"Saturday, March 11, 1905 [underlined] The following came into my possession: 24. a Waschambaa tobacco pipe. Clay head with [...] [?] 30 cm long pipe. (= 12 pesa). [Drawing] [...]" [translation]

source: Museum der Kulturen Basel, VI 56197, 44 (80)
author: Karl Braun

"24. Tobacco pipe of the Shambala / black clay, 30 cm long tube of pierced (glowing wire) wood. (= 12 pesa) / Amani 11 March 1905 / TB [diary]. 44.80 [drawing]" [translation]

source: Museen Stade, r 2018 / 18566
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: Okay, let me give you a photo with registration number 2018_18555_001, look and tell us what is that? R: I know this I: What is that? R: This is Mtemba I: Mtemba? R: Eeeeh! I: Hahahah! R: They call it Kiko I: Kiko? R: Eeeeh! I: Ahaaah R: In Sambaa is Kiko I: Kiko? R: Eeeeh! I: Ahaaah R: In Sambaa is Kiko I: It is Kiko in Sambaa? R: Eeeeh! Kiko I: What langauge is Mtemba? R: Let’s say it mixes up some different communities but in a common language it is Mtemba I: Is Mtemba a Sambaa or for both? R: It is same as Kiswahili I: Kiswahili R: Eeeeh! I: The people of which communities have been using Mtemba? R: The Sambaa and some of the mainland communities have been using Mtemba I: What are those mainland communities? R: The people of Tabora, Shinyanga and some regions of Mbeya and Iringa it is where people are using Mitemba I: How has it been used; can you tell us? R: This was being used when a tobacco was brought from the farm being cut into some small pieces and put into it with a fire, then he holds it and start smoking by using that Mtemba I: Smoking? R: Eeeeeh! That’s how I observed even to our grand fathers eeeh! I: It was the people of which gender commonly used Mtemba? R: Mostly was the male gender I: The males? R: Yes I: Of which age? R: The age now, because this has disappeared, they are very rarely used but in those years of 50’s and above I: Were they using Mtemba? R: Very much eeeh! I: Why Mtemba was being used by the age of fifty years and above? R: You know at that time mtemba was commonly being used because there were no industrial sigarates, people didn’t use sigarate, mostly they used to have tobacco plants outside their houses, they dried, milled and being folded in round shape, so when it got dried he started picking up one by one sqeezing it on his palm, preparing it and put in the Mtemba put on the fire ready to smoke I: He smokes? R: Eeeh! They were of two types, the one which used some fresh grasses which was being cut put into the traditional mill until they were ready, then they were being put in here by squeezing particulary after being dried, so its dust was being put in Mtemba ready for smoking eeh! They are of two different types I: They are of two types? R: Eeeeh! That was the use of tobacco I: Is that object still being used or it has disappeared? R: In avarage if has been very luckily seeing the youth imitating but it is not commonly used I: Do you think it will reach a time when Mtemba will no longer be used? R: It will reach in the next coming years I: What will contribute for Mtemba to not being used again? R: You know the traditional ones didn’t have some many effects, because I observed some of the people smoking it whout hearing him coughing, because they didn’t use the modern one, you could find someone is smoking the traditional for some years without hearing him coughing and being told to stop using it, frank speaking I never found anyone back then coughing haphazardly when using it I: So, what do you think will contribute Mtemba to not being used, Mr. [anonymous]? R: This Mtemba I: Eeeeh! R: People are changing I: How do they change? R: They change according to the modernity, you can not go at a foreign place with Mtemba, people will look at you and discuss what are you doing, but if someone enter in his pocked and draw out the sigarate and smoke it while its smoke goes that way eeh! It doesn’t smell like how the past tobacco used to smell, though there was a certain tobacco which was being brought from there, when it was put in Mtemba and put in on, everyone liked its smell, it was so good I: Eeeh! R: Currently they are not brought here, we don’t see them that is why majority of the people have shifted to sigarates such as SM, Sports and commonly the bitter sigarate are seen very rarely, but those whith some filters are som many, as the days goes on Mitemba will be very few I: Because of the modernity? R: Eheeeh! I: Okay, for Mtemba to be used what else was required to be used concurrently with it? R: In preparing that tobacco as you know the past preparations didn’t follow some measurements, meaning when it was brought from the farm, it was used as it was eeeh! I: So, to use Mtemba someone was a must to have tobacco? R: Eeeh! tobacco I: You can’t use Mtemba without tobacco? R: Aaaah! You cannot use it I: What else went hand in hand with the use of Mtemba, tell us Mr. [anonymous]? R: Some of the were being unfolding the sigarate and take its materials and put it in Mtemba for smoking eeeh! For those who didn’t like the fresh tobacco from the farm