Ben Wilhelmi

Tanzanian stories part IV

 

two similar stories that I particularly love...

 

a doctor touring some Maasai villages for an anti-malaria campaign. She would set up a screen, a slide show and explain to the audience that the main culprit was a mosquito, showing the said mosquito on the big screen. It happened that an old man interrupted her and said that she didn't have to worry and waste her time because the mosquitoes here were tiny, nothing as big as the one on the screen! Poor guy was not used to modern tools....Lovely isn't it?

the other one was about a screen as well, brought in Maasai land by a guy who wanted to show a documentary. The audience is buzzing with people, all curious and excited. The film starts normally with the Serengeti landscapes, some giraffes and gazelles...then the lions appear on the screen. Panic in the audience, screams, people rushing out...and a few spears landed in the screen!! Beware of the tough warriors...

a friend of mine, last year, was touring a Maasai area to build a new camp. Lions were roaming but keeping their distance, just being watchful as my friend and his workers. One day he took some Maasai guides with him. At one point they stopped close to lions, people got out of the car, lions stayed where they were lying. But as soon as the Maasai wrapped in their bright red blanket stepped out, the lions fled away! Beware of the tough warriors. Not sure if the lions can see in color though, maybe the silhouette with spears and machetes rang a bell. Or the scent of sour milk...

Maasai young men have to prove a few things to become warriors. Guess what, like everywhere when men are in charge, it has to be stupid, dangerous and/or glorious. Here they have to cut off a lion's tail without killing it! Even if the guy has 2 helpers with him, it's still quite a feat to achieve. The lions win a lunch as well once in a while.

Tanzania stories part III

 

hunting again...hunters' arrogance is sometimes puzzling. They don't seem to realize that a significant part of the world hates them, or they do and proudly don't give a damn. In a way they remind me of some missionaries greeting you with "god bless you" (their god of course), aggressively signing their letter by "proud American christian", showing no respect for what one might believe in or not.

a friend of mine, a private pilot, had been asked to deliver rifles to a hunting camp. The weapons had been left behind for whatever reason. For a private pilot, being offered to fly and paid for the expenses (but no profit) is a golden opportunity. Still my friend was stricter than me and refused the flight, saying he might be tempted to drop the shit in lake Victoria! It must have been a tough decision to let slip precious flight time like that.

one day I was on a medevac (medical evacuation). A difficult airstrip for it hadn't been maintained for weeks during the rainy season, and things grow fast here. After a few buzzes over, I was sure the strip was OK for a short landing and I'd have a walk before take off to check closer. There had been a car crash, a few guys quite wounded. One of them, less damaged, came to greet me by "Hi, I'm John, professional hunter". "Hi I'm Ben and I suggest we talk about something else". He got the message luckily...what's wrong with these people? I can't think of any other people mentioning their job like that in the greeting.

some years later, I was in a camp, enjoying a day off. Things change, the office had forgot a flight. I was already pissed off to cancel my safari that day but on top I was told it was a recce flight for hunters! I had been promised while signing my contract that there would be no hunting business! Anyway, I flew to the airstrip, met the hunters who stank old meat and blood. One of them proudly started their story about killing and skinning and preparing trophies etc, that they had been in that smell for 2 weeks. Again I had to cut him short and said I couldn't care less, had no pity for their nostrils and I had no time to waste. I guess I killed my tip there...they wanted to fly for one hour, low and slow to spot any animal. Low like 50 m or so they said. I answered that I couldn't do that, the rule was 500 m above parks and reserves. They argued that this was Africa, the bush, that we were far from any rangers etc. I smiled and said that I only broke the rules when I saw fit, found fun in it for me and friends or for some other good reasons only. They were pissed off but couldn't really argue. We took off and I flew high and straight, didn't make any effort to ease their spotting whereas with tourists or photographers, I'm quite good at looking at them, seeing what they want or try to look at and fly accordingly. Binoculars through bluish old aircraft windows...not the best combination. They spotted one buffalo in one hour. My boss was flying at the same time somewhere in the vast Tanzanian sky. I got him on the radio and moaned. He understood my point and knowing me, he guessed right away what I was doing when I mentioned my altitude of 500 m. He laughed and remembered that he had told me off a coupla times for flying too low around the camps. I don't know if those hunters ever complained about my lack of enthusiasm, my rudeness ...but the office kept quiet.

