"Sunday, August 23, 1908 I developed my photographs. – Today I came into possession of a woman’s skirt that belongs with the trousers described on p. 36. The piece is made of plain white cloth. [Drawing] At the neckline, on the sleeves, and at the bottom, it has trim made of pleated fabric sewn on. Across the chest, from top to bottom, around the neck, and on the upper [p. 57] back, there are patterns made with yellow and black thread, stitched by machine by Swahili tailors. [Two detailed drawings of the patterns, with descriptions] Border across the chest: 31.5 cm long, 5.5 cm wide / Border around the neck: 4.5 cm wide / The back pattern is a simple star, with a black outline and a yellow inner line. / I paid 1 rupee 50 for the piece. I also received a pair of women's trousers, like the one I illustrated on p. 36, but with a different design: I didn’t have the correct color — my orange should be pink. The black stars are appliquéd. The entire piece is sewn together with countless small stitches. I paid 1 rupee 25. In the evening, gathering at Professor Vosseler’s house: [p. 58] Professor Zimmermann and wife, Lommel, Professor Vosseler, Raab, Staff Doctor England, and myself." [translation]

1,25 Rupien

source: Museum der Kulturen Basel, VI 56197, 52 (57)
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: I have another photo here registered with the number 2018_18386_001, look at it what this it? R: This is a trouser. I: What kind of a trouser? R: They are like women trousers which as decorations here. I: What is that kind of trouser called? R: It is called ‘pyjama’. I: Which people were mostly dressing that cloth? R: Mostly they were the Indians. I: Okay, in which regions was it more available? R: The Tanga region used to wear these clothes a lot. I: In what years, can you remember the year? R: From the year 68 until now, Indians are still using these clothes. I: And how was the pyjama used? R: The Indians mostly used the pyjama for sleeping or the Indian women using it while at home. I: Is it only the Indian women who wore pyjamas? R: Yes. I: They were the only women? R: They were the only women, men did not use those clothes, Indian women used to wear that trouser.

source: Amani-Stade Project / Amani Field Research 2023, Interview No. 12
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R: Anonymous

I: I do have another photo here with registration number 2018_18386_001, look and tell us what is it? R: This looks like a sleeping trouser; this is a sleeping trouser, it has some legs I: Mr. [anonymous] you have been selling a shop, can you tell us what is that? R: This is just like trouser I: This trouser, how is it being called? R: It is a sleeping trouser I: How is it being called? R: I dont really know I: How was it being called R: It was called Pajama I: Pajama? R: Eeeeh! A sleeping dress I: Hold that photo we haven’t finished hahaha! Those kinds of trousers were being dressed by who? R: We couldn’t afford these kinds of dress; it was for those with their position I: Like which people? R: It was the German men who used to put on these kinds of dress, they were not reaching us, it was them who used to dresss these special sleeping dresses, it was these which were being dresssed I: Yes, those R: Eeeeh! I: Where do you think these kinds of dresses were brought from? R: In most of the cases the dress were being brought from outside, though cotton was being cultivated here, these dresses were brought from their countries, in here it was not ready that time I: So, it was being called Pajama? R: Eeeh! Pajama I: Which language is it? R: I found these kinds of dresses commonly used by the Arab traders I: Arabs? R: It was them who were the biggest busness men of clothes like these, they used to sell them in different places I: For dresses like those? R: Eeeeh! They used to sell so many kinds of dresses, and there was one kind of Pajama which was being called Mahara, they used to pass through in the streets selling, and sometimes they provided it by debts/loan and came back after few day to collect their money eeeh! I: Okay R: Now days we call them Machinga I: But in the past, they were being called? R: Mahara I: It was the Arabs? R: Eeeeh! Were the Arabs I: Were those who moved around selling those dresess? R: Eeeh! I: When was it, if you do remember? R: Aaah! It is so many days back I: It is a long time a go? R: I used to see those people who have been selling this dress when I was in the Handeni District, at a place called Mgambo, it was where they used to go around selling these dresses, it was the Mahara in 1956 I: In 1956? R: Eeeeh! I: Mahara was coming from which country? R: Those Arabs were from within the country, they used to do some business after seing that they will not get some money if they could have stayed together, that is why they moved around selling and giving it by loan and come back to collect their money, they were coming from within the counry I: Where did they get the product from? R: It was from the outside of the country as well; the Arabs were so many I: Have you ever bought something from them? R: At that time, I was still as little boy in the year 1956, I couldn’t able to buy clothes I: It was the people of which gender who used to put on those kind of clothes R: This? I: Eeeeh! R: This kind of dress were mainly used by the males, but it was not for moving around with it, it was purposely used for sleeping I: Males of which age? R: It was the old people with an average age I: Something like 50 years maybe? R: Eeeeh! You put on it I: Some dresses like this are still being used in the current days? R: Nowdays are no longer used since people used to put on shorts I: Hahahah! Nowday people put on shorts? R: There were different names of the shorts, those were the ones which were being used as they called them ‘teitei’ I: Tei tei? R: Eeeeh! Tei tei I: What was being put on concurrently with the Pajama, what was the other dress which was used together with Pajama? R: In most of the times they used the Pajama alone, and put on simple some t-shirts on the top, that was it, because when something happened in the night it would have helped, because if you delay you will get out naked eeeh! I: Would you be able to know who were producing these dresess? R: It was those who ruled that time were the ones who produced these I: The Germans? R: Eeeeh! The Germans, all kinds of clothes they were the ones who produced them, at that time the cotton business was already being opened, when the cotton was taken from here was exported there, produce some clothes, and returned back I: So, you want to say that here in the country there was not any region which produced clothes like those? R: There were not some factories in here, but the factories were set later by themselves to make sure that their interest continues I: So, it was cotton which was used to make those dresses? R: Eeeeh! It was being exported outside to produce those dresses there and brought back here I: Okay, maybe Pajama like this if it is being sold for how much would you be ready to buy it? R: This? I: Eeeeh! As you can check the way it has been designed R: Its price for that time it was low, but it had much value, you can see a thing is very costful for example when you take mats in the year 1972, it was a whole bag which you couldn’t even finish it I: Hahahah! You can estimate its cost by using our current currency R: Let’s say it woulde be six or seven thousand I: Six or seven thousand? R: It is because its value is very low

source: Amani-Stade Project / Amani Field Research 2023, Interview No. 13
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R: Anonymous