used to do that, they unfolded the sigarate take that tobacco and put it in Mtemba read for being smoked I: For those communities which had the tradition of using Mtemba, do you think it will be removed by the modernity you mentioned? R: Slowly will disappear because even in the past people didn’t like some ugali prepared by some flour from the posho mill, they only wanted the flour from the traditional mill, but currently they are all using some flour from the posho mills, so, even that it will disappear sometimes I: Okay, what was the importance of Mtemba? R: Because I didn’t smoke Mtemba, I don’t know why the smokers preferred it I: Because some of the people are saying if you are walking with mtemba, your being considered a person of a certain status, how was it for the others? R: It depends as you said there are some of the places you could find it being a strange thing to fina an elder just like me walking without Bakora, but currently you can find in a group of people it is only two of them having Bakora, so things go with time I: Aaah! R: Yes, even this Mtemba here its rate is getting down I: Do you think Mtemba is still being produced in the currently environment, and could you know where? R: They are there but not in all places; they are very few and you can find one or two of them in one hundred people I: Why few of them? R: You know things like people laughing at you that you are still using those old things, so, sometimes that thing enters them, that is why they decide to stop using them I: So, it is being considered as an old object? R: Eeeh! It is an old object I: Hahahahah! Okay, you said it was being used by the elders R: Yes, the elders I: Of which gender? R: Mostly it was the males I: The male? R: Eeeeh! I: Why it was commonly for the male elders? R: It was very unfortunatelly to find a female gender smoking Mtemba, it was very rarely but commonly it was for the males I: The males? R: Eeeeh! I: Who were making Mitemba between the males and the females? R: The males I: The males? R: Eeeeh! It was them who used to make Mitemba I: Why it was commonly for the males? R: You there in the past there were things meaning that every gender used to have their things of which if you could have been found, there was not a cost of being asked for example a male to be found with a traditional mill and some dried cassava (makopa) milling them, there people could ask why this is doing that, is he mentally fit I: Hahahahah! R: That everything had its people, the female gender had their things and the males’ gender as well I: Okay, currently you mentioned Dododoma region, what are the other regions which makes it? R: Commonly in the mainland regions I: The mainland? R: Yes, the mainland regions eeeh! I: Such as? R: Even in some enterior part of our Tanga region, somone can stay for a week or a month without seing a car, he/she only hear about it, so you can find that in those places the traditional things are still existing, for example some thatched houses or the house without a window, of which you can not find that kind of house in our environment here, but there are some places where those kinds of houses are still existing, so you could find people are still smoking Mitemba as usual eee! I: What materials were being used in making Mtemba? R: There were two different types of them, the one made of soil and the other one of the trees I: Of the tree? R: Eeeeh! I: What kind of soil which was being used? R: Clay soil I: Clay soil? R: Yes I: What was that kind of tree which was used in making it? R: There was a certain tree which I don’t know it’s name, so this pot which hold the tobacco it is being made of clay soil but its pipe which release some smokes to the smoker was made of a tree I: Of the tree? R: Yes I: Why did they used clay soil? R: Because of the fire here it doesn’t burn I: It doesn’t burn? R: Yes, even when it is well completed and the way you burnt it, even when it fell down can’t break I: Aaaah! R: Yes I: Okay, did the materials which were used in making Mtemba changed as the years went on or remained the same? R: You know sometimes it is the technics or the design of that thing, you could find that someone saw it at his fellow and come to produce the same design I: Yes R: Eeeeh! I: We are talking about materials R: The materials are the same but it the technician skills which can differentiate it I: That’s how you differentiate it? R: Yes I: Mtemba like that on the photp when brought into the current market situation how much would it be sold? R: It will depend on the one who made it or how much the buyer bought it because you can not set the price to the seller, your only the buyer and the price is being set by the seller depending on how much he bought it and how much he want to get on top of that, so when he comes here can sell it with any price he want I: Can’t you estimate it, suppose you find it in the market how much would be ready to pay for it? R: Now there I: By estimating R: Because if you liked it even when your being told it is five thousand you will not have a choice to buy it

