A visit to the Fort Jesus in Mombasa

At the entrance

the Museum

the passage to the archs

Protectorate proclamation

Hadza story (Part II)

A typical iron-smith family of the Datooga (c) Nderumaki FA

 When I started my blog I thought big, the thoughts of few hundred or even thousand hits and reads weekly and monthly. I was, like any other youth, on a mission to change the world and in a flash, leave a mark for myself, my old man (whom I owe a nice surname from) and mum (a great buddy, she doesn’t really understand a lot of what I do but she thinks I am smart and that’s grand!).

A 'house' -- a typical dwelling of the Hadza. (c) Nderumaki FA

And so I was so wrong, was I? Those days I had the time, gusto and the oomph to do it. And then I made a startling discovery, actually I was the exclusive reader and writer of whatever that was in it. You may call me whatever is appropriate but, I threw in the towels and called in.

Now today I got an urge to see what’s not happening there and whether Blogger guys have decided to slam shut the account. I happen to find that there was a story I had promised a part II – the Hadzabe story.

This is that part; written so late I may have forgotten some niceties about. Well, the issue was how MONEY had changed and spoiled these beautiful ‘small’, noisy people. When a tour company vehicle shows up in any of their camps, there are payments to be made. The camp head will receive some amount called “boma” fee. And lot of other sums will purchase nice beads, bows and arrows, necklaces made out of seeds and barks, wrist bands and anklets. Though it may argued on many fronts, these guys make good money.

Now there comes the problem of how the money they get is spent, on what things, if it really helps them change anything in their lives. As happily as they may be seem, remember these guys do not have anything you may qualify as ‘civilized’. With monies they can buy alcohol – that sweet thing that makes you go barmy if you take it thoughtlessly. Now, you tell me, you have all this money and you don’t need to service a loan or buy a car, or even put a proper roof to your house; what do you do to the money. Answer: Drink it!

The Hadza have become serious and extremely perilous drinkers, taking anything between the bottled beers to the strongest of all – gongo. Don’t ask for the description of the latter, do a little googling on that brew that kills a lot of Kenyan drinkers.

There’s a CBO that has been established to help these guys move on and benefit from the trade, to see them get some of their children through primary and vocational education, to get them well fed and treated when sick. Those who benefit from turning them into money making machine are livid, and they lack apt management and they will for some time to come, but there is a light in the end of the tunnel. Maybe some things will be improved, but… well; you now know that there will always be one or two. But when a project like this is put in place and almost fully run and well-thought of by people other than themselves, I wonder if I am to expect a long-run and true change.

I remain sanguine but chary.

Since last...

This time I won't tell about being 'busy' or rather 'occupied' by the JF, no. 

First of all, it seems one not so well trained and not well-behaving too, journo decided to use one of the pictures I have posted in this blog for her newspaper article. I don' get angry when people use my resources, but giving prior info and seeking for approval is as important. But dumbass didn't do that and it irks me! The worst part is where she has used the photo of some of the very important siblings of my Grandfather, Late T. Nderumaki, which as expected included my very own papa enjoying his hard earned pot of mbege. The articles was about the issue of haphazard killing of the pensioners esp. in the Shinyanga region.  Basi, I just got angry and then became more wary of posting anything that will benefit this sick journo. Next time sis, call!

Then it happened. A phone call early in the morning of 25th Aug. Bro. Dee was no more. 

I wanted, and I will write an obit for him, but let me save it for later, actually it is goin' to be this very week.

Then there was my trip to Nai-robbery, sight-seeing kind  of thing and relaxation. I also went for college business, prospects are good. Hopefully I might be there for my undergraduate degree coming January. save that too!

But there were buts, just as it should be. But?

Term ended and I am a failure or failed?

It has been months since I last posted.

I don't what is happening with me this days regarding my log! May I put blame on the social sites I am registered to and attending? I am, of late, a bit addicted to JamiiForums (I am a very active member here, I spend more than 4hrs each day and sometimes even more, browsing) and Facebook. You it ain't easy for me to access my blog with a mobile phone I am having, I can not post on the move, you know. But for these two, thats what you call on-on-the-go. I also had posted earlier that I have failed to give my blog an 'aim'. What should I post? For which audience and the like. Stranded just like many other bloggers who started the same way I did.

Now back to serious business that made me write this piece today.

Some people tend to liken teaching and farming; there is input, some kind of processing and then expecting  output of some kind. Just as the first term in this 2011 ended I reviewed my work. Especially this year. I think I have failed, or did my students fail me? My ICT students failed to the rate that is alarming and they seem not to really care! My Geography students in 2nd year did an external exam (I did not prepare this) and did just bad, same as the Form IVs.

Did this make me feel bad? Did it made me mad? YES to both answers.

