Soma means both “to read” and “to learn”. Demere Kitunga owns a publishing business and runs the SOMA bookstore, which we visited last Thursday. Her vocation grew out of her own experience of learning to read and then educating herself by devouring story books of all kinds. She is trying…
"There is no music in Tanzania without dancing," said Prof. Mdomondo. And so, he started his lecture on traditional music by teaching us a song and having us move. This is our week of focusing on music and the arts.
Like George Washington, Mw. Nyerere appears on one of Tanzania’s lowest-denomination banknotes. Mwalimu (‘Teacher’) Julius Nyerere was Tanzania’s first president after independence (1961). He propounded Ujamaa–a socialism grounded in the solidarity of extended African families. He managed to unite the country not least by promoting Swahili as…
Caravans from the interior brought slaves and ivory to Bagamoyo. From Bagamoyo town they were shipped to the island of Zanzibar where they were sold–approximately 1.5 million humans in the 19th century (Lovejoy 1982), not counting those who died before being sold. Slaves worked the coastal and spice plantations of…
The beaches of Kigamboni stretch for kilometers beyond the harbor. Soft white sand slopes gently into the Indian Ocean, which is bathtub-warm. Saturday morning, a number of students went to the Kariakoo markets with Kathy, shopping for fabric / dresses / soccer jerseys. Kevin had a chance to go with…
Around 120 languages are spoken in Tanzania. Thursday we visited the open air village museum in Makumbusho, which showcases the variety of house types from around the country. A map from the museum (see below) shows that the Mara region–where students will do their service during the second half…
Students had been split into 4 groups for language instruction by KIU (Kiswahili na Utamaduni, “Swahili and Culture”) teachers. These smaller groups began this morning. Students arriving early snacking at the canteen near the church…
Today was the first day of classes. Everyone made it to Upanga Mennonite Church, where students will have Kiswahili language classes each morning. It was a day to get acquainted with language teachers and set up groups. After lunch there is often a lecture. Today we heard from Pastor John…
Time clocks are starting to change for sleeping and waking after a second night in Dar. We started the day with a bus tour of Dar es Salaam. One of the highlights was a walk through the markets of Kariakoo which sprawl over many city blocks. At the center is…
We had the opportunity to meet with author Neema Komba. She wrote a fascinating story, The Search for Magical Mbuji (which appears in the collection “Safe House” edited by Ellah Wakatama Allfrey). It deals with themes of family, superstition, and arguing with and respecting tradition. She was passing through…
