Fine art

Gilbert Paul na msalaba uliozua gumzo

Na Charles Kayoka

Wasanii wanasifika sana kwa tabia yao ya kuvunja miiko ya jamii. Ni jambo la kawaida kushudia wasanii wakivaa nguo kinyume na maadili; wasanii wanaume, kwa mfano, wakisuka nywele; wanawake wakivaa vichupi kinyume na walivyolelewa. Lakini pia katika mambo wayafanyayo wasanii pia kwa kutumia lugha, picha au nyimbo, huanzisha mijadala ya wazi ambayo katika hali ya kawaidia si rahisi kuanzishwa kwani watu hudhani mada zinazoibuliwa huwa nyeti. Na mfano mmojawapo ni wa Gilbert Paul (27) aliyeamua kujitengenezea msalaba wake na kuandika tarehe yake ya kuzaliwa na kuweka alama ya kiulizo siku ya kufa kwake.

Mzaliwa wa Namanyere, wilayani Nkansi, Mkoa wa Rukwa, Gilbert anafanyia kazi zake pembeni ya barabara kuu iendayo kituo cha basi mjini Namanyere. Anasema yeye alidhani  ingekuwa vizuri watu wakaondoa uwoga kujadili kifo kwani ni kitu ambacho kiko katika hatima ya kila mwanadamu.

“Mimi niliuchora msalaba wangu ili niwaonyeshe wanadamu wenzangu kuwa kifo kinakuja na hakuna sababu ya kugopa,” Gilbert alielezea. Lakini hatua hiyo ya kujiandikia msalaba wake na kuutundika juu ya kibanda anachofanyia kazi zake za kila siku kilimzulia matatizo makubwa.

Kwanza watu walikuwa wakiniogopa. Nikikutana nao njiani wananipisha kwa mbali isivyo kawaida. Nadhani walikuwa wakihisi mimi nilipata kichaa na ningeweza kuwadhuru. Taarifa zingine zinasema walikuwa wakimdai au tayari kumpatia kazi walikuja kumdai au kuondoa oda zao za kuchorewa wakihisi labda angekufa kweli au ameshakuwa kichaa. Lakini yeye mwenyewe alithibitisha kuwa tangu alipojichorea bango lile mwaka 2007, alikaa kwa muda mrefu, upatao mwaka, bila kupata oda za kazi za uhakika kwa sababu ya kumuogopa.

 “Watu wazima waliwa wanakuja hapa bandani kuniuliza sababu ya kujichorea msalaba, na walikwenda kushitaki kwa wazazi wangu kuhusiana na hili jambo, “ alieleza Gilbert.

Yeye ni mkristo wa Madhehebu ya Katoliki wa Roma. Anasema baada ya kuchora huo msalaba wa kuzikia Padre mmoja wa hapo parishi yake Namanyele alikuja kumtembelea  na moja ya maswali aliyomuuliza ni kama angependa kuzikiwa na msalaba ule. Yeye alitueleza kuwa ingekuwa vyema msalaba huo kama ungetumika lakini wasiwasi wake ni kuwa ungekuwa mpana sana na ungechukua sehemu kubwa.

“Mimi naona kama nimerahisisha kazi kwani siku nikifa kazi inakua kukifuta kiulizo na kujaza tarehe ya kufa kwangu,” alisema.

Lakini kuna wanajesha ambao walimsifia sana, kwa maelezo yake, kwa kufanya uamuzi ule. Huenda kwa sababu wanajeshi ni watu waliojitolea kufa na kuwa kifo ni sehemu ya maisha yao, hasa wanapokuwa msitari wa mbele. Kwa hiyo hawawezi kuogopa kifo wala kushangaa kuona mtu amejiandalia msalaba wake. Lakini pia tunafahamu kuwa jamii nyingi duniani zilikuwa zikijiandalia makaburi, kutoa husia wa namna  ya kuzikwa na mahali pa kuzikwa, walijiandalia sana na mengine mengi. Mbona leo tunaogopa! Nini kinatufanya kuogopa kifo na kukwepa kujiandaa.

