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, here are some other things you couldn’t recognize earlier. Here I have a photo registered as number 2018_18361_6. Mama [anonymous], can you tell us what this is? R: This is a kanga. I: This is a kanga? R: Yes, this is a kanga which has been made very nicely. I: A kanga that has been decorated very well? R: Yes! I: Can you tell us, kangas are mostly used by people of which culture or tradition? R: Women love to wear kangas. I: Like who? R: The Sambaa, the Pare, and now almost every community wears them. I: Every community? R: Yes, they all wear kangas. I: In the past? R: In the past, it was mostly the Sambaa. I: The Sambaa? R: Yes! I: Why was it mostly the Sambaa? R: Because it was a type of clothing that was easy to get. I: What do you mean by easy? R: Affordable in price. I: Can you tell us about the uses of kanga? R: Kangas are worn; for example, during weddings, they wear these kangas. These kangas are not for home use but are worn at ceremonies like weddings or traditional dances. I: Why do you say these kangas are not for home use? R: Because at home, they wear something called kaniki, but in the past, these kangas were special and only worn at weddings or dances. At home, kaniki was used. I: Kaniki? R: Yes, they used to wear kaniki. I: So kangas were for special occasions? R: Yes, kangas were for special occasions. I: Kaniki was for everyday use at home? R: Yes, kaniki was worn at home, but these kangas were for special events. I: Kangas? R: Yes! I: Thinking back to that time, which age group of women mostly wore kangas? R: These kangas were worn by people who could afford them. If you didn’t have money, you couldn’t buy kangas. I: What kind of ability? R: Financial ability, because kangas were expensive. Maybe you could get one as a gift, but generally, people wore kaniki. I: Kaniki? R: Yes! I: If you think back to about 100 years ago, who wore these kangas? R: Back then, before I was born, only those who were financially well off wore kangas. Poor people wore kaniki. I: Were kangas worn long ago? R: Yes, back in 1968, when we were young girls, until we got married, people wore kangas. I: But were they few? R: Yes, there were few people who could afford kangas, but now everyone can buy and wear kangas. I: Maybe we can talk about the status of people who wore kangas at that time. What did it mean for someone to wear a kanga in the community? R: That person was considered to be of very high status. I: Ah! R: Yes! I: Very high status? R: Someone of high social standing. If you look closely, kangas were worn by educated people who earned money, or wives of kings and leaders. I: Wives of leaders? R: Yes, the wives of leaders wore kangas, but most people wore kaniki back then. I: Kaniki? R: Yes! I: What age group mostly wore kangas then? R: Young women around 20 years and older mostly wore kangas, but those over 50 years did not wear kangas much. I: How does the use of kangas today compare to the 1960s? Is kanga still used? R: Nowadays, kangas are used a lot. People tailor them, others wrap them. So, kangas are more common now than before. I: More than before? R: Yes, because before they were not many and were expensive, but now everyone wears them. I: Everyone wears kangas? R: Yes, even kaniki has disappeared. I: Things have changed? R: They have changed a lot. I: Kaniki has disappeared and kangas have taken over? R: Kangas have taken over. People wear vitenge too, but kangas back then were very beautiful, I liked them. I: You liked them? R: Yes! I: Where did kangas come from back then? R: I think in Tanzania, maybe from Dar es Salaam, but here they were not easy to get. I: So they were brought in? R: Yes, maybe imported. They were very rare. I: Okay, nowadays which areas in Tanzania produce kangas? R: Many places, like Urafiki in Dar es Salaam, where there are many factories making kangas and vitenge. I: Can you recognize the materials used to make kangas? R: Kangas are made from cotton, I think it’s cotton. I: Cotton? R: Yes, cotton is the material used to make kangas. I: Which regions in Tanzania produce cotton? R: Many regions. I: Name two that you know. R: Mwanza and Tanga. I: Do you think there will come a time when kangas will no longer be valued or needed in the communities you mentioned? R: No, they will still be used. I: Why? R: (Laughs) I: Why do you think they will continue to be used? R: Because it is a dress for women. Even men nowadays sew shirts from kanga material. I: Shirts made from kanga? R: Yes, there are heavy kangas and light kangas like vitenge. Kangas will never disappear. I: Okay, since this kanga looks nice and if it were brought to the market today, how much do you think it would be sold for? R: Nowadays, kangas sell for about 15,000 to 17,000 Tanzanian shillings. I: 17,000? R: Yes, for the heavy ones. I: Heavy kangas? R: Yes. I: Since this one was made a long time ago, it should be heavy. R: Yes, if this one is brought here, I will buy it! (laughs) I: (laughs) Okay, Mama [anonymous], thank you for the explanations you’ve given us about these few items you recognized. R: Okay. I: Thank you very much for your participation. R: Thank you too. If I made some mistakes, please forgive me. I: It’s okay, you can’t recognize everything. R: It has been a long time. I: True. R: Yes, many years.

source: Amani-Stade Project / Amani Field Research 2023, Interview No. 14
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R: Anonymous