"Sunday, December 24, 1905. [underlined, p. 60] [p. 61] [...] In the evening came the [...] [?] which have ethnographic value. Almost all were procured for me by Max. Snuff box made of horn & wood, bought here from a Swahili (1 Rupia). Similar illustration in Baumann. Usambara. 1891. p. 231. / Kiswahili: tabakero is made by Wanjamwezi [drawing with material details] Wood Horn Wood / Combs, 3 pieces similar to those I illustrated in diary TB. 44, p. 68. One comb like the attached illustration & one was recently carved for me by a Njamwezi named [?], it had the following shape [drawing] / Kiswahili: schamo / and was unfinished made from [p. 62] white soft wood, while the others come from one and the same Fundi (craftsman), who specializes in them. These are yellow and smooth. [drawing] / Small and larger carved round spoons with burnt-in designs, shallowly hollowed, the figures vary. [drawings of seven spoons a-g, partly detailed drawings with labels] Kiswahili: kijiko / mwiko / wu bu [?] / a deep spoon: [drawing h] [drawing of a flute with material details] Wooden flute Tin Gourd Pumpkin Wood Kiswahili: nzumari [corrected to zumari] [p. 63] Device for hollowing coconuts. The halved nut is rasped out with a saw-toothed iron [correction], while the man who operates it sits on the apparatus itself. The wooden parts are carved from one piece & foldable. [Two drawings, one showing a detail] Kiswahili: mbuzi (actually = goat) / A bush knife called "munde" in Kiswahili. Most come from Germany, but these have a much slimmer shape. [drawing] Max received two Chinese pictures embroidered on darkest silk to hang on the wall [p. 64]. I had actually [?] bought them, like the other fabric goods, from an Indian in Tanga. Then a transparent thin fiber fabric, perhaps pineapple fiber, with very colorful butterflies embroidered from thick silk threads. A table runner made of silk, Indian work. –" [translation]

source: Museum der Kulturen Basel, VI 56197, 46 (63)
author: Karl Braun

"52. Coconut rasp = mbusi / carved from one piece of wood, Originally the Koran stand now stool & rasp. / Amani 24.Dec.1905. TB [diary] 46,63 / Abd. Buschan, G. Illustrated Ethnology (1909), p. 361. / [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: Here in my hand, I do have another object photo which was collected at that period, and it has been registered with registration number 2018_18424_002, look and tell us what is it? R: I don’t remember I: Look at it closely Mr.[anonymous]. R: This is a Mbuzi for scratching the coconuts I: That is Mbuzi for scratching the coconuts? R: Eeeeh! I: Ahaaah! Okay, is there any other traditional term which is being used to refer that Mbuzi? R: We call it Mbuzi I: Is it called Mbuzi? R: Eeeeh! I: In your view do you think this object is being related with the tradition of which people? R: The residents of Amani I: The residents of Amani? R: Eeeeh! We can say is for the whole Tanzanians I: The whole Tanzanians, why not for a specific tradition? R: No I: Why it is being related to the whole Tanzanians and not being related to a specifc tradition of certain people? R: You can find Mbuzi is being used in every community, hence every communities contributed in making this mmh I: And it has been used in stratching coconuts in every place of Tanzania, didn’t it had specific locations where it could have been found easily? R: The whole Tanzania in general eeeh I: You will find it in every region? R: Eeeeh! You can find a Mbuzi I: How do you think was used during the colonial period? R: In scratching the coconuts that’s it eeeh! I: Is there any change in the use of its between the colonial period and the current time? R: During the colonial period power supply reached people and for those who were commending themselves to the people who used to have good positions in the Government used to stratch coconut by using power I: But for those who didn’t have power have they been using it? R: Eeeeh I: Until now has been used in sacratching coconuts? R: Yes I: It doesn’t have other use than scratching coconut? R: Eeeeh! I: Who have been using most between men and women? R: It is the women who are the cookers I: Hahahah! So, men can not use it? R: They have been using it while making some stories, maybe Mum certain come here you know you didn’t give well today, as you know men and women talks many things when they meet eeeh! I: Hahahahah! You said it is the women who are commonly using Mbuzi, maybe of which age specifically? R: The age of knwoing how to cook I: Of which age maybe? R: Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen I: And above? R: Eeeeeh! I: Do you think it will reach a time when Mbuzi will no longer needed regarding the current changes? R: It is possible I: Why? R: Now a person to break a coconut, seat and hold it and start to scratch it like this, they think it makes them delay I: So, do you think it will reach a time when it will no longer be needed? R: Eeeeh! I: Maybe, because it is hard to use Mbuzi? Or is there anything which can simplify work which has been done by it? R: The technology we have now prohibits us to scratch, we only put in in the power, put is one and it is being blended once eeeh! I: Okay, so the technological development can make Mbuzi not being used again? R: Eeeeeh! I: Okay, what is the importance of it? R: Its importance is only to scratch some coconuts, that’s it I: Are the Mbuzi still being made nowdays? R: Eeeeh! I: In which places can you mention them? R: Bonde I: It Bonde for the Bondei? R: Eeeeh! I: Is there a place in Amani which it people makes Mbuzi? R: They have been making them but nowdays not many of them, but you will find them are being sold on the way to Bonde I: Which place along the roads can you mention them? R: You can find it starting from Bombani, then you go to Ubembe, and on the way to the Muheza Market, there you will find many of them I: Okay, who make this between men and women? R: It is men I: Why it is being made by the men and being used by women hahahah? R: But we are the ones who make them very fast, forexample this one here it is an Iron, you can not tell a woman to make an Iron I: Why a women would not be able to make an Iron? R: It has many things; it has teeth in here I: Okay, you said it has been made by the Bonde people, is there anyone in Amani who can make this? R: Even in here there are some carpenters who do not have some works can make this eeeh! I: Would you abe to tell us which materials made that object? R: A tree and this js a wood I: Timber R: Eeeh! I: Is it any timber can be used in making it or there is special timber? R: The wide ones I: The wide timber of any tree? R: Any tree I: Okay, since these kinds of objects have been made at that colonial period, it materials have not changed? R: No, in most of the time they have been using wide timber, they can take and given to mzee to take some measurements and make it eeeh I: Can you estimate how would it be sold? R: Mbuzi I: Eeeeh! R: Currently things are moving forward maybe twelve thousand I: Do you think how was it being sold during the German colonial period? R: Three hundred

