"Monday, 25 March 1912 [underlined] [...] [p. 173] Plaiting work: [underlined] [p. 174] At some huts, women were occupied with plaiting kilo strips. Since it was not customary, it was out of the question to buy such kilo strips. They wanted 40–50 Heller for small pieces and claimed that nothing could really be done with them. Introducing a trade in them would likely be difficult." [translation]

source: Museum der Kulturen Basel, VI 56197, 57 (174)
author: Karl Braun

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: Let look on the other photo with registration number 2018_18396_b, look and tell us what is it? R: This is a floor mat I: That is? R: A floor mats I: Look at it properly R: I thought it is like a floor mat I: It is like a floor mat R: Eeeeh! Let me say I failed to recognize it R: I think this is a floor mat, but how are these small things come in, because it looks like a floor mat, it has beend made by minyaa and different colours, but it is yet to be connected eeh I: If it is being connected becomes a floor mat? R: It is ukindu I: It has not yet been connected, what do call it then? R: It is Ukindu I: Hahahah! This is? R: In the middle hasn’t been connected I: It is yet to be connected R: Okay I: So, what is that mama? R: Ukindu I: Ukindu R: Eeeeh! I: Ukindu is a term of which community? R: In Sambaa we call ukindu misaa I: Misaa? R: Eeeeh! I: What does it mean? R: Msaa it is this one which have this things eeeh! I: Which communities do make ukindu? R: The Sambaa, Bondei, Kwizu and some people of the mainland such as Bena, Hehe, Nyakyusa, that is their works I: Ukindu can be found in which regions specifically? R: In Tanga region I: In Tanga region R: Eeeeh! I: In which places of Tanga ukindu can be found? R: In some places of magunda, in Lushoto and some places of Amani, but commonly in some places of Magunda I: How Ukindu is being used? R: Ukindu has been used in making some floor mat, baskets, handbags, and things like those, that is how it has been used I: Is it been used to date? R: It has still been used to date I: Can ukindu be used differently other than in making floor mat? R: Its difference I: Eeeeh R: It is floor mat and baskets; I think it is two things I: Floor mat and baskets R: Eeeeh! These caps I: Cap? R: Eeeeh! I: Who are commonly making it? R: Mostly the women I: The women R: Eeeeh! I: Of which age? R: For those with na age of twenty-five, thirty, fourty, sixty and above, that is their works I: Why it is the women and older people? R: In most of the times they have been making it when they are tired with some farm works, they get some rest it is when this can be made, and people like doing that because it makes them active eeeh, it makes you active and avoid carelessly sleeping eeeh! It makes the body active I: In your view do you think that it will reach a time when ukindu will no longer needed or be used to the people you mentioned? R: This one can’t disappear totally, although now there are modern things but still people make this, the older people but also there are some youths who imitates the young women, so it will not go away in all the regions I: People are still making them. R: Because these baskets are still being used, even the cap all of these are still being use eeeh! I: For the ukindu to be used what else would you need to have? R: For ukindu to be used, you are supposed to dry in the sun, and you should have a needle for tailoring it and connecting them to make a floor mat I: Okay, what was the importance of ukindu to you or to the tradition of the people you mentioned? R: In its use I: What is its importance? R: It is important in laying on and some activities I: Which kind of activities? R: In the marriage ceremonies, and burials and other have been using it to decorate their rooms, they hang it on the walls eeh, that is how it has commonly been used I: Okay R: In other term for those who changed it and called it a floor mat, there are some of the beds which were also being made by using ukindu I: By Ukindu R: Eeeh! I: Those bed, how are they being called? R. Those bed are known as rope beds, and its rope has been known as supatu in Sambaa eeh I: Eeeeh! R: You go and find supatu and tell someone please make a bed eeh! It is among of the bed which is commonly used in laying the deady bodies I: Why are they using it in laying a dead body? R: Now it is being used as a tradition, it simple even if the wash the dead body the water goes down easily, it a tradition to have those kinds of bed, in every village you will find them, if it happens that there is a death of someone people have to ask who has it eeh I: So, it a part of tradition? R: Yes I: So, it means that it will still be made because people continue using it? R: It is stil being used because people continue using it eeeh! I: What matreials has used in making ukindu? R: The materials which has been used here it is Ukindu and rope which goes on until you get a floor mat I: Ukindu and rope? R: The rope can of Ukindu itself or the sisal rope I: Sisal? R: Eeeeh! The sisal rope I: Okay, the materials which have been used it is ukindu, has it been changing? R: Aaaah! I can say in all those years it has never changed I: Havent they ever changed? R: It has not changed with the piece of wood I: The piece of Wood? R: It is a piece of wood which has been used in rounding the rope during carving until you get that cycle, and then you pick up your knife to cut it I: Ahaah! Cutting it? R: Eeeeh! I: And this ukindu how much wouldit be sold as you see it on that photo? R: Ukindu nowday has high value because it the past we used to but a small bundle of it for five hundred, but now the price has raised to one thousand I: One thousand? R: Eeeh I: So, the one which has been crafted in such a design, how much would it be sold? R: One cycle I: It has been crafted and decorated with some clours as you see it R: It is thirty thousand up to fourty thousand eeeh! It has alse been used in rewarding the married one, it can reach to fourty thousand I: Okay, thank you for the good explanations about Ukindu hhahah R: Hahahahah! Your satisfied I: Eeeh! Now le tus pick the last photo for today R: Yes

