The Family

The Family

Dr Anne went with her friends Babu and Mama Mosi to their home in Morogoro, Tanzania. 

She had the most amazing time with them and Mama Mosi's family.

Babu and Mama Mosi

Chiku's niece Sikina, her husband and her mother.

Batuli, Sikina's daughter, her cousin Zamda and their friend Bernard

Batuli was Dr Anne's teacher and personal assistant.

Batuli's elder sister.

Mama Mosi's youngest great grandchild.

A family photo.

The family group.

Matthiesssen, P. (1972). The Tree Where Man Was Born

Matthiesssen, P. (1972). The Tree Where Man Was Born. London: The Harvill Press.

The book describes the physical geography of the area.

It tells the history of the area from Sudan - Tanzania. 
It describes the tribal systems - their customs. 
It tells some of the myths.
It tells of the animals to be found in the different areas, their hierarchy and 'ways'.

Written in the late sixties and published in 1972 it is of course dated but it has excellent references. 

A great read 7/10 

Gurnah, A. (1994). Paradise.

Gurnah, A. (1994). Paradise. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd.

The book was set at the turn of the 20th century when Tanzania was occupied by the Germans.

Yusuf is taken captive by a merchant to pay for his father's debts.  He is taken to the coast and works in one of the merchant's shops.  Eventually he goes with the merchant on his travels into the hinterland buying and selling goods.  He is involved in adventures as they meet different tribes up country.  Some steal, some fight, some kill and some are friendly.  On his return he is around the merchant's house.  The merchant's first wife fancied him and he fancied the second wife.  Such is it that he eventually runs off to enlist in the German army.  

Dr Anne awards 6/10.

Travels in Africa

Babu, Mama Mosi and Dr Anne travelled to Tanzania on 17 November.  

The flight from London took 9 hours.  

This is the first view of Tanzania from the plane.

Mount Kilimanjaro

Tanzania Reads

Dr Anne is off to Tanzania on Saturday.  When she purchased her Lonely Planet the following reads were suggested:

Gurnah, A. (1994). Paradise. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd.

Palangyo, P.K. (1968). Dying in the Sun. London: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.

Matthiesssen, P. (1972). The Tree Where Man Was Born. London: The Harvill Press.

Vassanji, M.G. (1989). The Gunny Sack. London: Heinemann.

The Gunny Sack has just arrived from the US.  Dying in the Sun is an old library book but the cost was  a new book.

In addition Dr Anne has bought a Swahili phrase book.

The Enchanted Forest

Dr Anne and the Chairman of STBF attended Event Scotland Awards at the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh.  The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival received a commendation.  The Enchanted Forest won all the awards.

Dr Anne and SS visited the Enchanted Forest on Thursday evening.  Dr Anne had booked two tickets online.  They had supper at the Victoria Restaurant with large numbers of families all dressed in wellies and waterproof clothing.  They then walked to Fishers Hotel and joined a short queue before entering the bus at their allotted time.  A short bus ride took them to Faskally Wood where they disembarked.  They walked around the lake guided by people dressed up as Druids.  The theme this year was Flow.  It took around an hour to walk around the lake stopping in particular for a light show at the far end of the lake.  At the end of the walk they paid an additional £1 to enter a tent to listen to a story teller.

SS and Dr Anne enjoyed the experience.  They commend the organisation of the project and the light experience.

Tandia

Courtenay, B. (1992). Tandia. Australia: Heinemann

For the last six weeks Dr Anne has been reading the Power of One and Tandia. One doesn't have to read both books but together they are awesome.  The world of the 50s in South Africa is portrayed in Tandia - the boers, the rooineks, the coloureds,  the mixed race, the various black tribes.  It is what they thought of themselves and each other - the good, the bad, the hate, the love, the rulers, the ruled, the laws of the land and the use of the law. Tandia, Peekay, Hymie, Gideon v Gelenhuis.

Together since the world began, the madman and the lover.

Small can beat big, you must remember only one thing, first with the head then with the heart. 

Does good overcome evil?  Does the head rule the heart? What is the future?

This is the first 10/10 Dr Anne has awarded.