Abstract
The authors trace the influences of colonial policies and pre-colonial political economic relations on the recent process of rapid land cover change on the Maasai plains in northeast Tanzania. It has been argued that the rapid expansion of agriculture in this area is commonly viewed as a new era in Maasai history. This article shows that Maasai pastoralists have sought opportunities for diversification of livelihood throughout the 20th century. In addition, the landscapes of northeast Tanzania have been shaped for centuries by a diversity of production systems.