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

I: Okay, lets take another photo with registration number 2018_18424_2, look and tell us what is that? R: This is a mbuzi board I: A mbuzi board? R: Eeeeh! I: It i show it is being called or it has another name. R: Mbuzi I: It is mbuzi? R: It is being called Mbuzi I: Hahahah! How do you call it in Sambaa? R: In Sambaa we call it the same, it is mbuzi I: Mbuzi? R: Eeeeh I: So, it is a mbuzi board? R: Mbuzi I: The mubzi board was commonly used by the people of which tradition? R: This it was the Sambaa, Bondei, Digo and all other coastal communities, but it is not common to the Sambaa than the Bondei and Digo eeeh! I: Why it is common for the Bondei and Digo? R: The Bondei and Digo produces the crop which is being used together with Mbuzi I: What is that crop? C: Coconuts I: Coconuts? R: Eeeh! It has only been used with Coconuts I: For coconuts R: Eeh! I: So, it was commonly be found in the regions where coconut was available? R: Eeeeh! I: Like which regions, can you mention them? R: It is the regions of Tanga in the districts of Korogwe, Muheza, Tanga and Morogoro, all this places coconuts are available, hence you will never find someone who don’t posses mbuzi I: Mbuzi? R: Eeeeh I: How is mbuzi being used? R: Mbuzi is being used in scratching the coconut I: In scratching coconut? R: Eeeeh I: Can you tell us how it works? R: Eeeh! I: Ehee R: They it works you should take a coconut, break it then you take a plate, you out it down under the teeth of the mbuzi, and you start scratch it I: You scratch it? R: Eeeeh! I: After scratching it? R: After that you take your mbuzi, fold it and put it aside, then you take your coconut and start filtering it ready to be used I: Who were the common user of the mbuzi? R: The women I: Of which age? R: From the age of ten and above I: Why? R: First it could have been even for those who had the age of seven, because they have been taught how to scratch coconuts in the earlier ages I: Why it is commonly the females? R: It is the women who are of the kitchen, and this is commonly used in the kitchen I: The women are of the Kitchen hahahaha R: Eeeeh! I: The women are of the kitchen? R: Nowdays the mens are scratching some coconuts but it is not their profesion eeeh! It is the women who are commonly the cookers I: Okay, do you think it will reach a time when mbuzi will no longer be used by the people you have mentioned? R: Mbuzi will not end though nowdays there are modernity, people are using Blenders to blend coconuts, but this will not disappear because blender can not be afforded by everyone eeh! This is a tradition I: It is tradition? R: Eeeh! It will not disappear I: Do you think if it reaches a time that everyone has a blender, mbuzii will no longer be used? R: Everyone of us even the poor people I: Eeeeh! Hahahah! R: It is possible that it can not be used but it is very hard, because nowdays people are using brenders, though they still have mbuzi I: Okay, to use mbuzi what else someone needs to have? R: For the mbuzi to be used youmust have a sword for breaking a coconut, a plate for scratching, and the filter for filtering the coconut juice eeh I: All of them went together. R: They are all used together I: You must have them if you want to use mbuzi R: Eeeh! Yes I: Okay, do the mbuzi still being made to date? R: Yes, they are being made I: Why do you think they are still being made? R: It is still being used and the number of users is increasing everyday, and the makers of mbuzi are also increasing to make them I: Who are the makers of mbuzi between the mens and women? R: Mens I: Mens? R: Eeeeh! I: Of which age? R: But if a boy is smart, even he has ten or twelve years and above can make it I: Why mbuzi are not being made by women? R: These kinds of Works has been divided, there are some for women and some for men, so this one has besed much on women, but those who makes it are the men who have been making some beds, and tables, but that doesn’t mean that if a women is being instructed can not do it, but in the divison of labour there are some meant for women and some for men eeeh I: In which regions do the mbuzi being made? R: Commonly in the Morogoro region, and in some places of Tanga region, Mbeya as well but is not common, mostly they are being made in the regions of Tanga and Morogoro I: Okay, would you be able to recognize the materials used in making mbuzi? R: Trees I: Trees and what else? R: It is trees and iron I: Iron? R: It is the knife, sword and something called chisel (patasi) which is being used in drilling it I: Chisel? R: Eeeeh! I: Did the materials used in making Mbuzi has changed, or they remained the same? R: Yes, those eeeh I: Looking at it for now, how much could it be sold? R: This one in the current times can be bought for fifteen thousand I: Fifteen thousand? R: Eeeeh! I: Tanzanian shillings? R: Eeeh! Fourteen to fifteen thousand and above I: Hahahah! It looks like yours? R: It looks the same but mine has some teeth on both sides

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