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 thanks, now we go to another picture registered with the number 2018_18261_11, Mr. [Anonym] look at it well, can you identify what is that? R: Obvious during that period it was a musical instrument. I: What is it called? R: This is called „marimba“. I: A „marimba“? R: Yes. I: Mr. [Anonym] can you tell us which people with their culture were mostly using it? R: Even today there are people who are still using „marimba“ in their music. I: Which community were mostly using the „marimba“? R: Currently here the Sambaa community are using „marimba“, but even here the Zaramo community are using the „marimba“. I: The „marimba“? R: Yes. I: What has enabled you to identify that is „marimba“? R: The pieces of wood that were carved on that „marimba“, if arranged those pieces they tune the sound ‘do ti la so fa’……..yah. I: It produces a sound? R: Yes. I: In your community did you have the „marimba“ too? R: For really Zigua community we were using ‘vinubi’ (harp) and ‘njuga’ (ankle bells). I: Oh! Vinubi and njuga? R: Yes. I: So, the communities you have mentioned is it only known with the same name as „marimba“ or there is another name? R: Yes, even in Kiswahili it is called „marimba“. I: So, it is only „marimba“? R: Yes, it is „marimba“. I: Fine, do you know which regions were exactly distributed with the „marimba“? R: In the upcountry they were mostly playing drums and njugas, but the „marimbas“ was played in the coastal region. I: In the coastal region? R: Yes, we saw the Zaramo community, the Sambaa community and the Digo community in Tanga region, they were all using this instrument. I: Fine, so was it only used for entertainment, or did it have other uses? R: By the way it was for entertainment. I: For entertainment hahaha, it was producing different sounds? R: Yes. I: What gender do you think in the community especially used the „marimba“? R: I think it was the men who used to play the „marimba“, even in Lushoto there was a man called Shauri, he also used to play the so called ‘mdumange’ which was even played in the radio Tanzania programme, he was also using „marimba“. I: The ‘mdumange’, fine, I remember it hahaha, so those who played it were men? R: Yes. I: What age did they start playing it? R: When they were young. I: When they were young? R: Yes, they were learning to play it since they were still young, when they were old enough, they become the champions in the society. I: In your opinion, do you think it will reach a time „marimba“ will no longer be in use in the culture you have mentioned? R: Oh, they will still be in use because civilization has not yet expanded in the country in the use of the current technology, it was just the previous day when I was watching TV, there are people who understand mwalimu Julias Kambarage Nyerere is still the president of Tanzania, hahaha. I: Hahahaha, as the president, how long will it take? R: Oh, this will take a long time. I: Fine, now to use the „marimba“, what else should be used to play together with „marimba“, that when they were used together, they were played well? R: In the past time they were using to put some pieces of clothes, but nowadays they are putting some sponges, and these pieces of wood were held with strings, and the kind of box which was producing the tune was made of wood, so it was made with string and wood. I: And was it played alone or there was instrument which was played with „marimba“? R: Yes, there were some certain canes they were playing ‘kochoookochoo, kocho, kochoo’. I: Manyanga? R: Yes, manyanga, hahahhaha. I: Hahhahhah, so when you played „marimba“, you must play it together with manyanga? R: Yes, while they were singing. I: And ngoma? R: Yes, and ngoma I: For instance, if these are still made, are there places you can get them? R: Even this moment they are available at Misitu, the Mwera play it, they rastaman has it. I: And those who made it were men? R: Yes, they were the men who made them. I: Why the men? R: Do you know there are traditions and customs in some communities that up to now women are still involved in certain activities, and the men are having their own activities, sometimes the women were not allowed to engage in activities that were made by men. I: Okay. R: Hence this culture is still existing. I: It is still existing? R: Yes. I: Okay, Mr. [Anonym] can you tell us the materials that were used to make the „marimba“? R: These are wood, and these are strings, there were strings from the forest they used to make and they were softened, during that time there were no sisal so they were using strings from the forest and I think up to now they are still there, the old people used to make that. I: What kind of trees were mostly used to make the wood? R: Obvious they had their own kind of trees and not every tree. I: It was not from every tree? R: Yes, for instance at our home there is a tree called ‘mfuleta’. I: Mfuleta? R: Yes, the mfuleta was the one being used. I: So, the trees have different sounds? R: Yes, the mfuleta tree is soft. I: Had these materials been changing or they were still the same? R: I think they are still the same, and this picture was taken the past 100 years ago, so this technology had not been changed. I: Okay, so they are like the current ones? R: Yes, they are still similar and that is why I was able to identify it. I: Okay, for instance if we take the „marimba“ of that past time and take it to the market, how much can it be sold? R: This is being sold, even Mpoto uses it, but I don’t know its value at this current time, I don’t know how much it costs because I was not among the participants, so it is difficult to know the cost, perhaps Aloyce [A] can help me, the one which was with Muya how much was it cost? I: Hahahahaha, okay fine, Mr. Aloyce, can you tell how can „marimba“ be sold? A: You mean the complete box? I: Yes, the complete box. A: I bought it at 40 thousand shillings. I: At 40 thousand shillings? A: Yes, I bought it. I: Why did they sell it cheap? A: I bought a small one. I: Hahahahaha A: But he asked me what size I wanted, I ordered for the small one to entertain me at home, so I told him the size I wanted and to use the thick bamboo material from Zigi, so he used the matured ones, he sold for me at 40,000/=, he said for the big ones they were sold up to 70 to 80 thousand shillings. I: 70, 80 thousand? A: Yes.

source: Amani-Stade Project / Amani Field Research 2023, Interview No. 16
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R: Anonymous, A: Aloyes Mkongewa