Zanzibar villages seek their niche in tourism

CORRESPONDENT GLADNESS HEMEDI MUNUO

Women in Fumba display their ornaments to visiting journalists

Tourists are swarming all over the beaches of the Zanzibar archipelago not for adventure, but there is definitely something there for everyone to make a trip of a lifetime.

Of late, these East African off-coast islands have seen increased investment in tourism infrastructure and facilities, which in a way are reviving Zanzibar’s visibility that had blurred with the decline of the clove industry.

A visit to the islands takes one, informatively and entertainingly, through their long cultural and trading history with mainland Tanzania and the Arab world.

Though scarred by long years of Arab slavery and suffering, the islands today are uniquely enchanting and welcoming with their changing landscape.

Authorities on the isles, however, face immense challenges to modernize its transport and communication systems both on land and at sea. In addition, there is a glaring need to develop all the ephemera that go with holidaying such as guide books and adverts that would enable tourists find their place of interest.

Tourism here is obviously still in its infancy and as an industry it provides minimal employment to the rising force of local job seekers, men and women as well.

“The government, let alone the society in general, pay little attention to the plight of women”, said 29 years old Rahma Mussa, who was married at age 17 to an ordinary fisherman.

According to Rahma, many women on the islands are frustrated with their banal rural and suburban life despite the efforts they make either individually or as groups to break ground into small business ventures.

Fortunes and industries that usually accompany a booming tourism into new destinations such as Zanzibar still elude the local population.

“Tradition and outdated customs keep housewives in coastal areas in coastal areas economically dependent on their husbands who make very meager earnings from fishery business,” explained Rahma, a resident of Fumba village.

Thanks to a brief visit to the village last year by a staffer of the British consulate in Zanzibar, the women of Fumba village have picked skills that could, with modest incomes over time, make a big difference in their way of life.

Rahma recalls the visit as an eye-opener that gave the women an insight of the natural resources around the village that could be exploited to transform their lives.

“Over the course of some days the diplomat taught us how to make earrings, necklaces and decorations from seashells. We are now in full business. We sell these items to various visitors, especially those who want mementos of their trip to Zanzibar”, she added. Other groups, bringing men and women together, have been set up at Fumba Bondeni, Bweleo Villages and Chaza craft Association to grow seaweed, manufacture soap and make handicrafts.

The words earrings, necklaces have feminine overtones, but the idea of manufacturing such decorative items at Fumba village foreruns the need for transformation of the East African coastal people’s economic way of life.

With that notion, founders of Western Indian Ocean Maritime Science Association (WIOMSA) set out in 1994 to advance regional cooperation in all aspects of coastal marine sciences and management for sustainable development.

The association groups marines scientists and coastal practitioners as well as related institutions of Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Comoro, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius and the small Island of Reunion in research and development.

At the end of the day WIOMSA has relised that its R and D work, tourism and the people’s income generating activities have to run in tandem to make appreciable impact on national development. But this raises the question of how to maintain the linkage.

Though the association did not state its partner for keeping all sides connected, by hosting a journalists’ regional workshop on coastal marine issues it affirmed their vital role to keep the public well informed on the issues that preoccupy the coastal communities. Journalist from Kenya, Tanzania and Seychelles took part attended the workshop in Zanzibar.

SYLVESTER NA DANIEL WAFURAHIA SIKU YA WAPENDANAO

TUDUMISHE UPENDO KATI YA NDUGU, MARAFIKI NA MAJIRANI

TUDUMISHE UPENDO KATI YA NDUGU

Mwezi Februari wa kila mwaka au kama unavyojulikana kwa walio wengi mwezi mzuri wa wapendanao, nchini Tanzania kama ilivyo katika nchi nyinginezo barani Afrika na Ulaya kote si haba kuona pilika pilika kwa vijana na wazee, watoto na wazazi wao, ndugu kaka na dada, mke na mume na hata wachumba au marafiki kila mmoja kwa wakati wake akitafuta vitu kama maua, zawadi na mishumaa ya rangi kwa ajili ya kusherehekea kilele cha siku ya wapendanao ambayo ni tarehe 14 ya kila mwezi wa 2 kwa kila mwaka. Mwandishi wa kujitegemea Gladness Hemedi Munuo wa Taasisi ya Jinsia na Habari kusini mwa Afrika Tawi la Tanzania, anafafanua zaidi…..