Tanzanian stories part II

 

once in a while, we just take the Land Rover and go to the hills around Arusha. Some of these areas, very close still, show more the nice vibrant side of Africa. Arusha is just a town that grew too fast and overwhelmed the city council. They can't even enforce a ban on plastic bags! Come on...anyway, in those hills, we meet people, receive warm welcomes sometimes because people are pleased to see visitors, rare visitors I suppose, we take pictures very easily though some people ask for money. Probably the ones who got spoilt when visiting town or heard bad advice.

one day, we were in the car shooting Mt Meru when that very old woman came close. She watched us closely then asked for money. I said we hadn't taken her picture. She said we could and then give her money. I answered thanks but no thanks. She started to whine though smiling about poor health and whatever other problems. She saw we were not too moved so carried on, still smiling, that we were lucky to be wealthy, healthy and while saying so she grabbed Karine's breasts with full hands and compared these healthy ones with hers, all saggy and dried! Quite a surprise, I've never seen that cocky attitude before. We preferred to laugh at it and left her.

on a similar subject, a friend of mine was once approached by Maasai women in the bush. They had been observing her, chatting and giggling for a while. Finally, they dared to ask to see her breast for comparison. My friend, the easy kind, obliged and, guessing how curious they were, let them touch and check and compare firmness. Laughing and satisfied, they left, pondering the effects of maternity and bra...knowing they start pregnancies soon after the first periods and hardly stop after that. Breastfeeding for 2 years probably doesn't help either.

in Uganda a few years back, a weird (but great) event took place. There was that awful shop selling souvenirs for tourists, including elephant skulls, ivory carved objects, elephant hair bracelets, bones...forget the ban, the enforcement is nil and the cops are corrupt anyway. BUT one day, a group of elephants came down the forest and trashed that boutique, only that one, didn't show any interest in anything else around. People described great fury while stomping the whole shop. Love it! what happened in the elephants' heads, how did they sense there something elephant in that shack? Puzzling.

Hunting and me are not going well. I remember some bad looks when for instance I congratulated the leopard who mauled the hunter instead of feeling sorry for him, all chewed up, recovering very slowly in the hospital. Or saying out loud that I'd have respect for hunters when they go hunting naked with a pair of knives only.

Tanzanian stories

once in a while, no picture, just some little stories that I've been through myself or read in the papers. In a country you live in or even the neighboring countries, it's wise to read the local newspapers even if they are crap. The unusual aspect of the host country might be impressive...

- one Kenyan pastor was giving a harsh sermon to his town's sinners, promising them hell and fire. At one point he wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. It turned out he mistook his handkerchief and a woman's underwear, and not his wife's! One attendant told him but it was too late, most of the audience AND his wife had seen the proof of his latest sin! The pastor was then seen escaping with his wife howling after him.... I love this one.

- similar story with a teacher in Tanzania, in front of his students. But at least here, the underwear belonged to his wife. Still the students must see him in a different light after that. When I was a child, I didn't really consider my teachers as real humans. I don't remember clearly but maybe I thought they were living in coffins or something...

- about 30 % of the population in Tanzania is Muslim, so many women are veiled, from not too bad to really bad. I'm not politically correct and I'd have respect for these sexist traditions, not even required by the Koran apparently, when men will be equally veiled. I'd allow a hole to let the beard go through so one can recognise who's who. Anyway, one day, I'm flying out of Zanzibar, only one passenger on my manifest. It appears to be a woman, veiled 99%. Only the eyes were showing. I guess some male relatives must have dropped her at the gate. I nearly wish they had seen she was to travel alone with another man, a pilot on top. Once on board, she removed all her shit, and pronto, I see a hot chick instead, tight jean's, belly button showing, light top and it became difficult to look at her in the eyes. She smiled broadly and started to add some make-up. So much for the gestapo family.

- relic business or fervor is important here too. I'm not sure if some saints have been buried here but Livingstone is not buried in one place in one piece. Most of him is buried in Zanzibar but his heart is buried in Malawi I heard. Of course there are also signs like "Stanley crossed this door". That's worse than "Elvis slept here" or "Napoleon slept here". Maybe am having too much fun on the US, let's be fair here.

- ever heard of the concept 'flying toilets'? Nothing to do with airplanes but plastic bags being used as toilets before being thrown away in the river. Some slum dwellers have no access to toilets. So much for the hygiene! A wonder cholera is not spreading more often. Anyway the old ban on plastic bags is to be enforced they say. Let's see what's going to happen. Maybe the city council should then think of building some public toilets in the slums...true that the river banks here are disgusting.

Nairobi, last part

 

 

good old Peugeot 404. No fear to load them. Some have one million miles on

the clock and still going.

 

 

the Circus is still in town.

 

 

what secret? How many times a day he bribes a cop?

 

 

 

soccer...a constant plague in every country.

 

 

other slogans...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

like soccer, Hollywood has quite an aura too. I understand that one a lot

more than soccer. At least the stories or the actors change a bit. And the

actresses are more attractive than soccer players...

 

 

the art of loading....

 

 

6 cases of bread. 500gr par bread, at least 15 loaves per case. No wonder

the guy is pushing on that slope.

Nairobi, people part IV

 

 

super tyres...what for on tarmac? Recently in Kenya, the ministers, the MP's

and all the fat cats, between 2  embezzlement deals, decided to act in a

sensible way! Yes yes, once in a while they do what they're paid for.

A law was enacted to allow only one passenger per seat on coaches and

matatus and others! Of course some strikes started, the owners threatened

to stop any business, the ticket price went up and cops were all too

happy to enforce the law to extort money from non compliant drivers.

Now things look smooth. I've seen passengers stepping down from full

buses without any fuss! And this cop here was probably counting

how many on board.

 

 

common scene on every sidewalk in Africa,

street vendors and their stalls. A modern church

in the background. Again, as in Tanzania, "modern"

only applies for the building. As for the rest of the world

may I say?

 

survivor from the 70's! A lot of hammering and body filler to keep it alive.

 

 

Wells Fargo...for me, it evokes my childhood and the western movies or

comic strips (am Belgian, remember?) with cowboys and Indians.

 

 

I saw that a few times: a sports car driven by a chick, well a mature woman

in this case. I wonder if they chose it or if the husbands/boyfriends let

them ride it...which would be weird knowing their macho attitude and their

love affair with cars. Hardly better than in the rest of the world of course.

 

 

pedestrians and bikers are considered second class citizens by motorists...

 

 

the usual moron in a Hummer....small dick I suppose.

 

 

Notice the flower next to "Jamaica"...let's hope the guy doesn't

feel too much Jamaican when he is on duty!

 

Obama...as I said in other posts, few signs of him in the end. I was

bracing myself for a utter tribal attitude, but no.

 

 

people are hooked and showing off their cell phones

like crazy. Sounds familiar when we had the first ones

in the West?

 

I fail to see the link between Obama and the Balkans! Maybe the "Obama"

stuff just came lately. But then why did the driver put "Balkan" on his

windshield? Or "Kosovo", or "Slobodan Milosevic"?

 

 

some Kenyan chicks are still wearing

traditional outfit....

 

...but few: mostly, in Nairobi at least, I saw this.

 

 

Nairobi, people part III

 

 

 

I thought of the famous picture in which the Beatles

walk on crossing lines...

 

bicycles are less numerous than in Tanzania I'd say but still popular.

 

  

notice the joke on the bus, a big Mama being

able to dance thanks to the powerful music system.

I wonder if the real Mama on the left was shocked...

 

"Lycée Denis Diderot"...the kids couldn't answer my

greetings in French!

  

good to distinguish some old classic artists like Bob Marley. Too bad

the poster colors are gone but good to see that fucking rappers haven't

invaded everything.

 

 

black guy with a sikh hat?

 

 

  

feet that tell a story...though the owner was maybe on a bad plan with me.

He was always around pretending not to watch me, clearly on the prowl. And I

noticed his kind of twin behind me, I left...No proof but bad feeling, that

was enough.

 

  

 

 

his little brother's bike?

 

 

old men are considered wise in African culture...

well by the way this one decorated his bicycle,

I had my doubts...

 

evolution should have given bikers an extra pair of eyes for traffic survival.

 

 

Americans can be proud again! This Kenyan dude was obviously happy for

Obama's victory. Never underestimate the tribal effect in Africa.