source: Amani-Stade Project / Amani Field Research 2023 / Interview No. 04
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R: Anonymous

I: There is another photo, this photo is registered with the number 2018_18555_001, look at that photo, can you recognize what is that? R: In Swahili they call it "mtemba" but we call it "kiko"... I: Kiko it is in what language? R: It is in Sambaa language. I: And the Mtemba? R: ‘Mtemba is in Swahili, people use it to put tobacco in it, a person used to smoke using it. I: So, in Sambaa language it is called ‘Kiko?’ R: Yes it is ‘kiko’, a person tells you bring me my ‘kiko’, that is bring me my ‘mtemba’, then bring a hot charcoal and it was put in it, this was expecially used by the Jumbe’s, when he finished his smoking he removed the ashes and he can sometimes tell you to go and collect it where he has poured it, currently they are making it but not like the past one, this past ons is more strong and it is good. I: Were they the Jumbe’s alone who smoked it? R: They were famous people who smoked it, ‘Wadoe’ smoked it but not infront of the ‘Jumbe’, maybe in your house with your wives, if you smoke it infront of the ‘Jumbe’ he will ask ‘who is this trying to be like us… oh!... All: Laughing. R: Especially Mkande’s father, he used to say 'ushe ni ndai we', that means, ‘who is this that he wants to take us over’, so you won’t be able to do that because you were afraid to be arrested or put in a bad place because of the smoking of ‘mtemba’ or the ‘kiko’. I: What kind of people used to smoke ‘mitemba?’ R: They were people of high class. I: Can you tell us in which communities? R: It was mostly the Sambaa, Wambugu and the Zigua who really liked the issues of royalty, and infact you could find a Zigua person having more than four houses, he could send you to bring him his ‘mtemba’ from his young wife, you would find him seated on his chair, there were the kind of seats made with sacks, so the person seats on it smoking, so it was smoked by very famous person. I: Especially which regions were the ‘mitemba’ available? R: Mostly in Tanga it was available, and also at the mainland regions and in Zigua land, the Ziguans are very good in cultural matters, they were very fond of that culture, even these seats I saw them, there were chairs for playing drums like that belonging to Mr. Chei, when the drum was played it was informing that there was an accident or illness, it was playing itself ‘ndi ndi ndi’ so in regions which liked this culture were the Ziguans and here in Kazita which was also called Handei, previously it used to be called Amani – Handei. I: What age of people used to smoke ‘kiko?’ R: It was when you were allowed, once you were married you were allowed to smoke the ‘kiko’. I: So they started at what age? R: It was from…you go to graze animals and when you were back home you breast fed to your mother, when you reached 30, 35 years old, it was when you were allowed, to get the wife and you were directed to a certain house to marry, so when you were given the ‘mtemba’ you were permitted probably from your grandfather to smoke it. I: How do you get it? R: Probably you go to cultivate for him or you gave him 5 cents, that was when he allowed you to smoke the tobacco, you were not allowed like now that you have not even completed class 4 you start smoking, in the past it was until you were allowed by your grandfather, it was not your father but your grandfather, he is the one who knows this person has a family and that was when he allowed you, but this moment... All: Laughing. R: Oh, those are ancient things, this reminds me of very old things. I: Were the women also smoked ‘mitemba?’ bamboo R: No. I: Why? R: The women used to smoke take ten cent cigarettes and putting magadi here, but you will never see a woman smoking. I: Why didn’t the women smoke mitemba?’