010 - The Enigmatic Tribe Rejecting Modernity, Living as if 10,000 Years Ago

Even when it comes to making fire, they persistently spend the whole day using two stones to create friction, steadfastly refusing to use lighters or matches. The enigmatic tribe rejects modernity to live a primitive lifestyle.


In central Tanzania, there exists the Hadza tribe, living near Lake Eyasi, still adhering to the ancient way of life as they did 10,000 years ago.


For over 10,000 years, they have maintained the custom of living off the land, depending entirely on the forest, just as their ancestors did.


The population of the tribe is only around 1,200 people. They have a nomadic lifestyle, with no fixed abodes. Their shelters from rain or sun are still caves or grass huts.


Perhaps this is the only tribe on Earth that almost lacks spirituality. They have no religious beliefs, do not worship deities, and notably have no tribal leaders.


Living in small groups, they practice free love. Women of the tribe often give birth to children with several different men.


Even women cannot distinguish who the fathers of their children are. However, this is inconsequential to them.


Women and men of the tribe have almost no marital obligations. If they like each other, they will live together freely without any wedding ceremony.


If after two weeks of living together they find themselves incompatible, the woman will return to live with her parents, and she will still be considered a virgin.


The Hadza people have no concept of beauty or ugliness based on outward appearance; instead, they are attracted to each other and find mates through voice.


Through anthropologist Apicella's research, with 100 participants of both sexes, the majority of the Hadza men believe that women with deep voices are skilled in household chores and foraging.


However, women with high-pitched, clear voices are considered ideal mates.


Most of the women, on the other hand, believe that men with deep voices are skilled hunters, although only a few believe they would be responsible partners.


The favored clothing of this tribe is the fur of the baboon.


This tribe has never been involved in wars, conflicts, or experienced epidemics or natural disasters. That is why they live innocently, as their ancestors did.


The daily diet of the Hadza includes wild birds, antelope, baboons, buffalo, and forest animals.


The Hadza do not hoard food. Whenever they hunt an animal, they share it with everyone and consume it all in one day.


The men of the tribe often wake up very early to sharpen their weapons, hunt, and prepare food for a new day. Their hunting tool is a bow and arrow passed down through generations.


The Hadza people have almost no contact with the modern world, but they know that outsiders have used modern tools to create fire.


Yet, strangely, they dislike using modern tools and persist in sitting all day using stones to make fire, roasting their food as in the Stone Age.


Whenever they are thirsty, they usually find rivers or lakes to drink from. Their way of drinking is no different from that of animals. They bend down, press their faces into the cool water, and drink deeply, much like in the primitive days of humanity.


They communicate with each other through their own language, which remains a mystery to scientists.


The Tanzanian government has tried to protect and prevent the risk of extinction for this tribe by building homes for them and guiding them toward modern living, but all efforts to change their way of life have been futile.

Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the Hadza tribe:

1. Who are the Hadza people?

The Hadza are an indigenous ethnic group in Tanzania, living around Lake Eyasi in the central Rift Valley and the neighboring Serengeti Plateau. They are one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes in East Africa.

2. How many Hadza people are there?

The population of the Hadza tribe is estimated to be around 1,200 individuals.

3. What is the lifestyle of the Hadza like?

The Hadza maintain a nomadic lifestyle, moving from place to place in search of food. They rely on hunting and gathering for their sustenance and do not practice agriculture or animal husbandry.

4. What do the Hadza eat?

Their diet primarily consists of wild game such as antelope, birds, and baboons, as well as roots, tubers, berries, and honey gathered from the forest.

5. Do the Hadza have permanent settlements?

No, the Hadza do not have permanent settlements. They live in temporary camps made from grass huts or caves, which they move frequently depending on the availability of food and water.

6. What is the social structure of the Hadza tribe?

The Hadza live in small, flexible social groups of about 20 to 30 individuals. They have no centralized leadership or formalized hierarchy.

7. What is the Hadza language like?

The Hadza language is a click language, characterized by the use of click consonants. It is one of the last surviving click languages in Africa.

8. Do the Hadza practice religion?

The Hadza do not have organized religious beliefs or practices. Their worldview is animistic, believing in the spirits of nature, but they do not worship deities or practice formal rituals.

9. How do the Hadza make fire?

The Hadza make fire using friction, rubbing two sticks together to create sparks. They do not use lighters or matches and maintain the traditional method of fire-making.

10. What are the main threats to the Hadza way of life?

Encroachment on their traditional lands, loss of habitat due to agricultural expansion, and efforts to assimilate them into mainstream society pose significant threats to the Hadza way of life.

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