source: Amani-Stade Project / Amani Field Research 2023, Interview No. 03
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R: Anonymous

I: Okay, in my hand I do have another photo with registration number 2018_18396_b, look and tell us what is that? R. This is ukili I: Ukili? R: Eeeeh! I: Is it Ukili or Ukindu? R: Ukili I: What is the difference between Ukili and Ukindu? R: Ukindu is a raw but if it has been dried it is being or cravted it is being called ukili I: So, when it is being crafted it is being called Ukili? R: Eeeeh! There you can even match them and get a floor mat I: It was the people of which community who used to make ukili? R: All such as the Sambaa and other mainland communities used it I: In which regions Ukili was found easily? R: Ukili is even available in here I: Tanga? R: Eeeeh! I: What are the other regions which you know? R: Aaah! I dont know the other I: How was it being used? R: This I: Eeeh R: As I told you this wasbeing used for matching and make a floor mat, but it must be crafted first then you measure it and make a floor mat I: Was it been used only to make floor mat or other things were also made from it, please tell us? R: It was also used to make bags, kawa, and kipepeo (butterfly) eeeh! I: Some bags, kawa, vipepeo all these were being made by ukili? R: Eeeeh! I: Ahaaah! It was the people of which gender who used to make these? R: The females I: Why the females? R: They know it is being using in seating and some of them used them in decorating their house eeeh! I: It was the women of which age who used to make these? R: The older one eeeh! I: So, it was the work of the older people? R: Eeeeh! I: Why it was the work of the older people? R: It was the older people who knew the needs of the house eeeh! I: The youth don’t know. R: Aaah! They don’t know it hahahah! I: Hahahah! Okay, do you think it will reach a time when ukili will no longer be needed or used by the Sambaa people here in your village? R: Nowdays, they don’t use it because something called Busati, it is it which is being used, this one died already I: It died? R: You will only see one by one carving it I: So, nowdays they brought Mabusati? R: Eeeeh! It is them which are being used nowdays rather than floor mat I: So, the use of a floor mat? R: It is sold fashioned I: So, it will reach a time they no longer available? R: Eeeh! They will no longer I: Okay, to use Ukili what else you were supposed to have? R: It is thread I: Thread? R: Eeeh! A needle is being used in tailoring it but you only craft it by a hand I: A hand? R: Eeeeh! It is just a hand while matching them by using a needle and threads eeeh! I: So, after carvig it you find a needle and a thread to match it? R: Eeeeh! It becomes a floor mat I: It is just a needle and a thread? R: Eeeeh! Kawa, vipepeo, and bags all these are the threads and a needle I: What is a kawa? R: It is for covering the food I: Aaaah! Those which are being used in covering the food? R: Eeeeh! I: Do you have it in here? R: Eeeh! I: Hahahahh! We will need to see it when we finish R: Okay I: It was the people of which gender who used to make it? R: It was the women I: Women? R: Eeeeh! I: Why? R: Because they know its usage I: Eeeeh! When you prepare the food, you cover it with kawa to prevent some flies to touch it For covering up some food? R: Eeeh! I: In which places of Tanga do these things being made nowdays? R: In Tanga, all of them I: All of them? R: Eeeeh! I: Would you be able to know which district? R: It is only Tanga which I know I: It isa ll places of Tanga make it? R: Eeeeh! I: Okay, the materials which you mentioned have been used in making these such as Ukindu, a needle and threads, have they been changing? R: It is the same I: In all those years has never changed. R: It has been the same I: Which kind of thread was it being used? R: It was the same Ukindu, you can divide it, putting it in the needle and use it in carving I: When looking the way, it has been decorated, when it is being brought in our today markets how much would it been sold? R: Nowdays, it is twenty-five thousand I: Why would it be sold for twenty-five thousand? R: It was being sold in the oldest price eeeh! The people of the past didn’t have high price but if a floor mat is being made today can be sold for only twenty-five thousand I: Twenty five? R: Eeeh!

source: Amani-Stade Proejct / Amani Field Research 2023, Interview No. 09
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R: Anonymous