Imekuwa ni jambo la kawaida kabisa sasa hivi kwa Watanzania waishio sehemu za mijini kutakiana heri ya ‘wapendanao’ kwa wiki nzima kabla ya siku yenyewe husika, ambapo siku ya kilele shamrashamra, shangwe na bashasha huzidi kipimo kwa jinsi wapendanao wanavyoonyesha upendo kati yao kwa njia mbalimbali. Katika Lugha ya kiingereza hujulikana na wengi kama “Valentine Day”.

Siyo siri kwani kwa karne hii Valentine Day inashabikiwa sana na kundi la vijana pamoja na wazee, ushabiki unaonekana waziwazi pale ambapo wapendanao hao au wale wanaoiadhimisha siku hiyo wanapokuwa na kivazi rasmi kwa siku hiyo ambacho ni nguo zenye rangi nyekundu au wekundu na pinki ili mradi tu rangi nyekundu ambapo hufananishwa na ua rose inaonyesha upendo.

Siyo ajabu kuona hata kwa siku za kawaida kijana au baba au msichana au mama akichukua ua jekundu na kumkabidhi ampendaye ikiwa ni alama ya mapenzi au upendo kati yao.

Katika kukamilisha shamrashamra za ’siku ya wapendanao’, siyo kitu cha ajabu kuona kwenye baadhi ya maduka yauzayo kadi za matukio mbalimbali pamoja na maua kwa jina maarufu kama ’stationeries’ kuanzia tarehe za mwanzoni mwa mwezi Februari watu wakijivinjari kwa kununua vitu mbalimbali kulingana na mada ya ’wapendanao’. Utashuhudia makundi ya vijana pamoja na watu wazima wakichagua aina nzuri za kadi kwa maana ya maneno na maua ili wapate kuchagua moja wapo inayomfaa mpenzi au mpendwa wake kwa ajili ya kuadhimisha “Siku ya Wapendanao” au “Valentine Day”.

Kadi za heri ya siku ya ‘Wapendanao’ huandamana pamoja na maua mazuri ya waridi . yenye rangi ya wekundu. Wakati mwingine wapenzi au washabiki wanaojua kuadhimisha vema siku hiyo hutumiana hata zawadi mbalimbali ikiwa kama kumbukumbu kwa siku hiyo na mapenzi makubwa waliyonayo.

Majumba ya mengi ya starehe na kumbi za burudani bila kusahau hoteli hasa zile maarufu kwa pamoja hawako nyuma katika kuhakikisha wanafanya kila kivutio ili kuweza kuwateka wateja lukuki wakati wa ’wapendanao’ ili kuweza kutoa burudani mwanana wakati mwingine vikiambatana na vyakula na vinywaji vya uhakika.


Siku ya wapendanao kama inavyojulikana haijafungamana na matakwa ya dini yeyote wala aina ya mtu umpendaye kwa wakati huo. Hii ina maana kuwa salamu za wapendanao unaweza kutuma kwa Mama au Baba yako mzazi, kaka, dada, mume, rafiki wa kiume au wa kike, watoto n.k.

Leo basi nilitaka sote pamoja tufahamu nini chanzo cha siku ya Wapendanao na ni kwa nini ikaitwa Valentine Day, badala ya kuendelea kushabikia bila kuelewa chimbuko la siku hiyo muhimu duniani kwa wale wote ‘wapendanao’, kwa mujibu wa makala zilizoandikwa Birgit and Roger pamoja na www.history.com.

Katika historia ya kanisa Catholic huko Rumi, miaka 2000 iliyopita inasadikiwa kuwa taifa hilo lilikuwa kwenye vita ambapo Rumi kama mataifa mengine walihitaji askari wa kutosha kwa ajili ya shughuli hiyo.

