By Mutayoba Arbogast
In the lush, rolling landscapes of Tanzania’s Kagera region, where banana groves stretch across hills and Lake Victoria breathes life into the land, culture is not preserved in museums, it is lived, shared, and carried home in small, meaningful ways. Among the Haya people, one of the region’s prominent ethnic groups, the act of giving is more than generosity. It is identity, continuity, and belonging.
At the heart of this tradition lies a simple but powerful expectation: no one returns from a journey empty-handed.
For the Haya, travel is never an individual experience. It is communal, stretching beyond the traveler to include family, neighbors, and especially children. Whether the journey is long or short, those who leave are expected to return bearing gifts- clothes, shoes, foodstuffs, or local delicacies like senene, the cherished fried or dried grasshoppers that are both a snack and a cultural symbol.
This practice is not about material value. It is about connection.
In many Haya households, particularly in rural settings, the arrival of a traveler is an event that transforms an ordinary day into a celebration. Children playing in the yard or fields are often the first to notice someone approaching from the road. Their reaction is immediate and instinctive. They run toward the traveler, singing a playful and rhythmic chant: “Bwabwabwa, bwawabwa, bwababwa.”
It is a welcome song—joyful, repetitive, and deeply embedded in memory.The traveler, often smiling and visibly moved, embraces the children and walks with them into the home. Soon, the family gathers. What follows is a ritual that blends excitement, humor, and storytelling. Gifts are unpacked and distributed carefully, each item intended for a specific person—children, parents, grandparents.
For children, this moment is pure delight. New shoes might be tried on in the most amusing ways: the left shoe worn on the right foot, straps mismatched, buckles fastened incorrectly. Laughter fills the room as adults watch and guide, turning the moment into a shared experience of joy.
Yet the gifts themselves are only the beginning.
Once the excitement settles, the traveler begins to tell the story of the journey. These narratives can stretch for hours, unfolding in vivid detail—from the moment of departure to encounters with strangers, unfamiliar landscapes, new foods, and unexpected adventures. For the elders and older children, these stories are a form of informal education, passing down knowledge, values, and perspectives about the wider world.
Younger children, often impatient, drift back to their games. But they absorb more than they realize. Over time, they too will sit and listen, eventually becoming storytellers themselves.
This tradition of gifting and storytelling is not unique to the Haya alone. Across Africa, similar customs exist, reflecting a shared cultural emphasis on community and reciprocity. In West Africa, travelers often return with kola nuts or textiles; in parts of Southern Africa, gifts of food and crafted items serve similar purposes. These practices reinforce kinship ties and remind individuals that they are part of something larger than themselves.
What makes the Haya tradition particularly distinct is its integration into everyday life. It is not reserved for special occasions or ceremonies. It happens routinely, reinforcing cultural values in subtle but consistent ways.
Even in modern contexts, this tradition endures. A notable example can be seen in the reflections of a Tanzanian, Neema Lugangira, Secretary General of the Women’s Political Leaders (WPL) based in Brussels, and former Tanzania Parliamentarian. In one of her accounts, she describes returning from Ghana with a gift of a pair of kitenge for her aunt, Professor Anna Tibaijuka, a respected global figure and former Executive Director of UN-HABITAT.
Her gesture, though situated in a global and diplomatic context, echoes the same cultural principle rooted in Haya tradition: the importance of remembering home and honoring relationships through giving.“I have learned many things in the fields of diplomacy and international leadership from her,” Lugangira notes, highlighting how cultural values remain relevant even in global spaces.
However, as globalization, urbanization, and changing lifestyles reshape African societies, such traditions face new challenges. Younger generations, particularly those growing up in urban centers, may not experience these practices as intimately as their rural counterparts. The risk is not just the loss of customs, but the erosion of the values they carry—generosity, storytelling, and communal identity.
Recognizing this, several organizations in Kagera are actively working to preserve and promote cultural heritage among young people.
One such organization is Entabuko of Great Kanyigo, based in Missenyi District and led by renowned anthropologist Dr. Daniel Ndagala. Entabuko focuses on documenting, teaching, and revitalizing indigenous knowledge systems, including traditional practices like storytelling, communal ceremonies, and the ethics of sharing. Through community programs, cultural events, and educational initiatives, the organization ensures that young people not only learn about their heritage but also take pride in it.
Similarly, Kiyoyeera Temba, under the leadership of Mary Kalikawe, plays a vital role in safeguarding cultural values in the region. The organization works closely with communities to promote positive customs, particularly those that strengthen family bonds and social responsibility. By engaging youth through workshops, mentorship, and cultural activities, Kiyoyeera Temba helps bridge the gap between tradition and modern life.Together, these organizations represent a growing movement across Africa—one that seeks not to resist change, but to guide it. Their work underscores an important truth: culture is not static. It evolves, but it must also be nurtured.
Back in the villages of Kagera, as the sun dips below the horizon and families gather in the warmth of shared spaces, the tradition continues. A traveler returns. Children run forward with their familiar song. Gifts are exchanged, laughter echoes, and stories unfold.
In these moments, the past meets the present. And in the simple act of bringing something home, the Haya people remind us that culture is not just what we inherit, it is what we carry, what we share, and what we pass on.
