Mmbuji Rock, Southern Tanzania

Southern Tanzania has what it takes to be an attractive destination for tourists, both local and foreign. Here lies the Selous National Park, one of the largest in the world, with an incredible variety of wildlife.

The famous Maji Maji uprising against German rule, 1905-07, centered on this region, and records of it can be seen in the Maji Maji Museum in Songea town. To the west lies Lake Nyasa, with its sparkling waters and pristine beaches.

The list goes on, but one of the most magnificent but hidden treasures of Southern Tanzania is Mmbuji Rock, in the Matengo Highlands. There are several ways to get to it. As the road from Mbinga to Mbamba Bay winds its way higher into the highlands, it hits a junction going right, towards Litembo. This road, passing through coffee farms and fields of maize, wheat and beans, leads to Mmbuji Rock.

You can see Mmbuji Rock from miles away. I took the photo on the left while traveling from Mbinga to Litembo, as the landrover was going up the mountain from Kindimba, towards Manzege. You can see Mmbuji Rock in the far distance, beyond mountains covered with fields of ripened wheat.

There is much folklore surrounding Mmbuji Rock, including legends and tales of supernatural occurences, which I alluded to in an earlier post. For people interested in the folklore and culture of this area, I recommend Matengo Folktales.










Mmbuji Rock dwarfs everything else around it. Next to Mmbuji Rock, the tall trees seem like mere potted plants.

One needs to see Mmbuji Rock from different angles, from close by as well as from a distance. As the photos on this page demonstrate, Mmbuji Rock has many faces, depending on the viewer's location.Those who have seen Mmbuji Rock will agree that it defies description, and I can only say that seeing is believing. (I would like to acknowledge the sources of the photos used here and will do so soon)

Batouala

I ordered a copy of Rene Maran's Batouala, and it arrived on November 14. I have known about this novel for decades. I am sure I first heard about it as an undergraduate student at the University of Dar es Salaam. I do not remember if I read it then or not.

About ten years ago, as I immersed myself in studying Ernest Hemingway, I discovered that Batouala had a significant impact on Hemingway. As a young man in Paris, Hemingway reviewed this novel favourably in the Toronto Star in 1922. This was Hemingway's first published book review. It is clear that this novel helped define Hemingway's ideas about writing, as is attested by this well-known paragraph from the review:

You smell the smells o of the village, you eat its food, you see the white man as the black man sees him, and after you have lived in the village you die there. That is all there is to the story, but when you have read it, you have seen Batouala, and that means it is a great novel.

The more I have immersed myself in Hemingway, especially his African connection, the more I have felt the urge to read Batouala, knowing that it will aid me in my effort to gain a deeper insight into both Hemingway's writing style and his life-long fascination with Africa.

Batouala was written in French. Published in 1921, it won the prestigious Prix Goncourt and sparked off a storm of controversy. I know that there are several translations of it. As I prepare to read the English translation by Barbara Beck and Alexandre Mboukou, I want to try and follow the French original at the same time, since I have a smattering of French for reading purposes. I have gone through the first page, and I am moved by Maran's writing.

Another Day at the School of Environmental Studies

Today, I went to the School of Environmental Studies in Apple Valley to talk with Mr. Todd Carlson's students. They are studying indigenous philosophy.

Over the years, starting in the early nineties, Mr. Carlson has invited me to speak in his class, my focus being traditional folklore.






In preparation for my visits, Mr. Carlson introduces the students to my book, Matengo Folktales. They read parts of it. As a result, they have many questions for me, which are thoughtful and engaging. They ask about such issues as recording and textualizing oral folklore, translation, folklore performance, and the meanings of the tales in Matengo Folktales.

During every visit, I tell a tale or two from Matengo Folktales. Today, as in the past, I told the "The Monster in the Rice Field," which everyone finds most intriguing.

Muslims in U.S. Colleges: The Somali Experience

Today, in Faribault, Minnesota, there was a meeting of Somali parents and youths to discuss the issue of Muslims in American colleges. Two Carleton College students organized the event. Aware of my longstanding engagement with the city of Faribault, including the Somali population, they invited me to be one of the facilitators of the conversations alongside a Somali Muslim man who has children in college, and a young Somali woman who is a college student.