. R: Women were really bullied a lot, that is a woman was not given freedom, very oftenly she was sent to bring the ‘mtembo’, ‘bring for me my kiko near the bed’, and she was not allowed to smoke like ‘fuu’, he will blow it himself and smoke, oftenly he was sending them to throw the ash and add some tobacco for him. I: So, they were serving them? R: They were only serving; they were not allowed to smoke. I: Are the kiko still in use or do you think they were lost and no longer valuable in society? R: In fact you have remind me that not less than 50 years old when I last saw it, I found one like this in a farm but never again, I don’t know if they can be found in shops or if the Maasai people can make cultural things, but currently they are not existing and I should not lie you. I: You said they smoke the tobacco with a hot charcoal, and the person who smoked was sitting on a special chair, can you tell us how did the seat looked like? R: There were the chairs made with sacks, you fold and unfold then you sit, he could sleep like on a bed, but it was not a bed... I: They used to say they were the lazy chairs. R: Yes, they were saying the lazy chairs, so when you find him sitting there, run away and go for the grazing, obvious you will be sent the kiko... All: Laughing. R: If you saw him seated outside with his walking stick, he must send you ‘they, go and bring me my kiko’, and probably some hot charcoals were not available there, you had to find it in other houses. I: How was the importance to the culture of the people you have mentioned? R: It was like these young people who smoke cigarettes today, I also smoked cigarettes, it’s like it was creating some feelings in thinking. I: You said the young people were allowed by their grandfather, it seemed it was very important in their issues of tradition or culture, what was the importance to reach the point that... R: You could not smoke it if you were a young man, he knew this gentleman already has a wife and he is married, hence that's why you find him with a kiko, it was a sign to show you're matured, this was the same like the Maasai when he wanted to marry a wife he must kill a lion, in our culture we say this man is strong, so it is the same like that.... All: Laughing. R: Have you understood me upto that point, they said as long as he smokes he was capable to raise his house with his wife, for sure it is not a secret, when we were young going to take bath with ladies we didn’t know how they were, but now they know everything, so this symbolizes you were capable to care the wife and that was when you were allowed to smoke the kiko, now you don’t have a farm, you are still cared by your father and you smoke, your wife is still cared with your parents. I: Mr. [anonymous] can you tell us who were making the kiko, what gender, and at what age? R: They were made by people aged 20 - 25 years, but a young man cannot make this kiko, in fact how are you going to start it, actually you cannot find these trees right now, these trees are hard, if you make a kiko with these current trees for smoking they get burnt, hence these trees are very hard and you cannot find them. I: Can you tell us what kind of trees were used to make this... and what is this, is it a pot or a what... R: This is a pot, they used to make pots, there was a certain strong clay that you could make pots for cooking, currently we are using sufurias to cook but in the past it was pots, currently we are grinding maize but in the past we used to pound and soak, it made a good very ugali, now I don’t understand if that kind of clay is stil existing. I: And what was the name of that hard tree? R: Actually, I have forgotten the names of these trees, but they said it was like ebony trees that you could pierce a hole by something, so you burn to pierce a hole. I: And that rope R: This rope was helping to hang it, they were not kept down. I: And what kind of a rope is that? R: These are sisal ropes or dwarf palm which could also weave beds, currently we are sleeping using wood beds, but we used to sleep on weaving beds, in fact you have reminded me of a lot, especially the thing about kiko and the trees of Amani. I: So, if you bring that kiko here right now, how many can it be sold? R: Oh! Possibly like 100,000/= or 200,000/=, in fact where will I get it, it is not easy to get it.