Ilikuwa ni karne ya tatu wakati nchi ya Rumi ambayo kwa wakati huo ilikuwa ikitawaliwa na mtawala Cladius wa pili ambaye alitoa hoja ya kuhitaji askari vijana waajiriwe kwa wingi kwa ajili kwenda katika mapambano.

Kwa imani aliyokuwa nayo wakati huo, Mtawala Cladius wa pili aliamini kuwa askari mwanaume kijana ambaye hajaoa huwa ni askari shupavu sana awapo katika mapambano ya vita. Hivyo basi, uongozi wa wakati huo ulipitisha amri ya kuwa vijana wote waliopo wajiunge na jeshi na iwe marufuku kwa kijana yeyote kuoa au kufunga ndoa ili waweze kushiriki kikamilifu katika kazi ya jeshi.

Baada ya amri hiyo kutolewa, raia wote walitii katika nchi ya Rumi. Ilikuwa ni uamuzi mzito sana hasa kwa vijana. Lakini kama tujuavyo, panapokuwa na jambo zito kama hilo si ajabu kwa binadamu kama tujuavyo kuanza kuwa na mbinu mbadala. Nilazima kutakuwa na mambo ambayo yatajitokeza katika kuzuia au kukwamisha amri kama hiyo ili mradi tu kuwe na mpango fulani bila kujali kuwa ni wa kujenga au kubomoa usifanikiwe kwa asilimia fulani.

Basi alikuwepo Kasisi mmoja wa kanisa Katholic ambaye aliamua kuendelea na kufungisha ndoa kwa vijana lakini kwa njia ya siri sana. Kasisi huyo alijulikana kwa jina la Valentine au Valentinus na ilikuwa ni miaka kati ya 270 baada ya Kristo (270 AD).

Valentine alifanya kazi ya kufungisha ndoa kwa vijana wengi. Aliifanya kazi hiyo katika usiri mkubwa sana. Hivyo, siku jinsi zilivyokuwa zikisonga, mtawala Cladius alishangaa kuona vijana wengi aliowatarajia kuifanya kazi ya jeshi wengi wao walikuwa wameshafunga ndoa.

Jambo hili halikumpendeza kabisa Mtawala Cladius maana ilikuwa ni kinyume na matazamio na matarajio yake kutokana na amri aliyokwishatoa.

Siku zilivyozidi kwenda, siri hiyo iligundulika na Kasisi Valentine alikamatwa na kufungwa jela kwa kosa la kukiuka amri ya Mtawala wao. Alipokuwa kifungoni, kulikuwepo na makundi ya vijana ambao waliunga mkono huduma yake aliyokuwa anaitoa huduma kwa jamii, kwani waliamini kwa kufanya vile Father Valentine alikuwa akiwaokoa vijana wengi wakirumi kutokwenda kuishia jeshini. Vijana hawa walikuwa wakimtembelea mara kwa mara na kumtia moyo.

Historia inasema kuwa, katika watu hao pia alikuwepo binti mmoja ambaye Valentine alimpenda na siku moja kabla kesi yake haijatolewa hukumu Father Valentine alimwandikia barua binti huyo na mwishoni aliweka sahihi yake kama ‘Kutoka kwa Valentine’ au kwa lugha ya kiingereza tungeweza kusema ni ‘From your Valentine’ maneno ambayo mpaka leo yanatumika kama Valentine ni mpendwa au mpenzi wako.

Hali hii inadhihirisha kuwa, Fr. Valentine ndiyo aliyekuwa mtu wa kwanza kuhamasisha jamii kuendelea kupeana salamu za upendo kwa kila mmoja na kuita kuwa ni salamu za Valentine. Hivyo basi Fr. Valentine ndivyo alivyokuwa, nay eye ndiye Muasisi wa siku ya wapendao.

