29 June – In to the Bush

Very excited to start my 3 day cultural tour, we will spend the next 3 days living with the local families. The journey starts with a 2 ½ hour trip to Katush, where we will meet the Hiluku family, who are part of the Barbaig tribe, one of the oldest tribes in Tanzania.

The bus is a 15 seater mini-van where 30, yes 30 people plus 3 chickens pack in to, I did not think it could be done but it was. The roads are not in great condition so the journey is slow, dusty and quite hectic with lots of stops along the way among small villages dropping off supplies or picking up people heading to Katush. We arrive in Katush just after lunch, it is a small city where most of the people live in the surrounding area and come into town for groceries or shopping. It sits close to Montana mountain which is the 4th highest mountain in Tanzania. We pick up the food we need and head for a 6k walk to meet the Hiluku family.

The trek cuts through fields of maize, passing cattle herds, small houses and those who are walking back and forth from home in to town. We arrive at the Hiluku home, which consists of 3 mud huts, where the family and their animals live. One hut contains the kitchen and sleeping area for the elder mother, the other where there is a small fire to keep warm and sit and the third another sleeping area. The tribe encourages multiple wives, so I meet the elder mother who is Mr Hiluku’s first wife, she is the keeper of the home and does most of the chores, cooking and cleaning. They have 6 children who live nearby. Elysa, Mr Hiluku’s second wife, also live here in a newer mud hut with their two children Dabali, 3 and Elysa, 7 (with another on the way). They lead simple lives, having several acres of land where they grow different crops and raise cows and goats to feed their family. In addition, they make local beer that they share, men only, with neighbors to celebrate special occasions. Mr Hiluku is not home, as there is a special guest celebration at a neighboring home.

We prepare dinner, which is rice, cabbage and beef. All of which is done over a small fire in 3 small pots. Tradition is to wait for the man to return before eating, so we wait until Mr. Hiluku arrives home. As the sun sets over the mountains it is beautiful, peaceful with the sounds of children laughing, birds and hienna’s in the distance. Once dark, the skies becomes alive with millions of stars, more than I have ever seen – luckily there is almost a full moon so it is bright outside, as there is no light as we sit and talk.

After dinner, it is late so we all head to bed where I, as a guest, am sleeping in the sitting area on a cow skin near the fire. In fear of bugs – which they are a lot of – I set up my mosquito net, which looks rather ridiculous in the mud hut while the family, Mr Hiluku’s brother and friend all sleep. An interesting night of listening to Swahili banter and laughter of good friends and family.