 

loading a bicycle requires some skills, and even more to ride them.

 

that brake is an old piece of tyre on the lower back of the cart when it is

used at an angle like this. Plus the guy's shoes...not always efficient. I've

witnessed once such a rider badly stuck between his cart and the back of the

car he had just rammed into, unable to slow down.

Nairobi, people part II

 

 

a smart cheater. I found the bus fares quite expensive, for many locals

that is horrendous. Between 20 and 40 Kenya shillings. 25 to 50 US cents...

it would be about 16 in Tanzania, already out of reach for many.

Lots of people live with less than 100$ a month...the famous "1$ a day "

hasn't disappeared unfortunately.

 

different style...

 

 

definitely a different style for the cops here!

This guy was there for apparently no reason, not

helping with the traffic, not guarding anything,

he was alone on top and he is carrying a Kalashnikov

as casually as a grocery bag. Weird. And scary. No

better picture of him I had to be careful.

 

I bet the unlucky motorist stopped in a fuel station for a flat tire. And an

employee is sent somewhere else to get it fixed. I'd be concerned to see

my (Mercedes in this case) wheel be taken away like that...

 

 

sausages for sale, but it could have been ice cream.

 

 

nice driver this one, he stopped...

 

 

tones of blue

 

 

 

 

a difference between Kenya and Tanzania: the suits

are here usually well tailored, maybe a bit too

long on this man. In TZ, they are always 3 sizes too

big, too long. As if the guys were planning to get

fatter (and taller?) when ageing....

 

 

whereas girls, tight and perfect...

 

Nairobi, people

another post that should have been sent yesterday...

I had only taken a 35mm lens by the way, that is

equivalent to 50mm in film-camera. That is with the

35mm the standard focal lenses with which most of

the most famous  BW pictures of the XXth century have

been shot. Thinking of Cartier-Bresson, Capa, Doisneau,

Mydans, Eisenthal...That was before the monster

zooms that are available now and make your life

easy, too easy..so once in a while I like to go

back to the basic lens and face the challenge,come

close to people, a few meters away. When I started

photography, I chose by then the easy way

with a big 300 mm lens, then slowly I switched to

a normal 35-70mm zoom, which forces you to be

close to the subject. I had been reading magazines

and followed their advices. Of course, once in a while

I can't help to crop  some pictures when I was not

close enough...nobody's perfect!

Sorry girls but I'm slightly biased here as I took

mostly pictures of good looking Kenyan girls..I felt

more inspired I don't know why... :-)

 

this man tried his luck in Italian to approach me.

My Italian knowledge hardly going beyond 'ma qué bella

ragazza', or 'cornuto' we switched on to English. This

gentleman happens to be Ethiopian, hence his attempt

in Italian. He asked for one shot only of him with the

church in the background and maybe I'd send it to him

over the postal service? Unusual but not rare. He was so

sweet I couldn't say no. I also remembered a

fellow Masai who proudly showed me the family

album with no more than 15 pictures in it, for

a lifetime! I came back from 3 days in Nairobi with 400...

with films I'd have done 3 or 4 rolls I guess.

 

 

Nairobi is very cosmopolitan.

 

  

 

and here below, another series with a matatu driver that

doesn't see the point of stopping for passengers to get out!

 

 

 

too bad for the wire, I know but this is only for a blog purpose,

that is like a diary. It's not a coffee table book!

 

 

she knew I was shooting her, she tried to

pretend she didn't notice but her smile

betrayed her. Rare to see an African city-

dweller shaved like this, without hair extension.

It fits her perfectly I think.

 

 

 

many beautiful girls...

 

 

Nairobi, matatu part III, run for your life

 

Nairobi traffic, bad drivers, bad cops, corrupt cops, few traffic lights...

lights that are only there for information I'd say. I read in a Kenyan newspaper

that some matatus belong to cops, politicians or other fat cats. They

are thus untouchable. According to the journalist, those matatus can

perform 12 daily rotations in the city instead of 7, 7 rotations for those

who have to follow the traffic rules or at least be wary of the rotten cops.

Less revenues of course for the small companies.

Drivers, generally speaking in Africa, seem to forget where they come

from and have no respect at all for walkers. Some proof? Have a look below.

