Mzungu

Mzungu.
At first, this was, by far, the most difficult part about being here.

Now, I think it’s probably the food, but, every once and a while it stings. “Mzungu, give me money, mzungu naomba fedha, mzungu, pipi, mzungu, pictua!”

 

       So, you know when you are at a zoo there is that sign that reads “do not feed the animals,” right? Well, I feel like I have a sign rapped around my neck that reads, “the animals dispense candy and cell phones.” In other words I get asked for money or objects every single day I am here in Hanga. Every day. Money, candy, cell phones, cameras, pictures, scholarships, etc. Every Day. And people stare at me. And people laugh at me. Every day. Hell, I’ve even had people sort of pet my hair because if feels different. Because I’m white. Mzungu, means “European,” but it is basically synonymous with “white person.” This whole matter that makes my life hell every days is pretty damn complicated. You see, it’s not exactly racism. Indeed, sometimes, mzungu is a compliment because it means you are rich and educated. You see every white person these people have ever seen are wealthy tourists, educated volunteers, or representations of Jesus*. It doesn’t really connect that poor white people aren’t able to travel to Africa. People often refer to you as mzungu, even when they know your name. Coming from a country with some of the worst race relations in the world, being referred to by your race is pretty damn awful. But it’s not always really racism, that’s not exactly correct. There have been only a few times where I have been actually discriminated against because of my skin color, but it’s not usual. Technically my heritage comes from Europe, so in the Kiswahili mentality, I’m European. By the same token and an African American would be called African even though we are both American. I mean a pretty fair number of white Americans who come here have never been to Europe. Again to them, it’s not an insult, it’s only insulting to us. It is not just children requesting novelties. I have been asked by multiple teachers if I could finance their masters degree. It’s like “bitch, finance my masters degree.” A mama* who runs a store asked me if I would buy her cell phone credit. “No, I will not finance your status symbol.” I’ve had monks ask me to set up scholarships, hell, I even had one monk ask me for a laptop (keep in mind this is not normal). In Kiswahili they call a spade a spade. At first I found it all utterly confounding.

       It was not until I visited a village a friend who is in the Peace Corps works in. No one yelled mzungu, no one yelled requests. Everyone greeted me properly and I greeted them back properly. In this culture respect for elders is paramount. Then it clicked in my head. The problem is not really with Tanzanian (though it kinda is), it’s with Hanga. Let me explain. I’ve talked to African friends, not just monks, but business people, government officials etc. People who are more poor simply ask people who are more rich for money all the time. In my case, I just happen to have skin that denotes wealth. Also, I came to realize, it’s not appropriate in any culture in the world for children to yell at adults like that. Hanga is different for a reason. It is because of the foreign donations, tourists, and missionaries. I’ve talked to monks here and there have been instances where white nuns have handed out candy, an American monk handed out money, etc. Foreigners have created this culture, combined with the already existing element of asking for stuff all the time. These fuckers come for a week thinking they are saving the world and all they do is reinforce stereotypes. It creates a culture of want, begging, and resent. Terra Preta and education about nutrition and global climate change is going (maybe) to do that.

       Since I have embarked on a campaign. I tell children that I have name and it’s not mzungu. They mostly nod, understand, and then go play. I’ve had kids say to other kids “that’s not mzungu, that’s J.J.” It’s mostly the vijana I have troubles with, hell some of the construction workers today joked about the fact I explained it to the kids. Most of the elders are shocked I greet them properly and treat them with respect in Kiswahili. They tell their kids to respect me correctly, make sure I don’t get ripped off with prices etc. The vijana still suck. The only way (aside from kicking their ass, which I don’t want to do morally and because it is a one-way ticket back home), is to publicly embarrass them. If they ask for money, I tell them to get a job, and if it is in front of a mama, it usually does the trick.

       Some days it’s still bad, and I get incredibly frustrated. But, fewer and few people are bothering me about it. I’m making my stance firmly clear and a great deal of my ability to do that is through my growing command of Kiswahili. The other night, I celebrated in the village. Some people asked me for money, and the priest I was hanging out with. But, one guy who I had been joking with called me “mbongo” which is slang for Tanzanian. Although, I don’t think my Kiswahili is quite good enough to warrant it, and the dude was really drunk, it’s still pretty nice, to be a friend, and not a piggy bank.

 

 

*Hell, the word for God is Mungu, and can’t imagine there isn’t a connection.

** So, they refer to everyone by their familial status. Mama means mother, baba, father, dada, sister, caca, brother, shangazi, aunt, ndugu, brother. But you need to read a bit more in to it. Unless you have children you are not considered an adult (unless you a priest, monk, nun, etc. and even then priests are baba, young nuns are dada, older nuns are mama). Shangazi basically means spinster (with connotations of being sterile) and attaches your status your family’s children.