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 I do have the last photo for your which have been registered with registration number 2018_18486_001, look and tell us what is that? R: This photo comes I: Look very properly, don’t be hurry R: This is being called Nyengo I: They call it? R: It is being called nyengo I: Becuase, it cut from here and I do have nyengo inside here I: Please take a closer look, it is of many years back and things keeps on changing, so, please look. R: This is a knife called Nyengo I: Nyengo? R: Eeeeh! I: Ahaah! Hahahah! Okay, please tell us nyengo what language is that? R: Nyengo it is a name of the mainland people I: Which community of the mainland? R: Mostly we have been used to see the Bena I: The Bena? R: Eeeeh! I: What does nyengo mean? R: Nyengo it is a type of knife which bends here at the top eeeh! I: How is it being used? R: This for slashing, cutting some grasses and flowers, this nyengo though this name was brought here I: In the Amani envioronment how is it being known? R: That is nyengo I: Nyengo? R: Eeeeh! I: So, that name continued? R: That name continued until tomorrow I: Untill today is still being called nyengo? R: Nyengo was commonly for the people who have been working in the tea eeeh! I: In the tea plants they have been commonly using them for what? R: During pronning it was being holded here because the tea was not supposed to be cut squire during prooning, so that water can not stand eeeh! So, were being using knives like these I: In cutting tea? R: : Eeeeh! In cutting tea I: Okay, who were being using nyengo between men and women, Mr. [anonymous]? R: Mens I: Why mens? R: You know some past works were being divied, so, the works which used much strength were for mens eeeh! I: So, it requires someone with some strength? R: Eeeeh! With strength I: So, there was not a woman with much strength at that time hahahah! Currently there are women who can do beyond the males. R: In the old times there were no women drivers, you couldn’t find any but currently you can taken nyengo and cut these here I: So, in the current times they can use it? R: They used it in cutting I: But at that time? R: Women didn’t touched nyengo I: Which age were being using nyengo? R: We can say that when you already being a person particulary the youth and above, eeeh! The youth of thirty years and above I: Okay, do you think it will reach a moment when nyengo will no longer be valued in the current lives? R: For the kinds of work which we still have it will still be used I: What kind of works which requires to have nyengo? R: For example, in cutting some livestocks such as cow’s grasses I: Yes R: Because there are two kinds of these, there is the ones which has teeth, do you recognize it eeeh! I: Yes R: And this one, they are all being used I: So, because people are keeping livestocks and cut some grasses, nyengo will still be needed in the community? R: It will still be needed because tea is stll existing till today I: Yes R: Nyengo will still being needed I: Nyengo are still be made here in Amani, where would they be made from here? R: No, maybe, you find a technician and bring an iron to him that Mr. please make me a nyengo, but you can not only find someone making nyengo without order, but I have also never seen that person here in our current community I: So until you need it? R: It is untill you require them, or you wait from where they have been brought from I: So, where did the people of Amani get them? R: For those people who were coming with them, for example there in the rice farms, they have been using those with a saw in here I: With a saw? R: Eeeeh! There in the rice farms it was used in cutting the rice pads, so they were commonly being used there I: Nyengo were being brought from which region? R: In average they were being brought from our fellows I: Okay, do you think who were making nyengo between the males and the females, Mr. [anonymous]? R: The males eeeh! I: Because of those? R: Eeeeeh! I: Hahahahah! Okay, can you tell us what was used in making nyengo? R: It just an iron and a tree handle you insert like this I: Any kind of tree? R: Any kind of tree but in here we used to call it Mkabera, it is a kind of tree which can tolerate the nail when it is being hit I: Even when you hit it. R: Eeeeh! I: Okay, the materials which were used in making nyengo ever being changing, or they remained the same in all those years, you said iron and tree? R: The way things are moving there are some observable changes in the materials which they use, they have been using those materials because they were heavy, but it is easy to get some rust and this one doesn’t get sharpened, so use this one I: Why have they been using things which do not get rust please tell us Mr. [anonymous]? R: The work you do, there is a water work and the dry one I: Yes R: Eeeeh! They dont have some water, the other work I: That nyengo you see was of 100 years back, it is brought today while considering some changes, how much would it be sold as it looks there hhahahh! Tell us Mr. [anonymous]? R: If you get a good technician can produce two of them form this one hahahah I: Hahahahah! So how much would it be sold hahahah! As it looks there Mr. [anonymous]? R: Hahahah! For now I: Eeeeh! R: It seems to be so heavy as the way I understand them nowdays they might tell you that they don’t buy it, they can sell a sword for seven thousand I: According to its materials? R: Eeeeh! You might be told it is seven thousand I: Okay, Mr. [anonymous] thank you for your time, we will be ending here R: Very good I: Thank you for your participation R: Thank you too I: Okay

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