Culture and Customs

Moshi Culture and Customs Moshi is home to three main cultural groups, the Chagga, the Maasai and Pare. However most Maasai are employed as watchmen or are selling traditional medicines, their real homes are further north. The Pare are from the Pare Mountains from about 50 km on the way to Dar. The Chagga people are very enterprising and expert businessmen. They also value education very highly having been introduced to it by the first German missionaries at the turn of last century. You can find Chagga all over Tanzania running businesses, teaching and as politicians.

Usually you will be able to find people with a decent command of English, but people appreciate it if you are able to use a bit of the native language, Swahili. It is recommended to invest in a Swahili phrasebook.

The special local brew is called mbege and is brewed from savoury bananas and millet.