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Published: November 4th 2007
The other day I was riding local Tanzanian transport to the Masaai market in Tangeru to buy some produce. I've never seen another white person using the local buses until that day and I remember thinking that he looked like an Ole. My alma mater is St Olaf College where Ole's are born and sometimes bred. I thought briefly of yelling out Um Ya Ya to see if he responded. I decided against it and continued looking out the window. At that moment I saw a young girl standing at the side of the road wearing a Kanga wrapped as a skirt with a tshirt that said "St Olaf College". I was so verklemped that I didn't have my camera. It's not often that you see St Olaf Alums so far from a Lutefisk stand. Then I realized that most likely she was not an alum nor even her parents. Those old ratty tshirts we take to the Goodwill must find their way here. And children in need of tshirts are given them without any knowledge of their origins. I would be proud to consider her part of my extended alma mater family in any case. So I suppose that their aren't as many Vikings fans here in Tanzania as you would think either. I've seen at least three Vikings jerseys. Also I suppose that the woman with the Wisconsin Dells tshirt really has never been.
The word "muzungu" in Swahili translated literally means one who wanders around lost. Muzungu also is a general term used to call all white people. It's not used as a welcoming word and we here it often on the local transport, in the markets and on the streets. It's hard to ignore and easy to hear when others are conversing nearby. They sell tshirts in the local market that that have "MUZUNGU" printed in bold letters across the front. I was determined to buy one and did last week. As I was going through the stack of shirts I came across one that had the words "Muzungu Kichaa." I asked the store keeper what it meant and he made a face with wild eyes and twirled his fingers around his ears and said it was "Crazy Muzungu." I bought it straight away. It has made many people smile. I won't wear it to the market but when I wear it to the baby home all the nannies laugh.
Halloween was last Wednesday and trick or treating doesn't exist here. We decided to buy some candy and pass it out in a nearby village. Candy or treat in Swahili is called pipi...pronounced peepee. We left after dinner to pass out pipi. Costumes seemed like too much and Olivia wouldn't let me wear my "Muzungu Kichaa" tshirt. The idea of strange white people handing out candy was frightening enough. Most of the kids took the candy but looked at us like we were kichaa.
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Elizabeth Skinner
non-member comment
God Bless All Us Muzungus!
Never a dull moment with Tom. Anne and Olivia!!! I can just see you wearing the T Shirt, passing out candy and making the nannies laugh! Such wonderful stories you have now for the rest of your lives. Be well and let us know if you are still coming home early. Soon it will be December. How is the weather??? God be with you all. Love in Christ, Elizabeth and family