Tanzania has a multi-ethnic and multi-racial population that practices
a wide variety of traditions and customs. In Mikindani, the influence
of Shirazi Arabs from Persia and traders from the Indian subcontinent
combined with the movement and mixture of different ethnic African groups
have complemented each other to form a rich cultural heritage. This is
something that is not always evident as people go about their daily tasks
with invidious alacrity, but on joyous or sorrowful occasions such as
weddings and funerals one realises how deep and fascinating the culture
here actually is.
One of the most significant differences to European culture is how the
concept of extended families and kinship works to benefit the people of
Mikindani. It is common to find people living with and depending upon
distant relations (“this is my brother’s wife’s uncle
etc.), and kin ties through ones parents or by marriage appear to define
one's rights, obligations, and opportunities. For example, educated
members of the extended family are frequently held responsible for the
education and welfare of younger siblings. This concept is a source of
strength for the people of Mikindani, and provides a sense of belonging
and togetherness that is lacking in our own society.
It is often the case that, in the face of a limited presence of science
and technology, an individual person in Africa cannot achieve much without
enlisting the support and efforts of others. In most aspects of Mikindani
life, the role of men and women is vastly different. There is a clear
and ingrained streak of gender inequality, which has dampened the potential,
but definitely not the spirits, of the younger women here. Despite this,
women remain by far the more jovial and animated members of the community,
going about things with a grace, good humour, vigour and vitality that
says much about the way in which they share their tasks.
At home, the women work so smoothly and quietly that when you are around,
you sometimes wonder how water had arrived, the fire was started, or how
the food materialised. Regardless of religion, it is rare to see men and
women walking together, and almost non-existent to see a couple holding
hands or making displays of affection.
Walking around the dusty back streets of Mikindani, it is possible to
see groups of old men playing bao, women plaiting each others hair and
younger girls skipping with a piece of twine. It is, however, the talking,
shouting and singing that catches my attention. A typical Swahili conversation
begins with multiple greetings followed by general banter; often these
discourses are held purely for enjoyment rather than purpose. Here, talk,
as pure entertainment is the equivalent of the Western vices of television
and games consoles.
In Swahili society, much of the knowledge is shared and passed down to
descendants encoded in stories, poetry and songs. This is the literature,
art, law and science of Mikindani; the libraries and museums are in peoples’
heads. The Swahili language has proven to be a unifying factor in Tanzania,
uniting more than one hundred different ethnic groups and forging a common
identity. There is, however, a second language spoken in Mikindani –
the tribal dialect of Kimakonde. The Makonde people represent one of the
five largest ethnic groups in Tanzania, with a population of around one
million. The tribe originated in Northern Mozambique, from where people
migrated to the higher lands of the Makonde plateau (120km inland from
Mikindani).
Many people in Mikindani still use Makonde, and the Makonde culture remains
an enormous influence upon the traditions, customs and lifestyles of much
of the local population. It is, however, their excellent woodcarvings
for which the Makonde are internationally renowned. The skill is passed
through the generations from father to son and some carvings provide an
insight into the culture of the artists. Inland, many Makonde still practice
their traditional religion even though they have been in contact with
Muslim traders for hundreds of years. Their religion centres around the
veneration of their ancestors, which ties in with the family tree carvings
that depict the older generation on the bottom symbolically supporting
later generations.
Today, the culture of Mikindani is changing faster than ever. Western
influences upon such things as fashion and music are increasingly obvious.
In particular, many young men are frustrated, it seems, with the limitations
of their grandparents’ culture. The poverty trap and the phenomenon
of Americanisation have hit each other head on. Younger children whose
parents can barely even afford to buy them a pair of flip-flops draw global
brands such as the Nike tick on the walls and doors of houses. Despite
this, there is still a strong bond between the people and their cultural
heritage; hopefully, as living standards improve and development takes
place, that will always remain the same
The UK charity Trade Aid was founded in 1996 by a group of people headed
by Brian Currie, a Salisbury businessman. The aim of the charity it to
create sustainable employment in a village called Mikindani, a deprived
and desperately poor part of Tanzania. The first phase of the project
is complete – the renovation of a badly decayed but very beautiful
German fort, situated on the side of a hill and overlooking the spectacular
Mikindani Lagoon. The Boma, as it is called is now open as a 6 bedroom,
country-house hotel. All the staff are Tanzanian nationals and most are
local people from Mikindani and Mtwara, the local town. All of the rooms
have been lovingly decorated and fitted out by local craftsmen. It’s
an easy flight down to the south of Tanzania from Dar es Salaam, and the
Beetle can vouch for the hospitality and effort that has gone into creating
and running the Boma.
For more information on the work carried out by Trade Aid in Tanzania,
see their website www.mikindani.com
