We woke earlier than usual and gathered to discuss the plan of action for the day. Our Hadza guides were waiting with hunting weapons ready, so we knew today would be exciting.  After breaking up into groups of two or three, we went our separate ways with the guides, in hopes that this experience would enhance our understanding of the Hadza way of life.  Of course, there was also the excitement of bringing back fresh meat for lunch. As soon as we left the campsite, we started to notice tracks on the ground and realized there is much wildlife in this desolate place.  One of our guides, Mekuyu, an old ulubde (strong) man with an impressive set of arrows, showed us how the Hadza retrieve honey from baobab trees. First, a rock is wedged into a hole in the baobob to keep the gap in the tree from closing. After a time, a Hadza man returns to the tree, pries the rock away, and extracts the honey.  This is a clever and sustainable way to harvest nature’s sweet fruits.

As we trekked on in the dry heat of the Yaeda Valley, different groups came across various animals commonly hunted by the Hadza. The Guinea fowl was the most common, as well as Dik dik and impala. The Hadza hunters got fairly close to the game but one of us took a wrong step and scared the animal. Obviously, it was much more difficult for them to hunt when we were present than by themselves. When a kill is made, the Hadza people set up camp at the site of the kill and cook all of the meat on the spot. This allows everyone to benefit from one kill rather than making several kills and not utilizing all of the fresh meat.  The Hadza are much closer to nature than previous indigenous people we have met. They understand the importance of keeping wildlife abundant and habitats rich. Without these practices, the Hadza would not survive.

One of our hunting groups stopped at a prominent hill and walked through a small Hadza village that consisted of three or four huts.  Several fire pits were filled with midden that contained numerous small mammal bones. We also saw where they processed baobab fruit, using a stone similar to a Southwest Indian metate. We perched on a magnificent granite rock that looked out over the abundant baobab forest in the valley below.  Then we continued our search for game with our Hadza companion as we discussed their way of life.  All of us appreciate and even envy the Hadza lifestyle, especially Dr. Vavra.