Ni mawazo yangu kuwa wasanii, kama sehemu muhimu ya jamii, wanaweza kuleta mabadiliko kama wataaibua ajenda ya mambo yanayosaidikiwa kuwa nyeti lakini yana athari kubwa kwa maisha ya jamii. Hiyo ndiyo nguvu ya usanii, kwenda hatua nyingi mbele na kujenga uwelekeo kwa wanajamii yake. Gilbert Paul alizua mjadala pale Namanyere. “na hata sasa hivi naitwa Bwana Msalaba. Mtu akichukua namba yangu ya simu, badala ya kuandika jina langu halisi, anaandika Bwana Msalaba.”

Mlimani City

Mlimani City: Mabadiliko katika utamaduni pendwa

Na Charles Kayoka

Kila ninapofika Mlimani City, moja ya vitu ninavyovibaini ni mabadiliko ya tabia na utamaduni miongoni mwa wakazi wa jiji wanaotumia mahali hapo kukidhi haja mbalimbali, lakini pia unaweza kuona athari katika tabia za kibiashara kwa wajasiria mali hasa huko mitaani.

Kuna ndugu mmoja aliwahi kumaka kuwa anapoaangalia wanaotembelea Mlimani City hujipamba vilivyo na kama hupafanya ndio mahali pa kukutania ndugu na marafiki na hata wenye mipango ya maendeleo. Lakini kwa bahati nzuri, tofauti na maeneo mengine ambayo hutumiwa kwa burudani na kukatana, gharama za viingilio huwa vizuizi kwa kituo hiki cha biashara kipingamizi hiki hakipo. Waweza kuja tu kushangaa shangaa na kuondoka. Ila kwa kweli unapoangalia tabia za watu unaona kama vile ni sehemu za kuonyesha wewe ni nani!  Inakuwa kama vile wanapotaka kufika hapo unatakiwa kujiweka katika hali ya kisasa kwani unaonekana kwa wengi.

Mlimani City pamekuwa eneo lenye uzito wa pekee kwa wanunuzi ambao wamejenga imani kuwa vitu vya hapo ni bora na pengine kusema kuwa ukinunua hapo, na sio pengine, basi wewe ni mtu wa kisasa uendaye na wakati. Hii ni tabia ya walaji, huwezi kuzuia, nap engine miundo mbinu ya mfano huu ilihitajika kuwapo kwa muda mrefu lakini wawekezaji wa ndani hawakuweza kugundua umuhimu wake. Na wachache walioanzisha huduma ya supamaketi kama hizo hawakuweza kupanua dhana ili kutambua kuwa watu wanahitaji sio tu kununua, bali pia kuburudika na kujijengea haiba mpya kama sehemu ya utamaduni pendwa.

Sina ushahidi wa kisayansi katika hili lakini uchunguzi unaonyesha jinsi Mlimani City ilivyoathiri na inavyoweza kuathiri ubora wa huduma za maduka. Ghafula naona kumezuka maduka mengi madogo madogo yanayotaka kutoa huduma za upatikanaji  wakila aina ya bidhaa mahali pamoja, huku wateja wakiruhusiwa kuingia hadi ndani ya duka na kujibebea watakacho kukikunua.

Mlimani City, kwa wale wanaotembea nje ya nchi, wanaweza kusema ni mwelekeo mzuri wa kuwapatia Watanzania huduma bora na za uhakika. Na kuwa licha ya kuwa imechelewa kufika, inahitajika miji mikubwa yote nchini kwa ajili ya kutumika kama kitu cha kusukuma tabia mpya za ujasiriamali, hasa katika sekta ya biashara kwa ujumla. Ukifika mikoani, na Dar-es-Salaam bado ikiwemo, mtu mgeni unapata dhiki sana kutafuta bidhaa katika mfumo wa biashara ambapo unakulazimisha kutembea huko na huko kama unavyovitafuta huwezi kuvipata mahali pamoja.

