Shija -

Shija - Documenting the undocumented artist

Our Documenting the undocumented exhibition is a collaboration of Tanzanian artists to represent the Hadzabe and Datoga tribes. We want to shed light on the indigenous tribes, something that has not been done by Tanzanian creatives. This is an opportunity for creatives to promote their crafts, stories, and entrepreneurial spirit. We want to be the contributors to their narratives.

During this project, we collaborated with 4 creatives ( Ammal, Beatrice, Jennifer and Shija), who exhibited their work in an online exhibition in partnership with Emergent Art Space.

Trailer videos by Take2Studios: Photography by Bill Marwa; Videography by Anna Kishimbo

Paanakwabee

Paanakwebee is a name given to a group leader (a young man), leading 30-40 people who are closely related. The leader makes his own headpiece made of animal skin and beads which identifies him as a group leader. Other men in the group can wear a headpiece from animal skin and fur only as a trophy/token from their successful hunt. The Paanakwebee role is given to a young man because the hunting process requires a person to be in good shape. He has to be a very skillful hunter, excellent with bows and arrows, and also has to be well experienced with traditional medicine to heal others in the community. The leader is always around his people, be it in the hunting game or with the group resting.

Salameda

Salameda is a tattoo done to girls from 13 years of age. It symbolize beauty and was an important identifier for a woman to get a husband. Salameda is done with a hook-like needle and a razor blade from the smoke on the roof generated when cooking. Some who could not finish the design because of the pain were laughed at and got less chance of getting a husband. Currently, tattoos are only seen on older women, the culture is disappearing as days go on because of mingling with outsiders, and it is seen as old-fashioned.

Shija's reflections

Being born and raised in Dar es Salaam, I used to hear stories about the Hadzabe and Datoga communities and some seemed so out of touch with my reality to even imagine how it will be like to actually be there physically. Initially, I didn’t know what to expect from the visit.

Seeing and experiencing a glimpse of their ways of life was a fascinating feeling for me, as I am comfortable with urban living.

For instance, the Hadzabe system of marriage i.e. only marrying inside their tribe to keep their culture intact or their art of bead making which are mostly worn by men. I also observed their way of ruling, where the leader is not a boss and is ALWAYS with his people leading by example, eating natural food (eating anything that is moving and studying what is safe for them by watching what birds eat). Their hunting process… let’s just say that if you are not fit, you may struggle to keep up.

They had to stop and wait for us several times because they sensed they were walking too fast for us to keep up with them.

For the Datoga, their skills as blacksmiths where they create jewellery by recycling metal objects such as nails, their designing skills where they handmake clothes from animal skin, and their way of tattooing which left me wondering just how women managed to finish the design with such amount pain.

These are just a few examples, I hope through my artwork, you will get to experience a part of my encounter with the Hadzabe and Datoga indigenous people.

Shija's Bio

Shiija B. Masele is a painter and a makeup artist based in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. She has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Administration from the University of Dar Es Salaam.

She began creating artworks at a young age, having been inspired by her father and in 2020 she was part of the first ever Nafasi Academy – a series of artistic workshops hosted by Nafasi Art Space in Tanzania.

Her artwork is informed partly by her educational background in politics and what happens in her country’s political arena. She explores the political environment and the notion of power in different contexts.

Exhibition History

Wasemaje Art Exhibition at the Swedish ambassador’s residence Tanzania – 2020

Inner visions Exhibitions at the National Museum Tanzania – 2020

Email Shija: shiijamasele@gmail.com

Follow her on instagram:

@shiij_art / @shiij_makeupeffects