“To build a nation in the true sense (...) is to build the character of its people-of ourselves, to build an attitude of mind which will enables us to live together with our fellow citizen (...), in mutual friendliness and cooperation”

Tanzania is a country consisting of more than 130 ethnicities and three major religions. It is surrounded by continuous conflict which could be seen as a suitable environment for identity-related violence to flourish, but instead it is a country that should be seen as a role model in dealing with ethnic religious identities through a self-created system, which includes a political vision and an ideology. The purpose of this thesis has been to explore and describe a country that has worked through politics for a society that has a place for religion, but not religion mixed with politics. The study is based on secondary empirical material and on field work done in the Babati district in Tanzania. The result is important for several reasons, in today’s identity-focused world, since it illustrates the need to recognize people's multiple identities, to be able to integrate to create a foundation of tolerance and respect between religions.