source: Amani-Stade Project / Amani Field Research 2023 / Interview No. 21
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R: Anonymous

I: Let’s continue with this photo, this photo is registered under the number 2018_18555_001, take a look at it. R: They used certain types of wood that have a hollow in the middle... I: And that is also a “Kiko”? R: Yes, it’s a “Kiko,” similar to that mianzi wood because it has a hollow inside. Here in Africa, people can make this, but when a European takes it and comes here, they make it more elaborate to attract an African buyer. But this one is from us Africans ourselves. I: So that one is African? R: Yes, because this type of wood grows here with us. I: Have you ever seen a “Kiko” like that? R: Yes, with the older people. My grandmother used to sell this. I: That’s number two? R: My grandmother used to smoke this; she’s a mother and really liked it. I: That’s “Kiko” number two? R: Yes, she really liked it especially with a small channel. When she sat on the couch, you’d be talking here and she’d just be smoking. She puts the tobacco herself because it gets hot. You can’t tell a child to hold the “Kiko” and put tobacco here, the child would get burned. But you yourself can hold it for a long time because you’re used to smoking. But if you tell a child to put tobacco there, it will harm them because the tobacco is poisonous if it gets in the eyes and causes burning. That’s why you see red eyes often from tobacco. I: And this “Kiko” smoking – did people have to learn it, or how does someone become a “Kiko” smoker? R: You know, when you smoke the “Kiko,” even your relatives will ask you how you do it. You tell them your job is to do “pu pu pu” while holding it and smoking. So when they see you sitting like that, they see how enjoyable it is to smoke the “Kiko.” These have existed for a long time. I: And only older people smoked, not the young? R: You know, people back then were not like today. An adult wouldn’t let a child smoke this. Young children shouldn’t smoke like this; people say if young children smoke, they will get sick. I: I remember you said this morning that “Mtemba” was also used for healing. R: You know, this “Mtemba” sometimes has a kind of lump inside, because of the tobacco smoke. If a child has stomach pain or gas, this is rubbed on the belly. When applied, the child breathes easier and the stomach goes down. I: So that’s the lump caused by smoking “Kiko”? R: Yes, it’s rubbed on the navel. I: And it heals? R: Yes, if the child gets rubbed every hour, it gets better and the stomach shrinks. I: (laughs) Was that just for gas or did it have other effects? R: No, it’s just for gas. If the child has gas, they take this and rub it on the belly, then the stomach goes down. I: [anonym], you said your grandmother used “Kiko” number two? R: Yes. I: There’s also another longer, bigger “Kiko,” the head is a bit bigger. Why do you think there were small and big ones made? R: You know, sometimes there are “Kiko” that take a lot of tobacco and others that take less. This one holds a lot because you smoke longer, but this one you don’t smoke for long. I: When you say it takes a long time, is the tobacco finished and then it’s extinguished? R: Yes, when the tobacco here is finished, if it gets too hot, you scratch it somewhere so it goes out by itself. There are “Kiko” that hold little tobacco and those that hold a lot. You know, a person can have one “Mtemba” but many heads that are all the same size. Sometimes they switch the head, but not every “Mtemba” needs its own “Kiko” head. I: And when did they usually smoke “Mtemba”? Anytime they wanted or were there special times? R: You know, the older people sometimes were sick, they smoked when hungry. They said it reduces hunger, or sometimes they smoked to relax. I: At one place we were told that they smoked “Kiko” during meetings. The elders sit together, discuss their affairs, and each has their own “Kiko.” R: Sometimes the “Kiko” was smoked during meetings or when there was news about a child wanting to get married and pay a dowry. Then wise elders would be called to send the gifts, so you’d say you must smoke to keep your mind clear. Or if a child misbehaved and had to be punished, the elder must smoke to keep his mind sharp. All: (laugh)

source: Amani-Stade Project / Mlalo Field Research 2023 / Interview No. 05
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R: Anonymous

