Our Culture - Social Studies - Standard Four
Introduction of culture
Culture is the total way of life of people of a given society.
Cooperation among people in the society
Cooperation is the act of working together with other people to achieve certain goals.
People in society cooperate in happy and sad occasions.
Happy occasions are like:
(i) Birth of a child.
(ii) Wedding ceremony.
(iii) Graduation ceremony.
(iv) Appointment in a new job.
(v) Sports and games.
Sad occasions are like:
(i) Death of a friend or a family member.
(ii) Accidents and fire outbreak.
(iii) Failing an examination.
(iv) Natural hazards such as floods, earth quakes and famine.
(v) Falling sick.
Other areas of cooperation
1. In political rallies and campaign.
2. In economic activities such as fishing and farming.
3. In administration between leaders and people.
4. In building schools, roads and bridges.
5. In building dispensaries.
6. In defense and security.
Ways of strengthening cooperation
Through cultural practices, activities and other events shown below:
1. Farming together.
2. Fishing and doing business.
3. Helping during funerals and weddings.
4. Helping during floods, earthquakes and fire outbreaks.
5. Building schools, roads and dispensaries.
6. Being polite and honest to others.
7. Attending celebrations and eating together.
Importance of cooperation
1. Makes us achieve our goal.
2. Promotes our culture.
3. Strengthens national unity.
4. Strengthens patriotism, for example cooperating in building roads, dispensaries and bridges.
5. Improves the standard of living.
Behaviours that weakens cooperation
1. Being selfish
2. Jealousy
3. Being envious.
4. Being disrespectful.
5. Being unreliable.
6. Being lazy.
7. Being unkind.
8. Using bad language against others.
Effects of not cooperating with others
1. Work takes a long time to finish.
2. You will be isolated or not helped when in problems.
3. You will not learn new skills and experiences from other people.
4. Hatred will be built between you and the rest.
A tribe
A tribe is a group of people or society with similar language, practices and interests.
People in a tribe share the same cultural practices like dances, greetings, marriage norms and traditions.
Tanzania has more than 120 tribes. Each tribe is found in a different part of Tanzania.
| No | Region | Tribe |
| 1 | Kilimanjaro | Chagga, Pare |
| 2 | Tanga | Sambaa, Bondei, Digo, Zigua |
| 3 | Tabora | Nyamwezi |
| 4 | Dodoma | Gogo, Rangi, Sandawe |
| 5 | Arusha | Maasai, Meru |
| 6 | Iringa | Hehe |
| 7 | Njombe | Bena, Wanji, Kinga, Pangwa |
| 8 | Mbeya | Nyakyusa, Safwa |
| 9 | Kagera/ Bukoba | Haya, Hangaza, Nyambo |
| 10 | Morogoro | Luguru, Pogoro, Kaguru |
| 11 | Rukwa | Fipa, Pimbwe |
| 12 | Katavi | Fipa |
| 13 | Songwe | Ndali, Nyiha |
| `14 | Kigoma | Waha, Manyema |
| 15 | Singida | Nyaturu, Nyiramba |
| 16 | Mwanza | Sukuma, Kerewe |
| 17 | Dar es Salaam | Zaramo |
| 18 | Coast/ Pwani | Zaramo, Matumbi, Kwere |
| 19 | Lindi | Mwera, Matumbi |
| 20 | Mtwara | Makonde, Yao |
| 21 | Ruvuma | Nyasa, Ngoni, Matengo, Yao |
| 22 | Zanzibar | Swahili, Shirazi |
| 23 | Mara | Kurya, Jita, Luo |
| 24 | Shinyinga | Sukuma |
| 25 | Manyara | Barabaig, Iraq, Ndorobo, Hadzabe |
Traditional dances
| No | Society | Traditional dances |
| 1 | Zaramo | Mdundiko |
| 2 | Makonde | Sindimba |
| 3 | Nyakyusa | Lingoma, Lipenenge |
| 4 | Hehe | Mganda |
| 5 | Sukuma | Gobogobogo (snake dance) |
| 6 | Haya | Kajinga, Kasimbo |
| 7 | Nyamwezi | Maswezi |
| 8 | Zigua | Mkweso, Machindi, Tukulanga |
| 9 | Kinga | Mganda |
| 10 | Digo | Baikoko |
| 11 | Pogoro | Sangula |
| 12 | Chagga | Iringi |
| 13 | Sambaa | Mdumange |
| 14 | Nyiramba | Mbutu |
| 15 | Fipa | Insimba |
| 16 | Pare | Mwelema |
| 17 | Gogo | Muheme |
| 18 | Luguru | Mbeta |
| 19 | Maasai | Adumu |
| 20 | Nyasa | Mganda |
| 21 | Ngoni | Lizombe/ Mganda |