Impressive greetings from Gidahabu, a Barabaig elder. While given the honor as an elder, he enjoys reliving his warrior youth.
The Rainmakers
This is our newest program and truly amazing! Most other Tanzanians don't even know that the Barabaig exist. The Barabaig are Nilo-cushitic, patrilineal, polygamous herders and are known as the feared rival of the Maasai. The Barabaig clan we work with has the power to summon rain through shamans and dance. Besides respected rainmakers, the village is also home to traditional medicinal healers. This is the most remote of our village programs and travelers must spend a minimum of 3 nights in the village. Two standards of mobile camping are available. Maximum of 45 visitors per year are allowed.
Walking Safari Program
Visitors may go on a walking safari with the Barabaig warriors. Before the safari, the village elders and warriors will meet to discuss where the warrior should take the visitors for the best wildlife viewing.
The Amias Jewelry Project
We mobilized over 50 traditional Barabaig women and men to design jewelry, handbags and beaded shawls that are inspired by their local fashion. The goal of the project is to help disenfranchised Barabaig not only earn a sustainable income, but also learn valuable skills that will useful throughout their lifetimes. To learn more, please visit our Amias Project website.
Discover by Doing with the Barabaig
- Dances for unmarried boys and girls
- Female rain dances and dance for newly married women (women only)
- Traditional cooking
- Medicinal healing
- Rain Ceremony
- Beadwork
- Hunting dik-dik with spears
- Brewing honeybeer
- Blacksmithing Barabaig jewelry
- Hiking along the edge of the rift valley with the warriors
- Climbing Mt. Hanang with the warriors
- Walking safari with the warriors
- Any other spontaneous village activity
