5H3MB. Maurizio Buffoli, IK2GZU will be active again from Tanzania, 10 October - 11 November 2024, as 5H3MB.
He will operate on 80 - 10m, CW, SSB, Digital Modes.
QSL via home call, ClubLog OQRS, LOTW, eQSL.
Ads for direct QSL:
MAURIZIO BUFFOLI, VIA DEGLI ANGELI 9, 25033 COLOGNE BS, Italy.
Tanzania: a mysterious African country
Tanzania is a distinctive country in south-east Africa with extensive protected areas. The rich fauna has made the country ideal for safaris - in the national parks you can follow wild animals in the wild. The big five African animals that tourists may be lucky enough to see are: lion, elephant, cheetah, rhino and buffalo.
But Tanzania is not just about savannah safaris. It is also the famous stratovolcano Kilimanjaro, and the largest fresh water bodies on the continent, and the island of Zanzibar with long beaches, and the primitive life of local tribes. All this gives the country a unique flavour.
History of Tanzania
The indigenous people who inhabited the land of Tanzania are the Bushmen and Hottentots, later joined by the Kushites and Bantu. Zanzibar soon became a base for Arab, Persian and Indian traders. It was at this time that the Swahili people were formed. They exported valuable ivory, gold and slaves from Africa. Textiles and foodstuffs were shipped from other countries.
In the 16th century, Portuguese ships arrived on the shores of Tanganyika and began to take over the ports. Their rule did not last long, however, and a century later the Arabs again established their rule. Zanzibar soon became a major centre for the slave trade, which led to a significant decline in the local population. The chiefs and even strangers living at the crossroads of trade routes co-operated with the slave traders and provided them with food. Gradually, they grew rich and gained influence, which upset the social balance. During this period, the rudiments of statehood were born, and power was shared by paramount chiefs.
But in the 19th century, European traders and missionaries began to appear and tried to dictate their terms to the chiefs. For example, the British forbade the Sultan of Zanzibar to sell slaves.
Period of colonisation
In 1885, the German Karl Peters managed to negotiate a protectorate with the chiefs of many tribes, subjugating their lands to Germany. A couple of years later, he leased the entire coast of Tanganyika for 50 years in an agreement with the Sultan of Zanzibar. Soon the British claimed their rights to the lands of Zanzibar. And in 1891, the Germans established a colony in East Africa.
The colonisers cultivated coffee, cotton, sisal and rubber plantations and built railways to connect with ports. Germans-settlers at the beginning of XX century there were more than 5 thousand.
Africans revolted against the colonisers, but it was brutally suppressed, and the local population was almost completely exterminated. After the World War Tanzania became a British colony.
Liberation
In 1961, Tanganyika was liberated from colonial rule, and two years later the Sultanate of Zanzibar gained independence. In 1964, the Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar - abbreviated Tanzania - was proclaimed. The government embraced socialism and the construction of public facilities by locals on a voluntary basis. Students refused to perform labour conscription, which led to an uprising that was unsuccessful. Collective farms began to appear in the villages and nationalisation of banks, foreign plantations and trading organisations took place. It was not until 1995 that democracy was established.
Zanzibar Archipelago
Zanzibar is the main island of the archipelago of the same name off the east coast. The archipelago comprises a total of 74 islands washed by the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. The former Muslim sultanate at the crossroads of maritime trade routes now attracts tourists with its picturesque beaches and landscapes. There are excellent opportunities for diving, snorkelling and kite-surfing. The coastal waters are amazingly clear.
The capital of Stone Town was founded by Arab traders in the IX century - here the streets chaotically wind among colourful Arab bazaars, small spice shops, mosques, courtyards and ancient fortresses. Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the world-famous rock band Queen, was born here and spent his childhood years here. His house is located in the Old Town. Now the building houses a hotel decorated with photos of the singer.
Tourists can also make an excursion to the island of giant sea turtles, visit the abandoned prison or "slave cave" of Mangapwani, see the ruins of ancient palaces.
Lake Natron
There are many places on the planet with extreme habitats that are deceptively attractive in appearance. This small lake is named after the mineral natron. It is covered with a layer of salt, which periodically turns different shades of colour, from pink to red. This effect is created by microorganisms living there. This is the nesting ground of more than 1.5 million flamingos. Up to 70 per cent of the world's population of this species are born in this area.
Due to the strong concentration of salt and alkali in the water, animals and birds that accidentally fall into the lake die and turn into mummies. Surprisingly, the waters of the lake of death are also home to endemic fish, the alkali tilapia.
Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro is the world's largest deep crater with a vast basin. Its depth is more than 900 metres. A few million years ago, the place of evergreen forests was covered with red-hot lava flows. In the centre of the crater the alkaline lake Magadi was formed, which is always full of birds, including pink flamingos.
The protected area has a high density of animals of different species per square kilometre. Depending on the season, this figure rises to two million. Extreme tourists come to the park to watch lion and cheetah hunting.
Tanzania's last hunters
On the shores of soda lake Eyasi, the Hadzabi and Datoga tribes live in primitive conditions. The Hadzabi natives were formerly nomadic, hunting and gathering natural resources. For a long time they honed their wilderness survival skills, practised archery and trained dogs for game drives. The Datoga tribes are pastoralists and agriculturalists.
Tribes far from civilisation have retained their ways of life and traditions. They make fire by friction, good-naturedly treat their guests with prey cooked on the fire. Here you can fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere of primitive African life.
National Parks
The Serengeti brings the Lion King to life and is the setting for National Geographic and Animals planet programmes. The reserve is home to thousands of wild animals. Elephants, leopards and cheetahs, giraffes, lions, jackals and hyenas, antelopes and buffaloes live on the vast territory. During certain periods, a spectacular natural spectacle is played out here - the migration of millions of gnu and zebra antelopes.
Manyara Lake Reserve is a place where regal lions rest on the branches of acacia trees. They don't usually climb trees, leopards do it. Here you can watch pelicans, storks, pink flamingos. Ernest Hemingway considered the reserve the most beautiful of all seen on the African continent.
Tanzania's cuisine
It may seem strange at first glance, but European recipes are popular in the coastal part of the country: grilled chicken or fish, spicy pies, pepper steak, plantain soup with chicken broth, boiled vegetables, mandazi doughnuts and puddings. This is a consequence of European colonisation. In contrast, African, Arabic and Persian culinary traditions are prevalent in Zanzibar.
Fans of exotic dishes can try fillet of antelope, crocodile or elephant meat. They are usually served with a salad of a vegetable variety of bananas. By the way, 17 kinds of bananas are grown in Tanzania, from which soups, stews and chips are prepared. The menu may also include fried side of warthog, ostrich roast or octopus boiled in coconut milk. A popular dish is the thick ugali maize-based porridge and nyama choma - grilled goat meat. Zanzibar offers fried prawns with lemon, charcoal lobster.
Locals love to drink tea and consume it throughout the day. Freshly ground coffee in small porcelain cups, fresh tropical fruit and sugar cane juices are often sold on the streets. Banana beer, palm wine made from fermented bamboo sap, and vodka made from papaya "konyagi" are also popular.
A Tanzanian meal is usually eaten at a low table or on a mat on the floor. Garnishes like ugali porridge are served in a common bowl and are eaten with the right hand without utensils.
Video Tanzania