Mlimani City inatuonyesha uwezekano wa watu wa mipango miji kujenga mfumo wa maduka ambapo maduka yote yanapatikana mahala pamoja na mteja akifika hapo anapata kila aina ya mahitaji yake bila kulazimika kuzurura huko na huko. Miji kam Johannesburg wamejenga mifumo kama hiyo na wateja wanajua kuwa  niendapo kufanya manunuzi sina sababu ya kuhangaika huko na huko kama ilivyo sasa hapa jijini kwetu ambako duka moja la spea liko Tandika, jingine liko Magomeni, na jingine katikati ya jiji. Foleni za magari zinakuwa kubwa bila sababu na gharama za usafiri zinakuwa kubwa vilevile. Mji kama wa Dar-es-Salaam, unahitaji maduka mawili mengine kama Mlimani City ili kutowalazimisha watu wa Temeke, kwa mfano kuja huku Chuo Kikuu, na pia Tegeta, eneo linaloweza kuhudumia watu watokao Bagamoyo pia. Kwa sasa hivi Mlimani City inatoa huduma chache sana na katika eneo dogo kabisa. Unatamani kuwa na duka kubwa kuliko hili, kama ilivyo miji ya wenzetu, ambako unaweza kuingia humo na kushinda mchana kutwa ukifanya manunuzi yako na ukitoka hapo huhitaji kwenda sehemu ingine tena. Na hili lingepunguza utitiri wa maduka ambayo mengi hayana faida kwa wenye nayo na sio hata rahisi kwa mamlaka ya mapato kudhibiti kodi kwa ajili ya mapato ya serikali.

Lakini ni kwa kiasi gani mahala hapo panatumika kufaidisha wakulima na wazalishaji wa aina ingine ndio moja ya maswali ya msingi. Je tunatumiaje miundo mbinu kama hiyo kuwapatia wazalishaji wa ndani soko na pia, kupitia huduma za ugani na ubora wa uzalishaji bidhaa, kuhakikisha kuwa kinachoweza kufika hapo kinakuwa na viwango vya kimataifa. Mlimani City panatumikaje kuinua ubora wa bidhaa za wazalishaji wa ndani? Au ni mahali tu ambapo watu wanakuja kushangaa na kununua bidhaa za nje? Nawapongeza waliobuni wazo la Mlimani City, lakini nataka kuwaambia serikali kuwa hiyo iwe changamoto kwa wajasiriamali wa ndani na sio kutumika kwa ajili kujiburudisha na kununua bidhaa za nje tu.

Witchcraft and Local Faith system- Tanzania

This is a story of a a great witch who was also a seer. he was able to turn his animals into rocks when he dreams that rustlers were about to come

Sitta Gabu: Aliyesifika kwa Utabiri, Uganga!

Na Charles Kayoka

Nikiwa Bariadi hivi karibuni nikifuatilia nyayo na vituko vya Ng’wanamalundi,( nawashukuru wasomaji walionichagiza kufanya utafiti zaidi na kunieleza wapi pa kwenda,) nikakutana na babu mmoja aliyeniambia kuwa eneo moja linaloitwa Kilulu, kilomita kama tano kutoka Bariadi mjini, kuna eneo la mawe ambako aliwahi kusihi mti anayeitwa Sitta, asili ya kabila la Taturu, ambaye alikuwa bingwa wa kutabiri na uganga pia.

Huyu bwana alikuwa na vituko. Kwa maelezo ya wenyeji taarifa zake ni kuwa alikuwa ana uwezo wa kujua nini kitatokea pale kijijini, au kwa mtu binafsi ambaye atafika kuomba msaada wake. Nilipomuuliza mzee huyu kama huo sio ushirikina alikana kwa nguvu na kusema mtu anakuwa mshirikina kama anaroga watu, sasa kama huyu anatusaidia kujua ya mbeleni na kututibu maradhi ushirikina unatoka wapi. Aidha alisema kuwa kosa kubwa lililofanyika ni kuwa Waafrika hatuwa na elimu  na ufahamu wa kuweka kumbukumbu mambo muhimu ya utamaduni wetu.

Wengi wa wenyeji wenye umri zaidi ya miaka hamsini au hata baba zao, hawajawahi kumuona, ila wanajua kuwa aliishi na alama ya kuishi kwake eneo hilo zipo. Tulipofika eneo husika Bibi mmoja wa miaka 60 alikubali kutuongoza katika ziara ile. Alisema kwanza kuwa huyu bwana Sitta alikuwa na uwezo mkubwa wa kufanya maajabu.

