SUKUMA TOUR
Discover the Sukuma Tribe of Tanzania
The Sukuma are a Bantu ethnic group native to the southeastern African Great Lakes region. As Tanzania’s largest ethnic group, they number around 10 million people, making up approximately 16% of the country’s population.
The name “Sukuma” translates to “north,” signifying their identity as “people of the north.” They refer to themselves as Basukuma (plural) and Nsukuma (singular), and their language is Kisukuma.
In Sukuma communities, healers play a key role in determining how animals are used. For example, pangolin scales are sold by healers to protect crops, as pangolins symbolize a good harvest. Snakes and porcupines, seen as threats, are captured by medicine men and sometimes used for entertainment.
Though research on Sukuma medicinal practices focuses mostly on plants, a study in Tanzania’s Busega District revealed that healers also use animals to treat illnesses. However, many traditional medicines (dawa) are no longer widely practiced, as Western medicine has become more common.
While animal trafficking poses a major conservation threat, traditional healers only hunt what they need, unlike commercial hunters. Beyond medicine, the Sukuma use animal resources for decoration and clothing, such as using skins for house décor and bags.
Cultural Connections Between the Sukuma and Nyamwezi
The Sukuma (or “people of the North”) and Nyamwezi (or “people of the South”) are two closely related ethnic groups residing primarily south of Lake Victoria in west-central Tanzania. The Nyamwezi refer to themselves as Banyamwezi (singular: Munyamwezi), while the Sukuma call themselves Basukuma (singular: Musukuma). They identify their homelands as Bunyamwezi and Busukuma, respectively.
Geographically, the Nyamwezi region is located in the Tabora and western Shinyanga Regions, while Sukumaland encompasses the eastern Shinyanga and Mwanza Regions. Both groups have experienced significant population movements, with members settling in coastal areas and other regions. While Sukuma villages tend to be more ethnically homogeneous, individuals from various ethnic backgrounds, including the Tutsi and Sumbwa, often live in Nyamwezi villages.
Historically, the Sukuma expanded into the Geita area during the colonial period and have since migrated westward, as well as into Nzega and Igunga Districts, and even Zambia. These movements have been influenced by colonial cattle policies, overcrowding, and declining soil conditions.
The region features a diverse landscape, characterized by an undulating tableland with rivers that often dry up in the dry season. The climate includes a rainy season from November to April, with average annual rainfall varying across the area. Vegetation zones range from dry woodlands known as miombo to grasslands and thornbush steppes, with the Sukuma region having large expanses of park steppe dotted with baobab trees.