather, cow’s blood, and milk. Mostly they live in arid areas where animal food and water are available. They have a unique settlement system in their communities. The young people of the Barbaig tribe have the task of maintaining social discipline and managing the residence (Sharia). Tribal elders are responsible for protecting the traditions and customs of their tribe. Thus, elders can give punishment or praise to a deserving person.
Customs and Beliefs of Barbaig
The Barbaig community put tattoo marks around their eyes and clothes with reddish-brown soil color and animal skin clothes and necklaces such as brass bracelets and around the neck, hands, and ears. The Barbaigs are brave people who believe in their gods. A brave Barbaig youth must test his courage by killing fierce animals such as buffalo, lions, or elephants. They have a high ability to cope with different types of environments.
Barbaig Marriages
The Barbaig’s marriage system is similar to other Nilotic tribes. Their marriages are polygamous, and the women rank according to their marriage. Marriage in the Barbaig tribe happens outside their clan. It is not allowed to see inside the same throat. The Barbaig men also drink traditional alcohol (Gisuda) during marriage events.
Burials of the Barbaig
The Barbaigs do their burials in graves. They do burials by suggestion based on how a person lived and touched people’s lives, and this person deserves a burial with dignity. The Bung’eda is a grave that has a hole dug in the shape of a circle. The burials happen while a person is sitting and facing the east direction of the sunrise. In addition, the burial activity gives a chance to warn and shape the community members who have gone wrong or done soothing against the customs of the tribe, Exploring Tanzania Tourism
In light of all these facts, the Barbaig are gentle, loving, and peace-loving people who respect the traditions, faith, and culture of other tribes around them. Love and cooperation are practices in Barbaig life, where different wives and children of different mothers live in the same house without quarreling or fighting. It is rare to find quarrels in Barbaig families, and history shows that they started living in many areas of the land because they do not like quarrels and do not get along with their neighbors.
