Tanzanian Culture

                                                                                                                 16 November, 2013
Dear Family and Friends,

   When we first arrived at Makumira, I would awake every morning to the "exotic" (for lack of a better word) chant of the Imam from our neighboring village.  I loved waking up to his prayers and readily joined my own prayers and praise with his.  And it seemed that I wasn't the only one he awoke because an instant after his first few notes, the local rooster would join in with his scratchy sounding morning alarm---only to have the quacks of the "Afflack" bird (my name because I'm not sure what the real name is but it sounds like the duck in the Afflack commercials!)  So the silent dawn suddenly breaks open over Tanzania in a very earthy, yet God-connected way.  And in my heart I think, "This is Tanzania at its best!"

   Well, I haven't heard the Imam for some time now.  I don't know if he's ill (which is quite common here), or has moved away (which is unlikely), or if he has passed away.  My hope is that maybe he used a microphone system (It never really sounded like it though) and the system broke.  I don't know and there's really no way for me to find out because the Muslim mosque is in the village and only Swahili is spoken there.  So I'll wait---along with the rooster and the Afflack duck/bird who continue to perform their duty, but there's definitely a lack without the Imam's prayers blessing the day.

   Classes are going well and we are starting to know the students (and as a result their culture) better.  In one of my classes we discuss the differences between individualistic cultures and collectivistic (group/tribal) cultures.  After the lesson, the students identify what they think are the strengths and weaknesses of each.  Their comments are interesting and I'm always amazed at their honesty and bluntness.

  Regarding weaknesses of a tribal culture, several students talked about their culture being hierarchical.  They stated that this social hierarchy is based on gender (males), birth order (first born), and age (the elderly).  This puts women and children at the bottom with a childless woman being nearly an outcast.

   One student wrote, "Few people may be powerful so it makes the others voiceless."

   Several others commented on how knowledge and information are held by a few (usually elderly males) and only passed along to some. These seminary students saw this an an unfortunate tradition and admire cultures where "knowledge and information is freely available to any one who wishes to have it."

   Another wrote: "No hurry" is a common saying, but time management is a problem here. (Oh, what an understatement!!! But an encouraging insight for change!)

Regarding weaknesses of an individual culture, one wrote: "An individual man remains with his problems."
   And coming out of a strong, traditional, oral history, another student commented:"People in individualistic cultures forget history so don't learn from it."

   The comment that has struck me most was by a student who said his group/tribal culture focuses on the spiritual rather than material.  Then he went on to write, "You can't eat if your fellow is suffering from hunger because of your selfishness.  We don't have the saying, "It's none of your business."

   Sometimes we see ourselves more clearly through the eyes of the poor.

   As we in the States begin to enjoy Thanksgiving, may we truly understand our abundance---just by being American.
   Thinking of you with much love,
        Tim & Diane  (pictures will either follow or preceed this I think)