Hadza

The Hadza, or Hadzabe, are an indigenous ethnic group of Tanzania, living around Lake Eyasi in the central Rift Valley. They are traditionally hunter-gatherers and among the last sustained hunter-gatherer communities in Africa. Estimates of their population range from about 1,000 to 2,000 individuals.

The Hadza language is a language isolate with no established relatives, and it is not closely related to neighboring Bantu languages. It is one of the few surviving languages that is studied for its distinctive features and contributions to understanding human language.

Lifestyle and subsistence: The Hadza live in small, seasonally mobile camps. Their economy centers on foraging: gathering tubers, berries, wild honey, and other plant foods, and hunting game with simple bows, arrows, and spears. Food sharing is common, and social life is characterized by relatively egalitarian norms and informal leadership.

Social organization: There is no centralized political authority; leadership is situational and informal, based on expertise and generosity. Women and men have distinct but complementary roles: women often gather plant foods and tubers, while men specialize in hunting and sometimes honey collection. Family groups join in flexible, shifting camps.

Modern context: In recent decades, the Hadza have faced pressures from agricultural expansion, land use changes around Lake Eyasi, and tourism. These forces have affected traditional mobility and subsistence, leading some groups to adopt more settled or mixed livelihoods.

Genetic and cultural significance: The Hadza have been a focus of genetic and linguistic research, noted for high genetic diversity and for preserving insights into hunter-gatherer lifeways and early human history.