(Click the link!!) which was started by Daudi Peterson and his family in the 70s. Daudi was slowly able to get to know the Hadzabe, only after they stopped hiding from him and running away. The Hadza are one of the last hunter-gatherer groups left in the world and now they only have about 10% of their original land left as other ethnic groups are moving into the area and pushing the non-confrontational Hadza off their land. The two main principles of Dorobo is helping the Hadza through land loss and to maintain cultural integrity (both objectives that the Hadza themselves want to accomplish). 
My experience with Dorobo was absolutely incredible. We had three guides Killerai, Zenan, and Maggie who are all incredible people and they are so good at what they do! On the first night there we stayed at an incredible camp site with lots of trees to rest under and a gorgeous waterfall! The next morning, we woke up and hiked over into the Yaeda Valley.
We were picked up at the top by the Dorobo staff and wisked away into the bush to our first Hadza camp in Morongo (I think I'm spelling it right). This is where we met some of our Hadza guides who were just as excited to meet us as we were to meet them. We stayed here two nights and we were able to visit the Hadza camp with their thatched houses, fireplaces and grinding stones. The women invited us into the houses and told us all about them.They told us that they are able to make them in one day when they arrive at a camp and no snakes go inside because of the type of materials they use.
We then went and collected tubers and honey (unexpectedly found honey, that is). As we were walking through the bush the men would whistle for Honeyguide birds. The birds whistle back and actually lead the men to where the honey is and is rewarded with the leftover wax and honey. It is so cool to see! Then the men will just reach their hands into the hive and pull out the honeycomb, Asali!! The comb was passed around for everyone to taste and it was the sweetest honey I've ever had! Digging tubers is done with pointed sticks to till up the earth and
then collect the underground food source. Once all the tubers are collected, they're carried in khangas and roasted right out in the field. They taste like a sweet stringy starch, you chew on them to get all the juices out.
Later, we sat with the men and made arrows! They can make one in five minutes, burning the wood then using their teeth to straighten the stick and carving the tip into a point. Antelope tendon is used to tie the falcon feathers on and after the basic arrow is finished, individuals add their own personal design that they carve into the arrow and use charcoal from the fire to color in. Some arrows have metal tips that have been soaked in desert rose poison for larger game.
After two nights at the first Hadza camp we packed up our things and made our way across the Great Rift Valley to the next camp. Yes, I hiked across the GREAT RIFT VALLEY. Ahhhhhhhh. It was a long muddy walk guided by a few Hadza men and by the end our feet were caked in mud and the Hadza had shot a small bird. The whole situation was hilarious and although we were walking all day in the sun, everyone was in good moods, excited to be here or just laughing at the what seemed like a never ending mud bog.
The next few days were jam packed with target practice, a question-answer session around a fire with the Hadza, hunting, and dancing and singing around a campfire. All that excitement is just way too much for one post (aaaaand my internet here wont let me load more pictures...) so keep checking in and ill have the next post soon!
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