The Maasi and Mangh’ati would rather live in the bush than in the village, especially it seemed as far away from any road as possible. This meant we spent quite a few hours walking (and avoiding cow crap on the many paths). A single Mangh’ati family (which includes a man and several wives) may own hundreds of cattle and every day they must be walked to where they can drink and eat. We passed many on the trails who could not figure out what the blonde ponytail was on the back of my head. "Is it really hair?” they asked. They also were interested to know “In which part of Tanzania is American located?” I am not sure if it humbling or disheartening to know that in our increasingly global world there are still people who do not know where the U.S. is located. Of course when I told the story to my Dad all he could think about was if some men took several wives other less sauve men would be left out in the cold.Fortunately for me the men were not interested in taking me as a bribe (I would be quite useless in making clothes out of animal skins). However, one sprightly young woman did tell one of my assistants who from the Wagogo tribe that she would marry him for the small price of only 5 cattle.
What was most impressive in BanyiBanyi, besides the motivated village executive officer who decreed while we were there that every villager must build a latrine, were the children. Their knowledge of malaria, typhoid, trachoma, and cholera was quite impressive; as was their understanding of how to prevent disease. They even had several colorful songs to share with us about trachoma, water, and sanitation. It was enough to make one start digging a latrine on the spot.
The challenge of course is convincing their parents, most of whom have not even completed primary school, that children have much to teach us.Back in Kongwa life continues on peacefully. The rusty sheen from the dust that seems to increase each week of the dry season has permeated pretty much everything. The fellow in one of the first photos who has a human radar like no one I have ever met, continues to find me whenever I leave the research station. He lucked out yesterday as he ran into me as I was buying some stale biscuits (which are strangely addictive). I bought him some as well along with a soda for which he always asks. Of course I did not have enough money as the price of the biscuits had risen from the day before; “the price of gas, sister, keeps increasing”. This seems to be the reason for every price increase. If only we had energy independence here in Tanzania!
And finally a poem;
Never is a friendship more blessed
than when two laugh, from that place deep within
where souls share secrets and the light
never fades.
