Small groups of Hadzabe bushmen live around Lake Eyasi. Their language resembles the click languages of other tribes further south in the Kalahari. Their small population was seriously threatened at one time, in particular during the period when Julius Nyere tried to introduce his Ujuma policy. The tribe resisted the forcible settlement policies of Julius Nyere and nowadays, most children have never seen a doctor or school. The bush provides for all their needs and is a classroom itself for their offspring.
Hadzabe are often willing for visitors to come and see their simple bush homes where a cave or tree canopy alone provides them with shelter. They live entirely off the bush and hunting of small antelopes and baboons. During rainy season, however, gazelle and antelope come down from the Ngorongoro or Serengeti to the lush lands, offering the bushmen richer pickings. In the recent past, their hunting activities were resented by trophy hunters who tried to stop their "illegal" hunting.
The string on their lethal bows is made from giraffe tendons and the arrows are coated with a strong poison from the trees. The green commiphora tree provides excellent firewood and a mosquito-repelling sap, while juice from the sansaveria provides a cure for snake bites and aloe is used to heal cuts. Roots provide a wide range of medicines and the mighty baobab fruits as a source of drink. A few hours spent with the bushmen makes the bush country come to life and to watch them hunt is a unique experience, as they stealthily spot and creep up on their prey to skillfully kill it.
Even though this destination can be extremely interesting, you need to be prepared to drive for a few hours (on a dirt road which is often very dusty and bumpy) to get there.
