TANZANIA: THE PEOPLE

The people: Tanzania mainland Ethnic composition Tanzania is extremely heterogeneous, with more than 120 different indigenous African peoples as well as small groups of Asians and Europeans. As early as 5000 BC, San-type hunting bands inhabited the country. The Sandawe hunters of northern Tanzania are thought to be their descendants. By 1000 BC, agriculture and pastoral practices were being introduced through the migration of Cushitic people from Ethiopia. The Iraqw, Mbugu, Gorowa, and Burungi have Cushitic origins. About AD 500, iron-using Bantu agriculturalists coming from the west and south started displacing or absorbing the San hunters and gatherers; at roughly the same time, Nilotic pastoralists entered the area from the southern Sudan. Today the majority of Tanzanians are of Bantu descent; the Sukuma constitute the largest group, and others are the Nyamwezi, Hehe, Nyakyusa, Makonde, Yao, Haya, Chaga, Gogo, and Ha. Nilotic peoples are represented by the Masai, Arusha, Samburu, and Baraguyu. No one group has been politically or culturally dominant, although the tribes that were subject to Christian missionary influence and Western education during the colonial period (notably the Chaga and Haya) are now disproportionately represented in the government administration and cash economy. There are also Asian and European minorities. During the colonial period, Asian immigration was encouraged, and Asians dominated the up-country produce trade. Coming mostly from Gujurat in India, they form several groups distinguished by religious belief: the Isma'ilis, Bohras, Sikhs, Punjabis, and Goans. Since independence the Asian population has steadily declined due to emigration. The European population, never large because Tanganyika was not a settler colony, was made up primarily of English, Germans, and Greeks. In the postindependence period, a proliferation of different European, North American, and Japanese expatriates connected with foreign aid projects have made Tanzania their temporary residence. Language Swahili is the national language. Virtually all Tanzanians speak the language, and it is used as the medium of instruction in the first seven years of primary education. English, the country's second official language (together with Swahili), is the medium of instruction at further levels of education and is commonly used by the government in official business. Most African Tanzanians speak their traditional tribal language as well. The main languages spoken by the Asian minorities are Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu.