#makunduchi

[lifeisart61]

The colors of Zanzibar

[tripinworld]

Makunduchi Zanzibar: visita al villaggio - TRIPINWORLD

Se sei in vacanza a Zanzibar, prendi del tempo per visitare i villaggi della popolazione. Ecco cosa ho provato nel villaggio di Makunduchi Zanzibar.

Makunduchi Zanzibar, è un villaggio posto a sud di Jambiani, nella parte meridionale dell’isola, e dato che ancora non lo avevo visitato, colgo al volo l’occasione, accompagnando un gruppo di turisti.

Il villaggio, si diversifica dagli altri per la terra su cui è edificato, presentando costruzioni di pietra e terra rossa.

La strada principale, assomiglia ad un grande serpente, da cui partono tutte le altre vie.

Makunduchi, è circondato da una vegetazione composta principalmente da palme, banani e manghi.

Il villaggio, non è molto diverso da quelli che ho visto nell’entroterra di questa isola dell’Oceano Indiano, fatta eccezione, per i molti uffici burocratici che ospita, e per essere molto popolato.

La cosa, che ti colpisce quando giungi al villaggio Makunduchi , sono i colori, non tanto della natura, ma dei vestiti dei numerosissimi bambini che ti vengono incontro nel piazzale dove i dala-dala fermano.

Vieni praticamente inondato di sorrisi, di abiti dai colori sfavillanti, e da una serie infinita di saluti.

Di fronte alla mia macchina fotografica, inizialmente tutti si ritraggono, ma successivamente con un pò di confidenza, mi ritrovo a passare intere ore a fotografarli.

[blogdituttiicolori]

Alcuni scatti della giornata trascorsa a Makunduchi. 21.04.2018

Giornata dedicata all’empowerment delle donne locali.

[meinzmatters]

Zanzibar

We are in Zanzibar. Afine retreat from the hectic life we have been living the past month in Addis. Warm breezes caress my soul while I just try to relax, unwind, forget about the craziness that the next few months will bring. “Hakuna Matata” and “Jambo” is tossed at me from every Tanzanian we pass. A wide white toothed smile in glowing ebony skin. I wish I could feel so hearty and happy with strangers wandering through my streets. I wish, just wish I could relax not thinking about the future, worrying about if I will get a job, what job it will be, what I really want to do with my life, if we will find a decent house to live in, if I will survive without a housekeeper. No, I know I will survive without a housekeeper, but it’s daunting. I have most definitely been spoiled these past five years with other women washing my family’s clothes, cooking our meals, scrubbing our toilets. I suppose since I am worrying about it, it’s high time for me to face my first world problems.

 Let me get to the matter at hand though. Zanzibar. The tide goes so far out, almost as far as the horizon and there you see waves rising out of navy blue. A small ribbon of deep, that must be where the reef drops off of the island. The tide pools, rocky coral and sea grass beckon explorers big and small. Max and I take the first turn at walking out onto a cracked slimy cement strip that eventually disappears into sea green pools of wonder. We marvel at hermit crabs, pick up mussels, poke at sea urchins and even catch a glimpse of a sea snake. Possibly a sea snake…maybe it was actually an eel? Not sure, but it was tricky and got away fast. Max is in his explorer guy element here most definitely. He’s excitedly running around telling me how the world works and if he’s not sure he just makes it up. I love that about him, although it’s unnerving at times because he’s pretty sure he knows everything and will adamantly stand by it even it I tell him that scientifically it’s not possible.

 While I can see the waves breaking, the tide pools seem to go on forever and reaching the bar of sand before the waves seems increasingly impossible and likely dangerous. But I do see some figures moving about in front of the waves and wonder at what they are doing out there. A young girl starts moving in our direction. She’s carrying a plastic bucket and bending down into the pools. I marvel at the way African women bend down with a stick straight back on solid legs. Everywhere I have been in Africa, the women all have this amazing ability to keep their backs straight, incredible posture. It’s necessary in order to survive the manual labor and I’m guessing it is in their DNA. Genes that would come in so handy for me during down dog in yoga class. Anyway, it’s just beautiful. In The Gambia, while I was in The Peace Corps, I would go to the field with my women friends and try to work like they did. I’d engage my core and try so hard to keep my back straight. I would make it for about an hour before my lower back and hamstrings would be screaming. I marvel at these women, working with babies on their backs and smiling that wide smile, singing the entire time. I am always humbled by this. I digress……. So Max really wanted to know what the girl was collecting. He began to pick his way towards her through the tide pools, and when she notices she starts moving away. It’s obvious that she is trying to avoid him. She must have been around 13 years old. He doesn’t give up. He keeps going until he is almost upon her and then asks “What are you collecting?” She doesn’t understand so he points to her bucket and she shows him. They are mussels, so he starts to help her collect them. It was pretty darn cute and I was wishing I had my camera but was nervous about the inevitable slip and fall which happened to Max and resulted in a bloody elbow. That’s the life of an explorer though. You always need to be prepared for injury in order to marvel at the wonders of the world.

[lelauv-blog-blog]

In July, hundreds of Tanzanians flock to Makunduchi, Zanzibar, Tanzania, to participate in the Mwaka Kogwa festival. Mwaka Kogwa serves as a release of year-long frustrations and bad energy and is generally a time of cleansing for men and women. During Mwaka Kogwa, men of all ages engage in a massive fight, fiercely striking each other with banana leaf whips. The women run in hordes around the fighting men, yelling sexual invectives and taunting them, encouraging a strong, brutal fight.

The women in this photograph were screaming in Swahili, "Your dick's not hard enough!" and "There are so many pussies in this town and no one can fuck them!" While men let out their aggression on each other physically, the women are able to release their own frustrations, particularly with sexual dissatisfaction informed by gender roles. Police are posted at the event, but the idea is that there are no "sheria," or laws, at Mwaka Kogwa. Only uninhibited release. After the fight, the collective energy is once again balanced and the people of Unguja welcome the new year with a clean slate. This photo was taken in July, 2011.