I asked them. Eti, my exams are very tough. I am very stingy when giving credit. I don't use Kiswahili in class. I don't give direct answers to the questions they ask.  I don't encourage cramming thats why, I think. Why giving only low level of knowledge questions? Because those type of questions are given also in their National Exams? Of all these points I agree to only one, about stinginess. work hard and the fruits will be seen. Not just a reproduction of the material and then expecting a 100%.

But I need to work on my strategy, if I am to continue teaching!

Emmanuel and Maria's send-off & harusi

send/off for maria was on 23rd feb at hale social hall in hale-tanga, emmanuel, mama, shangazi aloisia, valence and mama babu and me of  course represented the moshi people

harusi was on 26th of the same month at karanga catholic parish and followed by a reception at rose garden hall in mosh town, the Holy Mass was said by Fr. Nderumaki with assistance of the parish priest. 'twas super!!

Lost, and money took it...

Last Sunday I had an 'opportunity' to become a tour guide for a day.

There was this group of friends from Italy, driving thru Southern Africa, they started  in Namibia, drove thru Zim, Zambia and wound up in TZA, they had gone places and still were going places. It wasn't their first, it seems, they have done it for years. They have a doctor friend in Arusha told them about Mang'ola, they wanted to see. It happened that the doctor knew my headmistress and the headmistress knew me and the latter had me get them around.

Of the places that any tourist coming these parts wants to see is the Hadzabe, mistakenly also referred to as 'Bushmen'. Mistakenly because they aren't that 'bushmen' you see in South Africa or Namibia; they are blacker and genetically not linked to the San but Bantu pygmies of the Congo. So you see how un-bushmen they are.

Well, they are thought that way and I'll lave it that way, Bushmen way. They are the primitive, they still live the same way their ancestors lived. Hunters and gatherers by trade. Even for their fellow Africans they are 'way wrong'. They don't farm, rear goats or cattle, build a 'proper' (definitions can vary here) house and a lot more. Even their fellow Africans get a 'tourist' taste on seeing them. They are an 'object' of tourist interest to both Westerners (tourists from places rather than TZA) and those from within.

So, the tour companies that organise packages for L. Eyasi would like their guests to see the 'primitive' people remaining. But, you see there is always a but. They are not 'primitive' in the way that primitive mean. They were primitive and then came the Iraqw and Datoga and bunch lot of other 'Waswahili' to Mang'ola Valley, and the primitiveness just remained in the fact that they don't want to mix. And above all, there came MONEY.

Back to the tourists. Most of them are disappointed, they are coming thinking of some very primitive 'things, objects' to see and wonder. The problem is that these primitive people got the taste of money and they all went wasted. Alcohol, just like any other 'indigenous' peoples in the world. All what they see is a Hollywood-type show, they take photos and these guys know how to pose, really good poses you'd not want not to believe. They are primitive remember?

End of Part I

It rained at last

Joto lilikuwa kali kupita kiasi. Lilizidi, watu tukaanza kulalama. Labda 'Mungu' ametusahau, eeh, dhambi zimezidi mno. Kama kawaida ya wanadamu, tulisema....

Then it came down, in 'potfuls'! But there is always a 'but'. It came when it wasn't supposed to, it shouldn't come at this time of the year though we wanted it cool down the place, but this wasn't when we expected it. It was a relief that we could breathe again, the plants could get back the life in them but, well, not at this time. Is He testing us again, after a long dry spell? Someone has to do something, or rather someone did something!

So we spoke again, the old said things weren't the way they were, the way they were supposed to be. This type of things never happened during their days and that they have not seen anything like this, in their life time of course. It was a sign, staunch believers, told. It didn't look good, we have to consult the Oracle. Unfortunately there was't any. After all the Prophet (don't get startled, there are so many nowadays in case you had the thought that they only existed in the OT) had predicted it and He does not want you to speak about your old filthy 'oracle' thing, He is the One now. Sent. Period. You don't question these type of 'things' otherwise you'd find yourself in a very awkward position, unless you question yourself in 'your self'.

So the buts continued because there has to be a but someplace, no?

But...

Siasa baada ya Uchakachuaji

Ndugu Mgeni Rasmi,

Mustakabali wa taifa letu na raia wake upo katika hatihati iwapo hali iliyopo sasa miongoni mwa viongozi wetu tuliowapa dhamana kubwa ya kuliongoza taifa hili hawatadhibitiwa. Ubinafsi uliokithiri, rushwa, ufisad, ubadhirifu wa mali ya umma, uhujumu uchumi, ujambazi, dhuluma, utapeli, mauaji ya imani za kishirikina, na uovu wa kila aina umekuwa ndio sera yao. Dhamira njema ya ukmbozi wa wananchi kufikia maisha bora kwa kila Mtanzania itakuwa ndoto za alinacha kama hautakuwepo utashi wa dhati wa kisiasa wa kupanmbana na hali hiyo.

