Culture at Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Culture at Ngorongoro Conservation Area : The Ngorongoro conservation highland area is said to be providing the Maasai tribe with an enough area whereby they can be maintaining their lifestyle including practicing pastoral activities in a semblance of traditional ways of life only if they wish to be so. Ngorongoro conservation area is unique and most famous for the concentration of natural wildlife such as various animals including lions, hyenas and elephants. The place is also unique for its archeological and geological phenomena.
The park have been identified by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as one of the natural and cultural heritage site. It was listed in 1979 by UNESCO authority as one of the world heritage sites lists under the natural criteria.
Despite having more than 120 tribes in Tanzania, the Maasai tribe is one of the tribes having distinctive features and characteristics that has made it to be more popular and familiar to the visitors both the domestic and international tourists. This is mostly famous to those who are visiting the national parks that are in the northern part of Tanzania such as Ngorongoro conservation area and the surrounding regions including the Maasai steppe.
The Maasai people are living by grazing their cattle on Ngorongoro conservation area and the near park of Serengeti. Also, they have been living around other national parks such as Tarangire and Lake Manyara national park for more than 200 years. This is one of the strong tribes in the country that are paid high respect due to their traditional customs that are very strong and protective.
The Maasai are still continuing with upholding their tribal lifestyle principles as well as dresses even in the face of the modern world. These are said to be the pastoral nomads that are thought to be have been migrated to northern Tanzania from southern part of Sudan. They are believed to be have been migrated through the course of Nile River though historically, they are believed to be originated from South Africa.
The Maasai’s traditional customs are so impressive and have been one of the attractive factors for various tourists to visit the place. Visitors have been becoming so interested in visiting the people.
The presence of traditional foods. The Maasai as explained above that is one of the strong tribes with their cultural beliefs they are having traditional foods that enable them to be energetic and strong. The Maasai men are always practicing hunting activities that enable them to get food from their local environments such as wildlife. The presence of traditional foods in various hotels around the area have been attracting various tourists to visit the Ngorongoro conservation area, Culture at Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Local arts and crafts practiced by the indigenous is also one of the attractive feature for visitors to visit Ngorongoro conservation area. Despite the fact that the Maasai are nomads in nature, they have also been practicing some other productive activities such as agricultural activities, making and manufacturing local crafts and arts including beaded jewelry like necklaces, anklets and bracelets. These ornaments are sold to the tourists and visitors during their safaris to the place.
Also, the Maasai housing style is very unique. During cultural tourism to Ngorongoro conservation area, tourists both domestic and the foreigners may also be getting chances to enter into the natives houses and experience their traditional way of life.
When visiting the homesteads and villages or bomas of the Maasai, visitors may visit the kraals where the Maasai keep their livestock and also can learn on how the natives (Maasai) are sharing responsibilities including how the young boys are taking the livestock for grazing and other elders are discussing various issues about their communities such as ensuring protection to their societies.
Today, long since it has been collapsed and eroded, the Ngorongoro conservation area is one of the extensive highland area having the famous 600 meters deep to its focal point. Almost three million years, the ancient shelters of caldera as one of the most beautiful and attractive wildlife havens on earth.
The Maasai tribe have contributed greatly to cultural tourism in Tanzania and also they have been benefiting a lot from tourist activities in Ngorongoro conservation area. This is mostly done by conserving the area by grazing their cattle that includes cows, goats, sheep and dogs in the special areas around the conservation area.