Kwanza alikuwa kiboko ya Wamaasai waiba ng’ombe. Alipojiwa na taarifa (ndoto) kuwa kutatokea uvamivi wa waiba ng’ombe aliwabadilisha wanyama wake kuwa mawe. Tulipofika eneo hilo tukafikishwa kwenye nyumba ya mmoja wa waganga anaye endelea kuishi hapo (ni kaya pekee iliyopo neo hilo). Mtoto wake akatupeleka eneo ambalo kuna jiwe lenye mfano wa ng’ombe. Alisema taarifa za Sita zimesafiri katika vichwa vya watu kwa muda mrefu hata ukweli kamili sasa si rahisi kuupata. Alisema ni kweli alikuwa anabadilisha ng’ombe na mbuzi kuwa mawe lakini ushahidi pekee ni hilo jiwe, inawezekana kuwa mawe mengi ya pale ni sehemu ya wanyama aliwabadilisha kabla ya kufa kwake.

Bibi aliyetusindikiza alisema nay eye aliliona jiwe lile kwa mara ya kwanza siku ile ingawa habari zake alikuwa akizisikia tangu alipokuwa mdogo, na visa vya Sita Gabu anavijua. Tukapelekwa eneo la kaburi lake, limefukiwa kwa alama yam awe mengi na pembeni kulikuwa na jiwe lililoandikwa karibu kwa Sitta Gabu. Eneo hilopalikuwa na nyumba yake lakini sasa hakuna hata dalili. (inasemekana aliishi karne ya kumi na tisa mwishoni kuelekea mwanzo wa karne ya ishirini). Eneo hilo tukakuta vibuyu na majivu, ishara ya kuwa matambiko yanaendelea kufanyika kwa kufuata imani juu ya huyu bwana.

Baadaye tukaonyeshwa eneo ki mlima cha mawe kilicho na wastani wa urefu wa mita hamsini hivi. Tukaambiwa kuwa siku zingine Sita alikuwa akipanda kule kwenye kilele cha kilima na kigoda chake na kukaa huko yeye na mkewe wakichunga ng’ombe zake. Namna gani alipanda hakuna anayeweza kujua lakini tulionyeshwa alama ya ngazi ambayo kwa kweli huwezi kupanda. Na kule kwenye kile alitoboa matundu mawili ya kuwekea miguu yake ili isining’inie wakati anapumzika. Na chini yam lima huo kulikuwa na jiwe ambalo lina ishara ya simba. Lakini kutokana na wingi wa umri na kuharibiwa na mvua na upepo, huwezi tena kuitambua kwa urahisi. Chini pembeni yam lima huo kuna bao la jiwe kubwa kwa ajili ya mchezo wa solo. Kuwa alikuwa akija na marafiki zake kucheza solo kwenye jiwe lile. Na mbali na hapo kuna kisima ambacho maji yake hutoweka na kisima kukauka kama wewe ni mtu mwenye nia mbaya. Hatukufika kwa sababu usiku ulishafika tulipaswa kuondoka. Linguine ni kuwa kabla yay eye na mkewe kufa alitengeneza sanamu yake na mkewe kwenye jiwe kubwa. Nayo inapotea kutokana na uchakavu wa jiwe lile ambalo sio gumu sana. Mama mmoja anasema alipokuwa mdogo yeye na wanafunzi wenzake walikuwa wanakuja eneo hilo kushuhudia maajabu ya Sitta Gabu. Lakini kutokana na kutotunzwa mvua, upepo, mchanga na mifumo mingine ya hali ya hewa inapachakaza mahali hapa. Kwani hata hilo bao limebaki vialama tu. Lakini ni ushahidi kuwa karne za huko nyuma watu walikuwa wakishindana kwa uwezo wa uganga na ulozi.

pix. i. The rock on which the great witch, Gabu Sitta was Sitting overlooking his flock of animals.

 The burial place of Gabu Sita. Now a witcraft shrine. Burried 100 years ago

Pix variety

i. Dar-es-Salaam Growing Taller

ii. A witch hunting ritual- sucking goat blood

iii. Mlimani City

Have you ever visited Mnadani in Dodoma?

