STRANGE NAMES

“Will I ever know how it feels to be loved? I have never known how it feels to be a family! I grew up in the streets! Never known my mother, I wasn’t told my father, only strangers all around, calling me names I don’t like!”

Those are words in the first para of a song “Street Kid” by Oliver Tuku Mutukudzi, one of the most innovative African musician from Zimbabwe.

Oliver talks about the lost communal composition of the African nationalities in the townships and cities. The cultural fusion between rural, urban and foreign has resulted into flames of fire in all sectors of our lives.

There are classes of people and Street Children belong to one of it. In the past, the African society used to have stable clan networks which were the basis of cultural organization.

Everybody as an individual had a direct link to the rural mystic energy and ritual practices, today the township community acts as a kind of no-man’s land where different people, languages and customs are melted into something new.

Children grow up in the streets and they hard get to know their parents. They only meet strangers who call them names, different names, and strange names!

Pay a visit to Arusha for instance, The Eden of Africa. Its main bust station has become a home for many homeless children. Strangers from all walks of life, take it for granted and call them names like Chokoraa, Chalii, Homeless or Street kids and many more!

This clan, made of children with no ancestral connection, no provision of education, only surviving the hard way, is growing without notice almost everywhere in the country and beyond.

What and how do each of us do to help the children survive and thrive, get them to school and provide them with a protective environment? I pose the questions  as a reminder to everyone in the community to start or persist doing something for the better of this group instead of just calling them strange names they don’t like or even know! END! 

The deceiving power of advertisement, at the Arusha main bus station, 

“Maisha ni Kufurahi” against the desperate unprotected Chalii on the ground, far from being happy.

The streets are home and wild at the same time. A Chalii with a bell 

stabbed with a nife by a rival friend.

Not always easy out here, no breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner, 

leaves you very thoughtful!

Without knowing who used the blade a Chalii picked it for 

his convenience.

Once or twice a week we go down the stream to bath and wash our 

clothes but we wait until they dry and dress them immediately.

When night falls, the Chalii hang around and make fun 

before they find a place to squeeze for a night long sleep.

This is our life style and we are as happy as anybody else. We enjoy it.

THE MISSED CHANCE

Seif Laisi, is a father of four who supports his family of six including his wife Esha Issa by farming and chicken keeping.

“The chickens are our great saviors. We manage to solve so many family problems simply by selling a cock or two.” Says Seif who lives in Lengo Village, in Newala, Mtwara.

Seif is very happy with his life standard and of his wife Eshe whom they have been married for twenty years now. The four children are Mwanaidi Seif, 17, Safila Seif,11, Hawa  Seif, 8 and 2pac Seif, 5 years old.

“My wife is my happiness. We have never been fighting since we got married. She listens to me and me to her.”

Despite of all Laisi is happy with in his life, the family and wife, there is one thing that troubles him and swears not to forget in his life.

“My daughter, Mwanaidi, 17, missed her chance to join Lengo Secondary School due to being pregnant. She was my only hope so far that, she would be the first in our family to go up to a secondary level and may be higher.” He says.

Mwanaidi set for standard seven examinations at Lengo Primary School in September 2006 and, was selected to join form one at the Lengo Secondary School in January this year when she was discovered pregnant.

Mr Laisi is complaining about her daughter missing the chance but the daughter wishes that she could get married to the man who is now not seen anymore.

“I am told he has been jailed for 30 years in Mtwara, but don’t know for sure of his where about. I wish he could be here so that we could raise our son Moliza Rajab, two weeks.”

Mwanaidi deliverd at home, on the 15^th July, 2007, and was helped by her Grandmother Bibi Jaifu, Aunt Binti Mnipa and her mother Esha Issa which pose another danger if there was any delivery complications.

“I wish I get re admitted to the school. I still want to go to school but am told the missed chance is never again.” Says Mwanaidi.

Recently, the government threw a motion in Parliament to debate on the possibilities of re admitting pregnant school girls to school after delivery. The move will help people like Laisi to gain hope that his daughter will get education and leave him with a less burden of becoming parent for a second time! Let there be no MISSED CHANCES for the girls! END! 

Seif Laisi has communicate skills that his chicken understands him. He calls to feed and or catch them when he wants to sell.

Left is his wife Esha Issa.

Mwanaidi Seif, holds he one day old son Molizi.

Esha Issa prepares lunch for the family as son 2pac waits aside.

A special lunch for Mwanaidi, eight hours after delivering, cassava stiff porridge plus a chicken leg and stew. 

Newly born Molizi. Lookin on Hawa seif, 8, back for lunch from school.

At playing outside the house, 2pac Seif, 5, after lunch.

Seif Laisi, leaning on the wall of his house.

GAME OF DEATH

The dazzling Tanzanite gemstone is Tanzania’s most famous and unique resource found at Mererani village, in the Manyara region, near Arusha in the North of the country. This precious gemstone, blue-purple in colour can only be found in Tanzania, hence it’s name.

Many people are attracted to the life at the Tanzanite mine at Mererani, most of who are teenagers below 18 years of age and young men between 19 to 24 years of age. The organization at the mines is as follows; there are plot or mine owners who are closely helped by men who are leaders in the mines who, in most cases are geologists, and they, in turn, are in charge of a large group of boys and young men who act as the main work force.

