THE HA OF TANZANIA

Fact Sheet

Churchedness

	50%	Traditional	
	10%	Islam		
	40%	Christianity
	18% 	Catholic
	6% 	Anglican
	3% 	Swedish Pentecostal
	Others include Seventh Day Adventists, Lutherans, Moravians, and Baptists.

Receptivity

Berryman and Palmer describe the Ha as "probably one of the top ten most receptivie tribes in East Africa."

Factors Indicating Receptivity

Low churchedness, high pagan-ness, high homogeneity, relatively low mobility.

Factors Restricting Receptivity

Political suspicion and de-emphasis of vernaculars by Tanzanian government.

Population Density

Approx. 116 persons/sq. mile. East of Buha, the Ha homeland, the land is virutually uninhabited for almost 100 miles.

Total Population

625,000; the sixth largest ethno-linguistic group in Tanzania.

Homogeneity

Buha is reportedly 85% Ha, 10% Rundi (from Burundi), and 5% Arab, Asian, and other ethnic groups. Other groups are mixed with the Ha in areas of new expansion, and the Wabembi from Zaire are the second largest group in Kigoma town and for the majority in the villages along Lake Victoria. Still, most non-Ha are in the towns and the rural Ha are highly homogenous.

Denominational Protectionism

The existing churches, especially in the Kigomo region, try to cooperate with one another. There is some suggestion that opposition might be faced from ther Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, Seventh Adventists, or Pentecostals.

Islam

There is a strong Muslim community in the Kigoma-Ujiji area. New impetus may be given to Islam in Tanzania since the advent of a Muslim president.

Mobility

Though formerly a mobile people, government sponsored "villagization" has caused most of the Ha to become settled.

Availability of Scriptures

Some portions were translated in the early 1960s, but neither the OT or NT is available in their entirety.

Expectations of Government

The Church of Christ is registered in Tanzania and church planting missionaries have entered recently. There is usually some expectation on the part of government officials that a mission will provide some physical services for the community. Red tape and corruption in government require sensitivity and patience on the part of western missionaires.