
What does Ngorongoro mean?
What does Ngorongoro mean? Ngorongoro is a Maasai word that refers to the sound of the jingle bell, which is always worn on the throat of the group’s lead cow. The cows used the jingle bell to signal their presence and to determine the speed at which they were traveling while grazing. The bell emits a “ngor ngor” alarm, prompting the locals to christen the location Ngorongoro. The term Ngorongoro was derived from the echo that the hills could reverse back “ngor ngor” as if another animal was on the other side, and was modified by the arrival of Europeans to the current protection area as Ngorongoro.
Ngorongoro is the most recognized word used internationally to refer to the world’s largest volcanic crater, and it is one of Africa’s seven wonders. There’s little doubt that the area is home to a diverse range of animal species, including the endangered Black Rhinos and a variety of bird species, ranging from the largest inland bird, the ostrich, to the tiniest.
Ngorongoro is now a conservation area, the only conservation region where humans and wildlife coexist in the most amicable way possible, with no one interfering with another’s daily departure. The name comes from the Maasai pastoralists in the area, and there are additional details about the conservation area. Based on evidence from fossils unearthed by Dr. Leakey at Olduvai Gorge, the area is thought to have been one of the first areas in Africa where humans settled 3 million years ago.
The area was first held by hunter-gatherers, who were eventually displaced by the modern Maasai pastoralists known as the Mbulu, who were later joined by the Datooga clan, who largely occupied the northwestern section of the Ngorongoro, which is dominated by large fig trees. According to history and culture, the large fig trees are thought to have been planted by the Datooga chiefs to symbolize the graves or the location where their commanders were buried after death during the conflict.
In 1928, hunting was prohibited in the area, both on the crater rim and in the surrounding areas, affecting not only the people but also the allowed hunters. This prompted the creation of the Serengeti National Park Ordinance in 1948, which was enacted in 1951. The locals were not pleased with this move because they would be displaced outside the park, causing conflict between the various tribes in the area as a result of re-settlement measures, resulting in the 1959 Ngorongoro conservation ordinance, which separated the Ngorongoro conservation area from the park.
This allowed the Maasai Mara’s residents to stay in the conservation area with all of their live storks and enjoy the benefits of Ngorongoro. Explore the Ngorongoro crater and get all the means by traveling to Tanzania, the best safari destination, with Africa adventure vacations.