Articles by Kevin Hawkins

Article written by Kevin Hawkins, Head of the Arusha campus of the Moshe International School, Tanzania

Filed under Archive | May, 2005

How do you count a people who have no address, no village or town, no house and not even a fixed location? Just provide two zebras and organise an all night party. At least that’s what the Tanzanian Census officials did recently when faced with the challenge of trying to number the Hadza people. It turns out there are about 800 of them still living in the African Rift Valley around the shores of Lake Eyasi in Northern Tanzania. Living the way humans have lived on this planet since our earliest times. The Hadza live by hunting and gathering – moving as a community where the game and roots dictate and erecting their houses of grass and wood within hours. They love to party – all night raves, singing and dancing (especially when the moon is full) are their forte. It’s a very special treat to be able to lie awake at night within earshot and listen to their songs and drums floating across the night landscape of this amazing country.