The collection of important spiritual artefacts of the Hadzabe - a hunter-gatherer people located in East Africa - that had been stolen and brought to Germany by Nazi anthropologist Kohl-Larsen at the beginning of last century still is, unlawfully, in the hands of the Tubingen University, which means that the commercial exploitation of these artefact still bears fruit.

The Hadzabe belong to the last population of hunter-gatherer people that have been spared from cultural extinction up to now. They are closely related to the San people in South Africa, referred to as Bushmen. Their settling area these days extends primarily over areas south of the Eyazi lake in Tanzania. Like all hunter-gatherer people they live as nomads, settling only temporarily in certain areas before moving on. Their autonomous way of self-organization has always been a thorn in the side of Tanzania´s government as well as of other development organizations. Thus they were in many ways targeted by attempts to “develop” them, force them into constant settlement and to proselytise them to gain control over the Hadzabe. Lately, this kind of development went as far as to prohibit what they have done for millenia to survive: hunting. On the other hand, their tribal ground was leased to trophy hunters from Europe and America. Hadzabe that went on hunting despite the prohibition were prosecuted as poachers, put to jail and, very often, maltreated. Hadzabe children were robbed from the bush camps with the aid of the Military as well as of christian missionaries and forced into government schools. Here they were subjected to beatings, something completely uncommon to their own culture.

Since 2002, the goverment is trying to have the Hadzabe registered to vote. It is feared that registration will lead to the Hadzabe having to pay taxes, thus being coerced to turn to labour work. Remnants of the hunter-gatherer people still are able lead their traditional way of life in the east african savannah.

Now once more German and Swiss institutions are participating in further exploitation of the culture of
the Hadzabe people. In summer 1997, Prof. Dr. Hans Jürgen Müller-Beck, in charge of the Kohl-Larsen-collection and then head of the Institute of Early History of Tubingen University, opened an exhibition by the title “HADZAPI - the History and Archaeology of an East African group of people”.
Photos of Kohl-Larsen presenting himself under the Nazi flag were shown with unabashed pride. Mahiya, representative of the Hadzabe People, attended the exhibition, since the items presented included many cultural goods of the Hadzabe, some of them of high spiritual importance. Mahiya insisted that the these artefacts were to be returned to his People, which was promised to him then on the opening day of the exhibit, as witnessed by our then chairman Hartmut Heller. That promise was confirmed on a second occasion by the then Head of Institute, Dr. Müller-Beck (now retired). It was planned that the items would be returned after the Blaubeuren exhibition, which was to take place from March 28 to Nov. 1, 1999. The German-Tanzanian Society as well as ECOTERRA Intl. offered their support in organising the return.

Unfortunately, the Tubingen University or Dr. Müller-Beck have not taken a single step in fulfilling their promise up to this day. On the opposite, the Institute is at this time preparing for a further exhibit showing the life work of National socialist Kohl-Larsen and his unlawfully obtained collection of Hadzabe items, thus exhibiting primarily an attitude of arrogance, ignorance and disrespect towards the “primitives” that one cannot but interpret as sticking with the practices of National socialism in that matter.
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Our latest request concerning the promised return of the artefacts to the Hadzabe People was dismissed by the fact that it was not yet clear where in the Hadzabe area the collection could be accommodated. Mahiya though had proposed that a museum could be fitted into the savannah landscape, like in using caves located there.

We hereby urge the Institute for Early History of Tubingen University to instantly make way for the returning of the Hadzabe-collection as well as to provide for the funds necessary. We, “Friends of Peoples close to Nature”, joined by “ECOTERRA e.V.”, “ECOTERRA Intl.” and the German- Tanzanian Society are ready and eager to take responsibility for the logistics in Tanzania.

“Psycho-Project” on the way:
In parallel to the exhibition the Tubingen University is at the time collaborating with “psychologist” Jeannette Fischer from Zurich and Prof. Marina Abramovic, a performance artist from the Braunschweig College of Fine Arts. The project in question will be supported by the Rietberg/Zurich and the Beyeler/ Riehen museums, both from Switzerland. The concept of the project includes live broadcasting of so called happenings under the title of “how to deal with fear”. Scheduled for June 6, 2004, one of those events will have Hadzabe walking towards lions in front of the (live) camera, obviously speculating on the “spectacularity” of the show.

Similar events planned by Ms Fischer have been rejected as well as protested against by several ethnological museums in Switzerland. In spite of multiple objections toward the project in question the Tubingen institute still clings to its realization, stating that “this kind of happening could be building bridges between different Peoples”. It seems that the anthropologist attitude of looking at other peoples merely as objects of voyeuristic interest still determines their doings. We strictly oppose against this kind of cultural exploitation and exhibition of human beings in spite of the argument that some Hadzabe, probably bribed with money, agreed to participate in this event.

Locally, the situation developed as follows: after some incidents around the Lollondo and Natron area, touristic interest turned to the Eyasi region as an alternative. With the aid of a local tourist enterprise from Arusha, Tanzania, that already had worked with assimilated Hadzabe who, according to our information, are used as guide by Ms Fischer, a so called “documentary” will be filmed in may. These touristically exploited Hadzabe are working for the Safari Companies, showing their traditional dances to te tourists. Almost all members of these Hadzabe-groups are already addicted to alcohol, a result of their loss and exploitation of their cultural identity.

It is obvious that happenings like the one in question are taking a huge part in promoting ethnotourism and assimilation/exploitation, leading to further ethnocide and genocide. Thus we insist on ending all activities concerning these events and, instead, concentrating on the returning of the robbed possessions of the Hadzabe People. The project in question is also strictly opposed by PINGO, the umbrella organization of the indigenous NGOs in Tanzania.

Dear supporters and interested activist`s,
here´ s to inform all participants that we were successful in stopping the Hadzabe Project (please note the report included below). Thank you very much for your support!
Fischer/ Abramovic- Hadza TV-movie stopped!
Fischer/ Abramovic- Kohl- Larsen exhibit stopped! At this time we are examining whether a temporary injunction against future Hadzabe exhibits by the Institute of Early History of the Tubingen University could be of success.

In case of further questions, please don´t hesitate to contact me.

Steffen Keulig
Chairman of FdN
German section of fPcN
21335 Lüneburg
Salzstr. 6
Germany
Tel: +49 4131-682232
Mobil: +49 17624022969
e-mail: FdN@fPcN-global.org
www.fPcN-global.org
www.naturvoelker.org
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