In 1934, the former director of the Biological Imperial Institute for Agriculture and Forestry (Biologische Reichsanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft) Karl Braun (1870–1935) gave the so-called “Kolonialsammlung Braun” (Colonial Collection Braun) to the Hanseatic City of Stade, or rather its representative, the then mayor Hans Arthur Meyer (1884–1961). See the file „Transfer of a colonial collection from the senior government councillor Professor Dr. Karl Braun in Stade to the City of Stade” („Überlassung einer Kolonialsammlung vom Oberregierungsrat Professor Dr. Karl Braun in Stade an die Stadt Stade") at the Lower Saxony State Archives Stade (Niedersächsischen Landesarchiv Standort Stade).

source: Niedersächsisches Landesarchiv Standort Stade, Dep. 10 Nr. 03025

In 1997, the then city archivist Jürgen Bohmbach concludes a permanent loan agreement with the Museum Society Stade (Museumsverein Stade e.V.), for which the then director Gerd Mettjes signs. Thereafter, the collection from Karl Braun is transferred to the care of the Museum Society Stade (Museumsverein Stade e.V.).

source: Museen Stade, Vereinbarung Leihgabe "Brauns'sche Kolonialsammlung"

I: Okay thanks, now let's take another picture, I have another picture of another item that is registered with the number 2018_18346_001, look at it, can you identify what is it? R: This is nyengo like the one I told you, a big handle is put and then you use it for cutting grass. I: How did you identify it? R: I was able to identify it because I saw some people with nyengo like the first one, they had fixed a handle like this and doing other things like grass cutting. I: Nyengo like that one was mostly used by which communities? R: This nyengo is used by people from Iringa who are here, there are some of them who still have these. I: Can you mention the names of those communities? R: The Bena community. I: So the Bena community had been using these nyengo? R: And the Hehe community. I: Can you briefly explain to me its use? R: The use of ths is to cut in the forest, I mean you can use it while standing than a panga or fauno, which you cut while bending. I: Why do you think it was made with such a long handle? R: About that I can't understand but I think maybe it's just to make it easier for him. I: What gender were exactly using those big nyengo? R: They were male. I: Why the male? R: It is used by men because it is mostly used to cut in the forest, a forest cutting mostly is done by men different from grass cutting, if go to the forest you will find men are the first to get in forests. I: What age are exactly using such nyengo like this? R: Even the older ones. I: What age for your estimation? R: The ones I saw them was from 45 years old and above. I: Why of that age? R: I don’t know possibly in Iringa even children are using it, because what I had seen here is older ages. I: In your opinion, do you think it will come a time ‘nyengo’ of that kind will no longer be used to people of the Bena community as you mentioned? R: People of this community possibly it is their traditional, honestly to stop this ... there was one of them who had it... I: When we finish, we will go to him and see them. R: Okay, we will go and look at it, I once saw him with it, he will show us. I: So, it is part of traditional practice? R: Yes, it is part of their tradition because it was brought by the Bena community and we are seeing with them, the rest of us are imitating, hence we can buy or make it, you go to a technician and tell him make for me a ‘nyengo’ like this one using this metals, so he makes it for you and put a handle and use it. I: For a person to use the big nyendo like that, what else should he have? R: It is only the nyengo, because when using it you must hold it with both hands, so there is no other thing to hold. I: Are Bena community still making the similar nyengo? R: Currently I think they still continue, here I see they have stopped maybe if you need it for the sake of a forest, you find a technician and he make it for you. I: Those who make the big nyengo are people of which gender? R: Because they come from there, I think the Bena community elders know about it, it is only the older people, and I don't think also children can either make them. I: But here you said there are technicians who can make it? R: This gentleman can make it. I: He is a Bena in community. R: Yes. R2: This is a ‘mundu’ (sickle). R: But ‘mundu’ is a panga. R2: Fine, but if you mention ‘mundu’ they understand it the one with a long handle. All: Anha R2: We use it for cutting grass in gardens. I: What community is ‘Mundu?’ R2: ‘Mundu’ is in Swahili language, but at our home we call it ‘nyengo’ I: Is that Bena community? R2: Yes, it is ‘nyengo’ in Bena language, the Hehe community are calling it ‘nyengo’, the Kinga community are calling it 'sidavala' I: How does this kind of ‘nyengo’ used? R2: This is for cutting weeds, if you want to cultivate in valleys, you us it for cutting I: Why does it have a long handle? R2: If you are cutting grass in your farm, you are using this for pulling, such that you are not pierced with thorns. I: Tell us what gender are they making nyengo? R2: The men, the old people make them. I: Of what age? R2: Of the older age, they forge a metal to make this, you can have a metal and take it to a technician, he forges it for you then he makes it and it looks like this. I: Which people mostly used it, was it the female or male? R2: The men, and even female can use them, this was used with by people. I: Can you tell me what materials are used to make nyengo. R2: They are damaged metals, that you can take it to a technician then he makes it for you. I: Is it metal alone or there is another thing? R2: The older ones the metals were forged then they make the tool. I: The materials used to make the nyengo during the older time, are they currently changed? R2: They have changed, nowadays the metal is joined together. I: If you find a nyengo like that in a market this moment, how much shillings can you buy it? R2: Let me not lie, the price is unknown, the price you are going to be told, you can negotiate but those the ones coming from our home are not available here. I: Which regions exactly do they make this? R2: It from Iringa going to Njombe to all the way to Upanga, Makete, Ukinga, these are mostly being used there.

source: Amani-Stade Project / Amani Field Research 2023, Interview No. 10
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R: Anonymous, R2: Anonymous