We talked about admission issues, life on campus, challenges of being a Muslim on campus. I talked about the cultural differences Somali Muslims and Africans in general encounter on an American college campus, mindful of the fact that the school is both a product and reflection of its cultural context. The young woman on the panel reassured the audience, saying that though there are challenges to being a Muslim in an American college, they are not reason enough to discourage someone from going to college.

The gathering gave equal opportunity to young people and parents to air their views, expectations, and anxieties.












The parents stressed, again and again, that they want their children to succeed in school and college so they can have better opportunities in life.











It was humbling for me to hear some parents mention me as an example of what they want their children to be like. At the same time, it was a priviledge to be there as a source of inspiration and a role model for the youths. In fact, one young man recalled that I had spoken to him and his friends at the Faribault High School about five years ago and that he drew inspiration from what I had said on that day.




This was a valuable opportunity for everyone to learn and also to network.

Nuruddin Farah in Northfield

This evening, at Carleton College, Nuruddin Farah gave a reading from Crossbones, his latest book, published this year. Several dozen people attended tonight's event.

I have heard Farah several times, over the years, here in the USA. It is always a priviledge to meet such a distinguished writer.






Farah started by giving the context of Crossbones--the eve of the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia several years ago and its aftermath. From his reading it was clear that Crossbones brings home the sad realities and challenges that have been part of the experience of Somalia for years.

After his reading, Farah answered many questions from the audience. It was touching to hear him talk about the research he does in preparation for writing a work such as Crossbones. He paid tribute to the many people who help him.

One of the points he made is that he does not see himself as the spokesman or the voice of the Somali experience, even though many people see him as such. He insisted that nobody elected him spokesman of the Somalis. He also joked about his habit of writing trilogies, saying he is long-winded.


After his talk, Nuruddin Farah signed copies of his books. Most of his works were available. I made sure to obtain a copy of Crossbones, since I have the other books. On the left, you can see him signing my copy.










I have taught some of Nuruddin Farah's works, starting with From a Crooked Rib which I taught at Iringa Girls Secondary School, Tanzania, in 1974. I was then an undergraduate student at the University of Dar es Salaam doing my teaching practice. From a Crooked Rib was required reading in the Literature syllabus. I mentioned this to Nuruddin Farah this evening.

I have taught other works by Farah here at St. Olaf College, and I look forward to reading Crossbones.

My Online Bookstore

I like the new look of my online bookstore. You can view it here. I did not create this new storefront: the credit goes to lulu. I will, however, be adding features to it, as you will see if you keep visiting it.

I started reading about online publishing more that ten years ago and soon decided to publish some of my work that way. I am still reading, to educate myself, since the field is evolving rapidly. Reading is one thing, however, but being involved in the process deepens my understanding.

When I started publishing online, the e-book phenonemon did not exist, as far as I remember. Nowadays, however, it is quickly gaining ground and might become dominant. I keep pace with these developments, making all my online books available in printed and e-book formats.

Twin Cities Book Festival, 2011

Today, I went to the Twin Cities Book Festival in Minneapolis. This is an annual Festival, organized by the Rain Taxi
magazine.











Although I have participated in this festival as a book exhibitor for a number of years, this year I inadvertently forgot to make arrangements in time. I was in Tanzania for much of the summer, and when I returned to Minnesota, I realized that all the exhibition tables were taken. Next year I will be more alert, I hope.







Still, I drove the 45 miles to Minneapolis to see the Festival, a major event I never want to miss.












Despite the bad state of the American economy, despite all the suffering and uncertainty this is causing in people's lives, it is amazing that the Book Festival never fails to attract large numbers of people.









As always, I met people I know, such as Shatona Kilgore-Groves, seen on the left. She is a writer and educator in the African American community. This year, I published a review of her first book. At her table, I also saw her latest book, Feeling Down: How to Pick Yourself up in the Word of God.








I watched as people milled about, cheking out books and talking with authors, publishers, editors and other people in the book industry.











The whole day, from early in the morning, people come and go. I have no doubt that thousands of people attended today's Festival.












Most touching, for me, is to see parents who bring their children to these events. What a great way to bring up children. I believe all children like books. I have noted this in my own county as well and written about it.










I spent much time in the used books section on the left. There was a great variety of books here, at low prices.