The Effects of Colonial Environmental Conservation Policies on Culture among the Sukuma of Shinyanga and Simiyu-Tanzania, 1920s-1950s

This paper explores the intricate relationship between environment and culture among the Sukuma people of Shinyanga and Simiyu regions in Tanzania during the colonial period from 1922 to the 1950s. It illustrates the detrimental impact of colonial policies on the established symbiosis between the environment and Sukuma culture. The study aims to shed light on the impact of colonial environmental policies on the Sukuma community and how these policies influenced the dynamics of their cultural practices and socio-economic structures. Employing a qualitative methodology, the paper conducted data analysis guided by predefined objectives and questions, with the research conducted in the Shinyanga and Simiyu regions. The predominant approach was qualitative, characterized by an interpretive and naturalistic orientation towards the subject matter. Archival materials were also incorporated into the study. The author presented findings by utilizing both primary and secondary information. The study has explicitly demonstrated how the pre-colonial social structure utilized its cultural practices for environmental conservation, highlighting the interconnectedness between the environment and Sukuma culture. However, with the arrival of colonialists, these experiences were disregarded, and policies were implemented that severed the indigenous people from their natural surroundings. The paper concludes that the pre-colonial social structure adeptly employed its cultural practices for environmental conservation, but the colonialists, upon their arrival, dismissed these practices and introduced policies that alienated the natives from their inherent connection to nature and culture. It was recommended that scholars and researchers studying environmental conservation must look at the organizational structures and narratives that promote greater local participation in environmental management to improve the culture of the community.