Jambo lingine la muhimu, ni kufahamu kuwa kwa nini sherehe hizi zikachaguliwa ziwe zinafanyika mwezi wa Februari katika tarehe za katikati ya mwezi huo, hii ni kwa sababu Fr. Valentine baada ya kuhukumiwa alipokuwa kifungoni, hukumu yake ilikuwa ni kunyongwa, na alinyongwa katika majira hayo hayo ya katikati ya mwezi Februari hiyo ndiyo sababu ya kuweka tarehe 14 Februari kuwa ni siku ya ‘Wapendao’ au ‘Valentine Day’ kwa kuzingatia kuwa mwezi February una siku kati ya 28 au 29 tu.

Vilevile, inahisiwa kuwa mbali na siku ya wapendanao kuhusishwa moja kwa moja na Fr. Valentine, vilevile hii ni siku ambayo mazao ya nafaka ambayo ni chakula kizuri kwa watu wengi wakati huo ndio majira ya uvunaji na upandaji wa mazao mbalimbali katika nchi ya Rumi (Roman).

Pia wapo waliokuwa wakisema kuwa, mwezi Februari umetambulikana kama ni ‘Siku ya Wapendanao’ katika nchi yetu na kwingineko, kwani wakati huo huwa ipo aina Fulani ya ndege jike huwa ndiyo majira yao ya kukutana na ndege dume. Ambapo hii hudhihirisha kuwa tarehe 14 ya mwezi wa pili ni siku ya wapendanao na kwa wale wenye kuwakumbuka wazazi wao ama ndugu wa karibu.


Nchi kama Uingereza, tarehe 14 Februari ya kila mwaka kuanzia karne ya 17 na 18, pia huadhimisha siku ya ‘Wapendanao’, kwa wapenzi na wachumba. Jambo hili lilianza kuzoeleka kidogo kidogo na baadaye kuweza kujengeka katika nchi ya Rumi yote na baadaye kusambaa kidogokidogo.

Siku za mwamzoni, watu wengi walikuwa wakitumiana salamu hizi kwa kuandikiana barua, ambapo baadaye kidogo kwenye karne ya kumi na nane hali hiyo ilianza kwisha na kuingia kwa Kadi maalumu ambapo zinakuwa zimejaa katika maduka mbalimbali pamoja na maua ya kupeana kwa wale wapendanao. Na sasa baada ya teknolojia kuongezeka salamu zinatumwa mno kwa njia ya text meseji za kwenye simu za kiganjani.

Tafiti mbalimbali zimeonyesha kuwa karibia kadi za Valentine bilioni moja zilikuwa zikinunuliwa na kutumwa sehemu mbalimbali hapa duniani, hii inafanya kuwa ni sikukuu kubwa ya pili duniani kwa watu kutumiana kadi, sikukuu ya kwanza ni X-mass ambapo inakisiwa karibu kadi zipatazo bilioni 2.6 hutumwa sehemu mbalimbali za dunia katika kutakiana heri ya X-mass.

Aidha, imegundulika kuwa, pamoja na wanunuzi au waandalizi ya shughuli hii kuwa wengi, lakini inakisiwa kuwa asilimia 85 ya washabiki wa masuala hayo ni wanawake.
Kwa ufupi kutokana na ufafanuzi huu, angalau wengi twaweza kufahamu nini kinajiri katika suala zima la Valentine Day.

Namalizia kwa kusema, maadhimisho ya ‘Siku ya Wapendanao’ yaanzie katika familia zetu, majirani zetu na hata makazini. Waandishi wa habari tupendane wenyewe kwa wenyewe ikiwa kama ishara ya kudumisha nia na malengo ya kazi zetu katika kuielimisha jamii. Happy Valentine Day!!!!

gladym@hotmail.com
www.gladnesshemedi.blogspot.com
www.ngajilanag.blogspot.com

Trainees of the Internet Training for Editors and Trainers recently in Dar es salaam.

FIVE DAYS OF INTERNET TRAINING TO EDITORS AND TRAINERS –DAR ES SALAAM

Editors from various media houses including printing and electronic media in Dar es Salaam attended a five days training on Journalism in the age of Internet from 2 to 6 February, 2009.

Internet Training was being taught by the veteran journalist from Finland Mr. Peik Johansson, he also completed the same training to the other two batches here in Dar es Salaam.