I: Alright, please allow me to show you another picture – this second picture is registered under the number 2018_18555_001. Take a look at it, can you tell us what this is? R: This is also a kipunde, but it's a different type of kipunde used for decoration, yes. But this one, as I mentioned earlier, you can place a hot stone in it – originally, it was meant for placing a hot stone inside. I: To place a hot stone inside? R: Yes, and then you blow into it, bububuu, it makes a sound in the front, and the fire comes out in front. I: So this is also a kipunde? R: Yes, it's also a kipunde. I: Maybe you can tell us, among the ethnic groups you mentioned, which one preferred to use this kind of kipunde? R: In the areas of the Wapare. I: Wapare? R: Yes, Wapare. I: So, in the areas of the Wapare. R: That's right. I: The Wasambaa never used it? R: This one – no, the one with the long wood, no. The Wasambaa had a shorter one, it didn’t go very far. That’s right. I: So it was the Wapare who used the long wooden ones? R: Exactly.

source: Amani-Stade Project / Mlalo Field Research 2023 / Interview No. 01
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R: Anonymous

I: OK, I’ll take another photo. I have another one here that’s saved as 2018_18555_001. [anonym], please take a look at it and hand it to [anonym]. What do you think this is? R1: I believe it’s the same “Kiko.” I: Mr. [anonym]? R2: When I look at it, I see that it’s a “Kiko” with a string hanging from it. I: Mr. [anonym], can you remember seeing a “Kiko” like this before? R1: I’ve seen one before, but never with such strings. I: Mr. [anonym], let’s talk about what we see here. Do you see any difference between this one and the others? R1: The difference is that the tobacco chamber in this one is long, while in the others it’s short. I: Mr. [anonym], why do you think one was made short and the other long? R1: I think it’s just for decoration. This one can be filled with a lot of tobacco because you don’t smoke it from beginning to end. You smoke, remove the tobacco, and then continue smoking. This one, however, is filled with less tobacco. I think that’s the reason.

source: Amani-Stade Project / Mlalo Field Research 2023 / Interview No. 10
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R1: Anonymous

I: Mr. [anonym]? R2: When I look at it, that’s a “Kiko,” but there’s a string there – I’m not sure where it’s supposed to hang, but it’s a “Kiko.” I: Alright, [anonym], please tell us – can you identify what materials were used to make these two? R2: This “Kiko” here, if we compare, it’s just clay, potter’s clay that was used to make it. I: What color is it? R2: It’s black. I: Black color? R2: Yes, and the wood used is a type we call mianzi, it has a hollow inside, and you carve it out. I: And what do you think the string was used for? R2: You can also find it in our area – I could go look for it in the forest, it grows there, with a hollow center. R2: I’ve seen “Kiko” like this before used by Europeans – back then we called them the Dutch. I: They were called Dutch at that time? R2: Yes, Dutch. You’d see one of them holding his “Kiko,” sitting somewhere calmly – that’s how we saw them, and theirs were more refined than those of our ancestors. That’s why we were surprised – turns out theirs were more advanced. I: So they improved them? R2: Yes, exactly. I: Alright, [anonym], if a “Kiko” like this were to appear today and someone who smokes saw it – how much do you think they’d pay for it? Please tell us. R2: This could sell for even thirty thousand shillings, honestly – because it’s a high-quality “Kiko.” I: Why? R2: Because of its quality – the way it’s been refined. I: So the Dutch used to smoke with them? R2: Those who know the value of “Kiko” – it’s really valuable. I: These Dutch – when did you see them around here? R2: Here, that was in 1963. They came in 1964, 1965, 1966 – up to 1967, they used to come here often. I: Until 1967? R2: Yes, exactly.

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