Af-riikka

After spending five days only in the biggest city of Tanzania I can't really make any justifiable comparisons between East and West Africa after two days. But there are things that I have just noticed by watching. I am actually quite surprised how much many things do remind me of West Africa. Of course the histories, cultures and languages are totally different, but still there are some things which can be categorized as so very essentially African. Let's start with similarities, then: God. He/She/Them is the most important thing for most people in Africa, it seems. Dar es Salaam is a nice mixture of religions, actually: mosques, churches and Hindu temples all over. But Jesus rules in visibility, at least: at one gas station all the workers had red shirts with a text: Jesus (heart / loves) me! I didn't know that Jesus sponsors oil business, too...and I'm sure car accidents can be prevented with the best bumper sticker I've seen so far: "This vehicle is protect...

A Tanzanian newspaper, The Guardian had a bizarre headline today: the Prime Minister suggested that "we must change and teach our children the Chinese language up to university level due to the fact that development has shifted to China". The article continued with promises "to provide the schools with electricity to enable students and teachers to improve their education performance". Don't you just love this bureaucratic language use? A lot has been written about the Chinese invasion in Africa recently. And now the development comes from there, if we listen to the Tanzanian Prime Minister! Actually, the phenomenon is not new at all. Though I was a bit surprised too to read in dusty Tanganyika Standard newspapers from 1964 (been working in the library of the Dar es Salaam university) that China, together with East Germany, were the only countries Zanzibar accepted to receive development aid from. Ideology was the main reason: Zanzibari Revolutionary Government ...

Bye-bye! , originally uploaded by rockriikka . Sorry that I haven't had time to write properly about the success of Young Africa project this year. As Finnish-speaking readers can see, I'm already off to Africa again, this time to Tanzania. Last few days were a bit hectic: moving stuff from my apartment, writing research plans for my Master's thesis, meeting people for good-byes and finally, trying to wrap up Young Africa 2007. We had some pretty intense 12 days there, in July/August - I'm sure Nthabi, Reason, Hamma and Collin can confirm that. Missing luggage, good shows, fun, fighting, sleepless nights, free champagne and many unforgettable encounters with people. I had a one-day-break in the middle of the tour, when I escaped to my friend's wedding (which was nice, thank you Saana!), but otherwise I was basicly on the run and stressing on minor issues too much. I know I should just take it easy, but it is difficult when one is trying to be perfect :) I...

Tosiaan, enpa ole tainnut mainita kirjoituksissani, etta olen taas lahdossa Afrikkaan, blogin nimen mukaisesti. Matka-aikatauluni on suunnilleen seuraava: ensin Tansanian epavirallisessa paakaupungissa, Darissa viikon verran: sitten Pemballa ensin kaksi viikkoa tyoleirilla ja kaksi viikkoa muuten vaan, sitten Ungujalle (jota Sansibariksi yleisesti kutsutaan) ainakin puoleksitoista kuukaudeksi. Marraskuun lopulla, jos olen saanut tarpeeksi aikaiseksi graduni suhteen, lahtisin viela lomailemaan Kenian puolelle (Mombasaan ja Lamulle) ennen paluuta Suomeen viikko ennen joulua. Tanaan saavuin 22 tunnin matkustuksen (Helsinki - Lontoo - Doha - Dar Es Salaam) Julius Nyerere -lentokentalle, jossa minua odotti perati kaksi vastaanottajaa. Toisen, Tansaniassa tyoleireja jarjestavan UVIKIUTAn edustajasta en edes tiennyt mitaan, mutta siella seisoi odottajien eturivissa mies nimilapun kanssa. Olin kuitenkin sopinut jo kyydista Tuulin kanssa, joten jouduin sopimaan tapaamisesta tyoleiri-ihmisen ka...

Osallistuin tänään Helsingin Juhlaviikkojen ohjelmaan muutoinkin kuin edustusvaimona avajaisiin kaupungintalolla: Ojos de Brujo Espanjasta esiintyi täydelle Huvilateltalle. Täytyy sanoa, että tunsin oloni todella kummalliseksi astuessani sisään portista: pitkästä aikaa tuli nuori olo, sillä minulla ei ollut korkokenkiä eikä pikkumekkoa päälläni, kuten useimmilla muilla vierailla tuntui olevan. Nimenomaan vierailla - vaikutti siltä, etteivät ihan kaikki välttämättä olleet ostaneet itse lippuaan. Tai jotenkin en ollut ainakaan odottanut Ojos de Brujon fanijoukon koostuvan keski-ikäisistä pukumiehistä viinilasi kädessä... No mutta, toivottavasti nekin, jotka eivät tienneet mitä tulevat katsomaan viihtyivät! Omalta kohdaltani keikka oli yksi kesän kohokohtia. Kun keikan alkamisesta kuulutettiin sanoin "Huvilateltan ohjelma jatkuu tuossa tuokiossa" ja ihmiset istuivat tyynesti penkeillään, olin vielä hieman skeptinen illan suhteen. Mutta yllätyin. En edes muista milloin olisin v...

It's time for a diary post this time. I'll save the recounts for Young Africa 2007 & Nthabi for another time, but meanwhile you can have a peak on what was going on from my photos. A big thank you for everyone who came to see Nthabi, Reason and DJ Hamma perform! But now I'm having a sort of a holiday. Though writing at the same time the final report of Young Africa for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, trying to collect my thoughts for the research plan of my Master's thesis and revising my Swahili ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/swahili/ is quite helpful, easy language for anyone who has read a bit of Swahili!). I arrived here, Eastern Finland on Saturday. We spent the evening at the summer cabin of my family, had a sauna, swam in the cold lake, experimented by grilling some rye bread with garlic on a pan (muurikka)... On Sunday I didn't do that much really, just started with the research plan and rented the movie " The Queen ", which was quite nice. On Mond...