The group of young boys are known as “Nyoka”, a Kiswahili word for snake, as they have a special role of slipping into the mines and tunnels easily as opposed to the bigger men. Their duties include carrying food and tools to the workers in the underground tunnels and pave the way for the miners.  While executing the task  of paving the way for the miners, the ”snake boys” , also slip into the pits  and tunnels to dig  and collect sand which is carefully examined to see  whether it contains traces  of the gemstone or not.

According to the Mererani community, the “snake boys” are jointly known as the “Appolos” who are usually shabby, distraught looking people.  The ” Appolos” or ” snake boys”  are  ready to take the risk as they can go  down as  deep as 250 meter  underground to  look for  the Tanzanite.

Due to poor equipment used by the ” Appolos/snake boys”  it may take several months or years before the  pit/mine comes productive. The work is grueling, dangerous and costly. The ” Appolos/snake boys”  have no capacity themselves to invest in tanzanite  mining and so they  just go for any job which can provide them  with their basic needs, mainly food and drinking water. When they strike rocks which contain tanzanite gemstones they hand them to the mine owners.

Over 200 people have died since 1996 due to various accidents at Mererani mines. These include heavy rains, falling rocks and suffocation due to lack of oxygen for the young miners who are looking for tanzanite deep underground. The new government policy of privatization has not looked much into this work force. END! 

A group of miners search dug sand to locate Tanzanite gemstone. When the young miners strike big rocks which contain tanzanite they have to hand them to the mine owners. 

Moza Wanne, 56, from a nearby village, riddles sand tracing Tanzanite. There are many people like him who sometimes manage to get small particles which earn them a living.

In search of the precious stones: All that glitter, are carefully screened. The “Appolos” closely examine a stone to detect the glittering particles. 

The “Appolos” believe smoking marijuana makes them
Stronger and courageous.

A “Snake Boy” sneaking in the tunnel to reach the bottom of the mine, about 250 m underground.

Striking rocks at the bottom of a mine.

In sweat and tear the struggle for better life goes on.

A BEAUTIFUL DESERT ROSE

My inspiration to photograph people with albinism is based on personal admiration of them as beautiful people. Beauty, as a study in aesthetics, is an entity which is adored, or has characters that are refered to beauty. These can either be individual or in a civilization, that involve the interpretation of some entities as being in balance and harmony with nature. The interpretation may lead to fealings of attraction and emotional well-being. Therefore, beauty is a subjective experience, and it is always said that « beauty is in the eye of the beholder. »

Biologically, albinos are people who lack pigment in their skin, eyes and hair. According to biological findings, majority of albinos are dying at the age of 40 mainly due to skin cancer and sun burn. The genetic disorder causing albinism also results in abnormal vision and, nystagmus which is an involuntary eye movements.

Albinos in Tanzania face two major problems. The first problem is genetic disorder in relation in relation to the environment. This shortern their life as sun burn and skin cancer make them die earlier. The second major problem is the killing from fellow human beings.

There is a tendecy of some people to think of the power of witchcraft in realizing their success dreams. In connection of the albino killings, witchcraft is the main source of the killings. Unfaithful witchdoctors usually tell their clients about the use of albino body parts in making medicine for them to be rich and successful. This makes the demand of the albino body parts go up and increase the killings.

Those who kill the albinos believe that, the albinos have magical power in the superstition and wichcraft which, the perpetuators apply so as to increase their fortune. These include unmanly gold miners and fishermen in the Lake Zone and people in other businesses elsewhere in the country are trading in the body parts of albinos, including limbs, skin, hair and genitals, which they believe enable them catch more fish or strike huge precious minerals.

Albinos don’t enjoy the right to free movement and residency within the country. They are forced to be Inside their houses, go into exile or look for refuge in different places, in fear of being killed. Fear and lack of security, makes albinos more poor economically and psychologically tortured. Some 57 people with albinism have been murdered in Tanzania in recent years.

This state of insecurity for albinos, inspired me to photograph those who have run from their homes for safety, at Kabanga Disabled Centre, in Kasulu, Kigoma, in a style that I portray their beauty and dignity. I used the FRAME as a statement of a life in a restricted environment. They decided themselves on how to hold it.

According to Modest Magere (44), the head of the center, in 2008, the Kasulu District Council, decided that Kabanga Centre should host albinos who free their home for safty following an increase of albino killings in different parts of Kigoma and the neighboring regions. The centre therefore, is provided with night police patrol.

I, personally belive that, the chategorization of a person as beautiful, albinos included, whether on an individual basis or by community concensus, is often based on some combination of inner Beauty, which includes personality, intelligency, grace, politeness, charisma, integrity, and elegance, and outer Beauty, which includes physical factors such as health, youthfulness, facial symetry, and complexion. Albinos are no exceptional to these qualities, and they deserve  to be adored as beautful and loved.  END.

IMPRESSIONS FROM THE MAASAI

The Masai live in Tanzania and Kenya. They occupy big dry areas of the East African rift valley. Their life style is still dominated by the past, living almost the same as their ancestors lived some hundred years ago.

Their routine from morning to sunset and from season to season, don’t change and women being the most active in most activities – from building a house, collecting firewood, taking care of the children, cooking for the whole family to milking the cows. 

Maasai women at dusk, waiting for their heads of cows coming from grazing

Milking usually is done by women

Cow skinning as a Moran looks on

A moran gets informed of the world's news

Inside the Maasai round house

A boys sleeps on a cow's skin

A Maasai boy on a chilly morning

A young Maasai wife

Young wives are not allowed to loiter around, they are kept inside to avoid wishful Morans