Jambo la kusikitisha ni kuendelea kukua kwa kasi kwa pengo llilopo baina ya wenye nacho na wasio nacho; yaani matajiri na maskini katika jamii ianyoamini katika misingi ya usawa wa binadamu. Katika jamii hii ya tabaka la wakulima na wafanyakazi; wapo watu wenye fedha nyingi na wanaishi maisha ya kifahari sana na kuwaacha wengine wengi ambao hata kupata mlo kamili wa siku ni shida. Wengi hawana ajira za kuamininka wala mitaji au elim ya ujasiriamali, wanajaribu kukopa mikopo midogo midogo wafanye biashara ili kujikwamua kiuchumi, lakini wapi! Wanazidi kutumbukia kwenye lindi la umasikini uliokithiri. Maisha yanakuwa ya samak baharini. Mkubwa kumla mdogo!

Vita dhidi ya maadui wakubwa wa jamii yetu; ujinga, umasikini, na maradhi imekuwa nadharia tu. Vifo vya wajawazito na watoto chini ya umri wa miaka mitano vimeongezeka. Kipato cha Mtanzania kinazidi kushuka na thamani ya fedha yetu hali kadhalika. Utandawazi ulikusudiwa kutupatia wajomba kwa jina maarufu “wawekezaji” ili waje kutukwamua kiuchumi.wote tuliweka matumaini ya kukua kwa uchumi, kuongezeka kwa nafasi za ajira katika viwanda, migodi, mashamba, mabenki, mashirika namakampuni katika sekta binafsi. Hata hivyo hali si ya kuridhisha, “wajomba” wengi wanatula “usogo”. Wanakula vyetu huku wanatung’ong’a.

Wanawasainisha waheshimiwa wetu mikataba ya ulaghai na wanatumia udhaifu uliomo ndani ya mikataba hiyo kuhamisha utajiri wetu kwenda kwao. Madini, mabo hata wanyama! Maskini, wajinga ndio waliwao. Usimwamshe aliyelala usije ukalala wewe!

Leo hii kumeanza kuzuka migogoro ya kugombea ardhi baina ya wakulima na wafugaji, wawekezaji na wanakijiji, viongozi na raia. Hali hii si dalili nzuri kwa taifa letu, amani tunayojivunia kwa kitambo sasa tunaiweka rehani. Ukiona vyaelea vimeundwa!

Hakuna marefu yasiyo kuwa na ncha. Dalili ya mvua ni mawingu. Dalili za Watanzania kuzinduka kutoka kwenye usingizi mzito zimeanza kuonekana. Tunaanza kufuta tongotongo. Hoja za kuhoji na hatimaye mikakati ya kurejea baadhi ya mikataba tuliyoingia kichwa kichwa zinaonesha kla dalili za kiwingu cha mageuzi na ni hatua ya kujivunia. Mapambani dhidi ya ufisadi na uimarishaji wa demokrasia na miundombinu ya nchi ni hatua ya mafanikio. Wabunge bila shaka mtaendelea kuisaidia serikali na sekta binafsi  kuboresha mazingira yaliypo ili kusaidia kuinua uchumi wa nchi yetu na wa mtu mmoja mmoja. Changamoto  kubwa mliyo nayo ni kubuni nafasi za ajira na kuongeza mitaji kwa makundi yote ya kijamii.

World Diabetes day 2010

The World Diabetes Day logo is the blue circle - the global symbol for diabetes which was developed as part of the Unite for Diabetes awareness campaign.

The logo was adopted in 2007 to mark the passage of the United Nations World Diabetes Day Resolution.

It is a simple icon that can be easily adapted and widely adopted, the circle symbolizes life and health. The colour blue reflects the sky that unites all nations. The blue circle signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes pandemic.

Let's take control of diabetes. Now.

2010 marks the second year of the five-year focus on 'Diabetes education and prevention", the theme selected by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization for World Diabetes Day 2009-2013.

The campaign slogan is: "Let's take control of diabetes. Now."

For the general public and people at high risk of diabetes, the focus will be on raising awareness of diabetes and disseminating tools for the prevention of diabetes. For people with diabetes, the focus will be on disseminating tools to improve knowledge of diabetes in order to better understand the condition and prevent complications. For governments and policy-makers, efforts will focus on advocacy aimed at communicating the cost-effective implications of diabetes prevention strategies and promoting diabetes education as a core component of diabetes management and treatment.

The key messages of the campaign, developed for different target groups, are:

• Know the signs and symptoms of diabetes. Early diagnosis saves lives.
• Diabetes prevention and treatment is simple and cost-effective. Put it on top of the agenda.
• Your child could be affected. Know the warning signs. See your doctor to measure the risk.
• Enjoy an active life and prevent complications.