All over the world, Francophiles everywhere celebrate Francophonie this week (today’s actually the main day, March 20). This may seem a bit bizarre for me to do this kind of fete in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, but it has been darn fun.
I remember during the first visit I made to Tanzania last year, I went to the Alliance Francaise. I was warned by a Tanzanian that I should not hang out there too much because it was full of expatriates. Expatriates are people who may live in Tanzania but always think of their homeland. They live in an imaginary box, trying to recreate home wherever they go. Of course many a traveler is guilty of this (yes, me included), but I sorta told myself I wouldn’t hang out at the Alliance Francaise very much.
And I have.
I take a course to keep my French fresh with a group of Tanzanian students. Our teacher’s name is Christophe; he’s from Normandy. We discuss politics in class – the Presidential Elections, in particular. Sometimes we slip into Kiswahili—but rarely English. The course goes from 6 to 8 pm. The classroom is air-conditioned, and sometimes we hang in the library, where French books and mags abound. Since the Alliance Francaise is located 45 mins from our house, I take the daladala there in the afternoon, then ride home with a group of male students back to campus. Last night one hipster had his parents’ Land Rover, and gave everyone rides to their doorstep. He jammed Kenny G on the way, and swerved around enormous potholes in ways no ordinary groundhugging car could (my Mazda Miata, by the way, would survive exactly 1 day on Dar roads). Miraculously, there was no traffic.
Last week was the start of Semaine de la Francophonie. It started with a bang with a concert at the Diamond Jubilee Concert Hall by Ba Cissoko, a Kora player from Guinea. It was an electrifying blend of traditional kora (a harp / guitar instrument with 6 strings, made from a calabash) and rockin kora. So modern. Really better than most African world music I’ve heard recently. Better than Youssou Ndour, rivaling Baaba Maal. Definitely more complex than the Bonga Flava music so popular with Dar teenagers.
Last night the fete continued with the visit of the famous Zep, Swiss cartoonist and author of the Titeuf series. Though there was some magnificent egg rolls and samosa, as well as red and white wine for all, the ambiance was strange. I could barely see the bald cartoonist, let alone hear a word from him. I guess I couldn’t figure out why the author didn’t speak, and didn’t sign books. Why come all this way from Switzerland, if not to inspire the Tanzanian audience (me included) and give away his books. But we hangers-on had fun. It was an opportunity to meet one Tanzanian journalist for the CITIZEN, and the owner of an art gallery (with an exhibit opening next Thursday). And now we are getting ready for the next big event—a play on Friday evening called LES VEUVES (the Widows) with actors from the Comores Islands.
Francophone is very important—even thriving—in Tanzania (more so than in rural Illinois? you might ask). Students are hungry to learn French at the university even though there are only 2 profs with doctorates in French. They know that French will play a big role in their careers (whether in interntl work with diplomacy, translation, banking, teaching, etc).
VIVE la francophonie!
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