A Mzungu in Africa

My life in St Judes School,Tanzania from January 2006

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Blokes in Cloaks

Our askari (guards/ watchmen) at the school are Masai. This is pretty typical in Tanzania and Kenya. For some reason, askari are often watchmen or guards. We have around 12 of them and they work a couple of weeks on and a week off. They come from a nearby Masai area called Monduli. Some have a couple of wives and they all live in Masai style houses (boma).

Instantly recognisable by their red and black (or various other) Masai blankets, they also carry a panga (like a big knife). I've always been a little dubious about how effective their Pangas would be in the event of a real problem but thankfully, thus far, we've never had to find out.

Generally speaking, our Askari are the loveliest, most polite men. They don't speak very much unless you make the effort because most of them don't know much English. In fact, many of them don't know very good Swahilli as they tend to speak Ki-Masai most of the time. But they really appreciate when you make an effort to speak Swahili to them.

Sometimes the Asakari like to sit in the darkness and wait until you pass by, before they greet you. I can tell you, it scares the living daylights out of me. But they find it pretty funny.

I think that the most memorable sounds of my time here is hearing our Askari walk in the playground, under my bedroom window. The crunch of their feet on the marrum/ gravel is one that will stay with me for a long time. And before one shift finishes work in the morning around 6.30am I often hear them talking in KiMasai below my window and it makes me remember I'm in Africa. It's so nice to have learned a little about another culture and to get to know them. In fact, it's a priviledge.

MET

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