Any one visiting Dodoma, the Tanzania’s capital city, will not have his pleasure complete if he/she does not spend a weekend there and use Saturday to visit the famous and popular Mnada (market) where you have the largest gathering of meat eating, drinking and symbiotic petty trading taking place there. This the place where the highly and the lowly sit together to enjoy the taste of roast meat beef, mutton, or pig meat, washed down the throat by the drink of ones choices. Beer, wine, whisky, soda or the traditional liquors, all available in plenty. and you have traditional foods by the Gogo (the native tribe in Dodoma). Mnada is such traditional in its look and design where the siting arrangement is communal, casual shaded by make-shift rickety huts thatched by tarpaulins or plastic sheeting. The day at Mnada starts in a less busy fashion, but as it wears on, you start seeing poshy cars, buses and lorries vomiting people onto the place. When it reaches 17 hours, it is thronged, noisy with orders for fresh supply of meat, drinks or other services filling the air. This is the place you must go if you visit Dodoma.

Handcraft

Tanzania is endowed by people who are highly skilled in making handcrafts like those we see on the pictures. The range from mats, wall decorations, baskets, holders and what have you. They are perfect items for a collector of memorabilia, and can be bought and exported for those interest in such business. We took these photographs at Melela Morogoro. But such products are all over the country.

Kilwa Kisiwani

the old water well, built over 600 years ago. Now the only fresh water source

The Mosque which was used by the Sultan's fanily. It is a perfect sight for historians and tourists, too!

the old Portuguese's fort on rehabilitation. It overlooks that ocean bay use as harbour now.

Kilwa Kisiwani, a quiet Island off Kilwa Masoko. The island housed former arab traders and sultans. On this island you could see the big palace- Husn Kubwa, the Sultan's forte and the prison built by Portuguese overlooking the naturan sea bay. part of which is used used as harbour. The culture is purely Islamic with old mosques, over 600 years ago, and the only drinking water well, of the same age. The water from the well is believed to have magical healing potency, and the two Kiblah's mosque is a pilgramage attraction.

The Art in Bagamoyo

The hut that housed by Body of Livingstone, on its way to England

Apart from being a historical town Bagamoyo is a place populated by all sorts of artists with wood sculptors taking the lead. Visitors to the town will have an opportunity to meet the artists and view pieces of carvings from Makonde and other tibal artists, but all imitating the Makonde style. Please visit Bagamoyo and see all the splendours of fine art, textiles manufacturing- Batiki, Tingatinga and other forms and styles of Painting. Bagamoyo has a large chest of historical landmarks like the hut which housed by body of the English historian, preacher and explorer, David Laving Stone. You are well come

Kaole Ruins

Kaole Ruins in Bagamoyo were the first Persian Settlements along the Coast of Tanganyika, if not East Africa. Today, when you walk around the relics, you find traces of a pious and religious Islamic community with tombs that are still used todate by locals and foreigns to pray for good luck for their marriages, business and any other human undertakings. At the old city, you also see a fresh (non-salted) water well that people still use. It is about 600 years old. Kaole Ruins are a source of attractions for many tourists visiting the old Bagamoyo city. This is

Editorial1

Tanzania is a country richly endowed w.ith massive natural and historical sites, and an array of cultures that can attract all sorts of tourism, internal and foreign. It is the intention of the Utalii Update (Utalii- is a Kiswahili word for Tourism), to promote these attractions.
In this blog we shall not only post new tourist attractions but will also be updating our visitors with information on what the government and other stakeholders do to promote tourism, conserve environment and make sure that our cultures get a face lift so that they can be showcased as well, attract revenue.
There a lot of tourism attractions in Tanzania that have not been document, undeveloped or left to the vagaries of weather to rot, decay and disappear. This can not be left going on without doing something. Utalii Updates will, with time, engagiung stakeholders to raise funds which will be used to reconstruct of rennovate them. We talking of the Mkwawa Fort, of Kilwa Kisiwani and Bagamoyo's Shiraz Ruins, and such other historical relicts which do not only reflect the development path we went through, but also can be used to gain money from visitors.