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, thank you. Let’s continue with another photo having registration number 2018_18379_1. Please look and tell us what is it? R: It looks like a Khanga or Kitenge eeeh! And this kind of Khanga was worn by the wives of the Zumbe, the wife of the Jumbe. I: Wife of the Zumbe? R: The older ones I: The older ones, eeh! R: Because at that time it was only ‘vimarekani’. When you wrapped yourself with ‘kimarekani’, those were the clothes of that time. I: How does the ‘kimarekani’ look like? R: These ones are good, that old 'marekani' was a kind of white fabric with thick threads. Now they have been improved. If someone gave you a piece to wrap around your neck, those clothes were for the wives of the elite like the Wajumbe. I: Wajumbe? R: Eeeeh! I: That kind of cloth for the wives of the Jumbe, did it have a special name? R: They were called the Wives of Zumbe's clothes. I: Wives of the Zumbe's clothes? R: Eeeeh, the Zumbe's wives’ clothes. I: Which communities used to wear them? R: The Sambaa I: The Sambaa? R: Eeeeh! I: When did the Wake Zumbe wear such clothes? R: They wore them when going out, maybe there was a celebration like a wedding at the chief Jumbe’s home eeeh! Even court cases were resolved by the Jumbes and Wake Zumbe. That is, the wife of the Jumbe was also considered a Jumbe. I: She was also a Jumbe? R: Eeeeh! If you wore Wake Zumbe’s clothes, you were respected because only influential people wore them. I: You were highly respected? R: Eeeeh! I: So they used to wear them during court case resolutions? R: Eeeeh! I: Okay, is that kind of clothing still in use today? R: Nowadays everyone wears Wake Zumbe’s clothes hahahha! I: Okay, so were these clothes only used for special events or also for resolving disputes as you said? R: That’s right — for dispute resolutions and for their social functions. People used to celebrate together, and they had to wear their best clothes for different ceremonies. I: Okay, for attending these special events, what other clothes did the Wake Zumbe wear alongside this one? R: They would wrap with one and wear another underneath — like normal inner clothes. I: What kind of clothes were worn underneath before wrapping this one? R: Mostly chest cloths — the long dresses came later. They used to wear chest or waist cloths and then wrap over them. I: Did those clothes have specific names? R: It was just called a dress or t-shirt I: Nothing else? R: There were very few clothes. We grew up just wrapping Khanga over our shoulders and doing everything that way eeeh! I: Okay, who used to make these clothes specifically for the Wake Zumbe? R: I think there were experts because every craft has its professionals. Not everyone could make Wake Zumbe clothes — they had special tailors eeeh! I: During colonial rule, do you think they were made locally or imported? R: They made them themselves I: Can you tell us what materials they used? R: During the colonial era, they used leather I: Leather? R: Their clothes were made of leather I: From which animals? R: There were many animals back then, unlike now. You could find various animals just behind the house. Now they’re not many. I: This looks decorated — how did they do the decorations? R: They used wooden stamps. They would hit them to create the marks and decorations they wanted. I: So they used leather? R: Eeeeh! I: Wake Zumbe? R: Eeeeh!

source: Amani-Stade Project / Amani Field Research 2023, Interview No. 18
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R: Anonymous