Author: Tyler Bishop Major: Physics Country: Tanzania Program: Ecology, Evolution, and Peoples of East Africa

Harmony. Coexistence. That seemed to happen a lot here in Tanzania. The picture below is of the great wildebeest migration, with some zebra tagging along. Millions of wildebeest are migrating northward across the Serengeti, following the rains and the consequently the lush grasses that follow. I hardly went a day without seeing at least two different species sharing the same habitat, not bothered at all that the other animals were there. Whether it be zebras and wildebeest, impala and baboons, ostriches and elephants, or humans and chimpanzees, Africa is just one big melting pot of different species on the same land.  

Sometimes they just happen to be in the same place; other times, different species work together in a mutually beneficial relationship. In the case of wildebeest and zebra, the zebra tend to eat the taller grass and the wildebeest eat the shorter grass left behind, which is probably why they love to hang out together. This is just one example of the many symbiotic relationships I learned about and saw during this adventure. 

As a physics major, a study abroad program on the culture and biology of Tanzania may seem like an odd choice. However, I found these topics extremely interesting and I wanted to gain a different scientific perspective on how the biologist sees the world rather than the physicist. The most “formal” part of this experience was before we departed. For one week, I had an intensive class on the biology, ecology, evolution, geology, and culture of Tanzania.  

I learned about the different tribes in the region — we visited the Datooga, Hadza, and saw many of the Maasai people. In the classroom I learned about the different social structures and ways of life. For example, the Datooga raise cattle, the men have multiple wives, and the women do much of the hard labor. On the other hand, the Hadza are nomadic, hunters and gatherers, and they are monogamous. 

However, it really didn’t sink in until we visited these tribes and went into their homes. The Datooga bomas (homes) were essentially mud brick houses with branches or pieces of tin as the roof. I couldn’t fully stand up inside, and it seemed as if there were ever a storm the bomas would turn to mud and wash away! I got to the long, arduous process of making arrows and flour with my own eyes, and I got to meet the man who had nine wives and over one hundred grandchildren! It was an entirely different culture and way of life that simply cannot be taught in the classroom. 

The experience with the Hadza was also something that can only be found in the bush. Since they are hunters and gatherers, they don’t live in permanent houses, nor raise any livestock. One of the most exciting activities of the program was the ability to hunt with the Hadza. The oldest man of the group caught four birds, and the other men caught nothing — they must have been embarrassed! Running around Hadza-land was exhausting — if I’m ever stuck in that situation again, I think I’ll stick to gathering. 

Just like the animals I mentioned earlier, the people of Tanzania are in constant harmony with their environment and the societies around them. The Datooga smelt scrap metal from nearby towns into arrowheads. The Hadza hunt just enough from their land to get by. And the cities are bustling with people who don’t give a second glance to the craziness that is happening around them. Driving in Tanzania is hectic, with drivers making their own lanes while trying to dodge people, animals, and other cars. 

Apart from the people of Tanzania, we also got to see many great landscapes and a diversity of life. Besides the tribes we visited, the program included visits to Lake Natron, Lake Manyara National Park, Lake Eyasi, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park, and Gombe National Park to view the wildlife. As you can imagine, this involved a lot of traveling, mostly by car, but also by boat and plane. As a result, we got to see some incredible examples of geologic activity in East Africa. Currently there is a rift forming in East Africa, which is causing that part of the continent to drift away. In a few million years, East Africa will no longer be part of Africa. One can see a wall of earth that stretches of thousands of kilometers where the rift valley has formed. Additionally, I saw plenty of volcanoes — in fact, Ngorongoro Crater is the aftermath of a volcanic eruption that occurred millions of years ago! 

Somebody said during the program, “when a geologist looks at the land, they see it not as it is now, but as it was millions of years ago.” This struck me as particularly insightful. From the perspective of physics, I tend to look at things on a more detail-oriented, microscopic level. Sometimes I even imagine all the atoms and molecules bouncing around, making everything work. 

Finally, the part everybody is waiting for: the animals! As I mentioned earlier in the post, there is an abundance of animals across Tanzania, many of which are sharing the same habitat. I even saw lions or leopards together with the wildebeest, although I don’t think the wildebeest noticed. There was an incredible diversity of life, although it is sad to think that there is still a problem with poaching, endangered species, and habitat loss across the world, including Tanzania. 

I got far too many great photos of animals to ever share. One of my favorites is this one of a lion shaking off the fleas. Watching the lions sleep, clean themselves, yawn, and just be lions was incredible. They did all the things my cat does — it’s no wonder they’re so close on the evolutionary tree. Speaking of evolution, I will wrap up the blog by returning “almost” to us — chimpanzees. 

Near the end of the program we went to Gombe, which is famous for its chimpanzees. They are incredibly human. It probably should feel that way, seeing as they are our closing living relatives. Of course, the baby chimps were incredibly cute, and I could just see the motherly instincts when the chimpanzees were caring for their young. They also didn’t seem concerned for us, although I believe this was unusual. At one point, they walked right through our camp! Seeing the chimpanzees at Gombe and the early hominid fossils at Olduvai Gorge makes the evolution of our species seem so much more real and incredible. 

Overall, I would highly recommend this program to all majors. Coming from a scientific perspective, I learned valuable lessons from the “big picture” scientists — the biologists and geologists. However, apart from biology and geology, there is an incredible amount of anthropology and cultural experiences to be had from this program. My only complaint is that the food didn’t quite agree with me, and there are literally no Mexican restaurants in Tanzania. I can’t wait to have a delicious quesadilla when I get home!