In Tanzania, learning about internet journalism is a new subject because it is not taught practically in most of the journalism colleges except for Tumaini University www.tumaini.ac.tz whereby most of the products/candidates are not practising journalism per se but they rely on Public Relations Officers.

Making of Blogs is a major component of this training which all participants were joyful to know the steps of making their own blogs. In making these major achievements Mr. Peik was assisted by the veteran blogger Mr.Majid Mjengwa (www.mjengwa.blogspot.com).

Being a participant to this course, I am happy that, now I will be able to circulate my information by creating my own blog www.gladnesshemedi.blogspot.com and www.ngajilanag.blogspot.com.

In this training I came to understand that Google is a search engine which is a solution to everything. In brief every information you are looking for as a researcher, journalist, trainer etc can be easily obtained by searching from the Google.

I master on how to create a blog, posting of text and pictures as well. But also I need more training on link option, as you can read from my text you will see that I need more training on that, but am sure I will get it from one of my colleagues.

Briefly I would like to sum up by saying that big up to Vikes Foundation for providing this important scholarship and bravo MISA-TAN for the good supervision and organisation as well. My advice is that, there are so many veteran journalists in up-countries, VIKES foundation and other funders could think on that as well.

Thanks.

Binyavanga Wainaina: “I am going to significantly impact world affairs”

38 years old a Kenyan author of various books Binyavanga Wainaina started to write at the time he was attending High School in Lenana Secondary School, in Nairobi.

His efforts made him to be well known all over the world after he received The Caine Prize for African Writing in July 2002 due to his short story known as ‘Discovering Home’.

The Caine Prize Award an Award for African Writers founded in England in 2000 is awarded annually to any an African short story writer, the story should be published. The name Caine came from the memory of the late Sir Michael Harris Caine former Chairperson of Booker plc for almost 25 years. (Source: www.caineprize.com)

Being an African Writer, Wainaina has an opportunity of being invited in so many Colleges and Universities in Africa and outside Africa for the purpose of facilitating trainees on the ABC of writing secret especially on African writing.

Wainaina in a way of showing that what he does and says about African Writing is serious, he has a book title “How to Write About Africa”. In one of the chapters of that book he insisted that when you writing about Africa always use the word ‘Africa’ or ‘Darkness’ or ‘Safari’ in your title.

He also said that I quote “Make sure you show how Africans have music and rhythm deep in their soul, eat things no other humans eat. Do not mention rice and beef and wheat...” he added that he is going to significantly impact world affairs.

Writing about Africa needs a writer to make sure that he has all the loves with Africa, this can easily put on the reader. I t will be like a music or poem to a reader. You need to make on such a way that a reader has to have feelings of love to a mentioned continent or country.

The 2002 Caine Prize Winner, Wainaina further said that when you write about Africa you should build your characters according to African culture, for example, you can build your character as a man who can struggle day and night, this is according to http://www.granta.com/.

Beautiful and all the attractive areas and things within Africa should be mentioned, this including animals like elephants. Descriptions of these airmails are very vital. For example you can explain about elephants as a nice animal who can provide manual composite and provide foreign currency as one of the tourists attractions. The animal also can be trained and make funny to viewers as well http://www.binyavangawainaina.com/.

I brief I would like to say that, it is good to praise our African writers for the good job.

Gladness Hemedi Munuo Mratibu wa GEMSAT, Julitha Masanja Mkurugunzi Msaidizi wa Watoto Wizara ya jamii, jinsia na watotot na Mwenyekiti wa GEMSAT Dominica Haule.

Wanachama wa Gender and Media in Southern Africa Tanzania Chapter (GEMSAT) wakiwa katika uzinduzi wa kalenda ya siku 365 na robo za kupinga ukatili dhidi ya wanawake barani Afrika.

Mheshimiwa Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, Rais wa awamu ya nne.

Mzee Chenge alipotangaza kujiuzulu uwaziri wa miundo mbinu mara baada ya kupatikana na kashfa ya radar mwaka 2008.