THE SUKUMA TRIBE

With its estimated population of 5.5 million people, the Sukuma tribe is the largest tribe in Tanzania. They reside mainly in the northern part of the country in the Mwanza region around Lake Victoria in an area called Usukuma. The landscape of Usukuma is most notable for its kopje or rocky outcrops. Throughout the countryside and around Lake Victoria, these enormous rock formations are precariously balanced on top of each other. The land is very fertile in the north and near the lake, but dry to the south toward the city of Shinyanga.  The tribe are mainly rural-living and are both known for keeping live-stock as well as growing crops (rice, cassava, potatoes and corn). In the Sukuma tribe (as well as in the Maasai tribe) polygyny prevails and are common practice. The Sukuma are renowned nationwide for their pulsating dancing. Dancers are divided into two competing dance societies, the Bagika and the Bagulu, that compete throughout Sukumaland. The culmination is the annual Bulabo Dance Festival. The most famous of the dozens of dances are those using animals, including the Bagulu’s banungule (hyena and porcupine dance) and the Bagika’s bazwilili bayeye (snake dance). Before beginning, the dancers are treated with traditional medicines to protect themselves from injury. The animals, too, are given a spot of something to calm their tempers.