Nearly the strongest survive attitude. Everybody is running to cross a street

that is quite jammed so speed shouldn't be that important for drivers. Still...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cute and stylish woman, he?

 

 

  

 

even the f... coaches don't always stop to let

passengers step down safely!! look at this guy's

movements!A bit aerobatic no? And the tout hangs

on the handle, so he doesn't step down himself!

 

 

I don't know where he is going but nothing seems

able to stop him! What a determination in his eyes!

  

Nairobi, matatu part II

 

 

 

remember yesterday I mentioned the basket ball

stuff. Here we go for a full view of with the

painting, poorly done...no clue what the "Silly

girl" has to do here. One common thing between

Tanzania and Kenya is those sayings and

other proverbs painted on many coaches.

I can't always figure out what they mean....

 

the 3 pictures below show the main coaches with the least decorations

on them. Big companies or maybe run by the city I guess. So these companies

need a similar scheme on each of their vehicle for recognition, the drivers

are not allowed to alter the painting. Nevertheless the colors

are quite flashy too. Some advertising is allowed.

 

 

"City Hoppa" for city hopper. Rap style everywhere.

 

 

 

here is one with an ad. "The monk who sold his Ferrari comes home". Sure...

he probably wants it back so he makes people pay nearly 100$ to attend

his seminar! What a rip off and a mockery...but in any country some people

will fall for that scam.

 

good old Land Rover at work.

 

 

here is one of those weird sayings: happiness...and then what? something

is missing to make a point, no?

 

 

here it is an ad, flashy as often.

 

 

2 touts, as they are called, one must be a trainee...

 

"Balkans" is a recurrent theme. But what's the link with "rufftones"?

"Kosovo", "Slobodan Milosevic" have been seen as well. I wonder what

the drivers understand when they choose their motto..and mostly what

passengers understand. Imagine some rural area without real connections

to the rest of the world.

 

 

and here, again no clue...plus the 2 pieces of art?

 

this one must have been the worst of all categories I've seen. Don't ask, I have

no idea what they've been smoking during the brainstorming session but it

must have been good and plentiful!

Nairobi and matatu

 

I've just spent a few days in Nairobi, also aptly nicknamed Nairobbery.

I saw a few friends, did some shopping like bicycle parts (the bike shop

in Arusha is utterly hopeless), enjoyed more diversity in food, and in

everything else by the way. So as usual I like to walk in a city, even

if the Nairobi sidewalks are meant to break legs or twist ankles. In turn

I was in awe to see Kenyan girls with high heels or even stiletto!

I've been ranting a lot about the "dala-dala" in Arusha, I know, but

there are some major differences with the ones in Kenya, called here

"matatu". But similarities are numerous too, unfortunately...I was

walking near a commercial center when I felt as if I had been transposed 

all of a sudden in a disco, techno type music blaring, the pavement nearly

vibrating! As if the noise was not obvious enough, some horn melody came on

top! I looked for the source and spotted this thing, displayed below, arriving

fast and screeching tyres to stop. I came closer for the picture, saw the

windows shaking. Indeed a matatu, people coming in and out but

only youngsters, who else. After this monster of ugliness and poor taste

I decided to look closer for the other matatus. This one has been awarded

the gold medal in my opinion. Different wheels at the back, sometimes

bigger than the front ones, the rear of the beast jacked up for this

dragster look, flashy painting (and forget the matching colors), added chrome

gitzmo like the exhaust pipe or bumper, blackened windows...

Men tend to be men all over the world when it comes to cars. Just the style,

the taste that change...

 

extra bumper, skulls, sport rims...I also wonder what the driver still sees

through such a clustered windshield... Because like in Arusha, they drive like

crazy...here is the clown hanging out of the vehicle, looking for passengers.

My worst enemy when I'm cycling. He ignores me and tells the driver to stop,

pull over or start by banging his hand on the roof. And the driver just obeys in a

flash, not paying much attention either. But I've learnt that by now.

 

another model of sobriety...the amount of money and time wasted in this!

Notice as well the white rim on the tyres, like on the old US cars.

 

sober painting but maybe the worst is to be come. Again, the rear is higher, back

wheels are bigger. It doesn't look very comfortable for the passengers, specially

when the drivers pile on the brakes, which they love to. One must keep sliding

towards the front. Notice the basket ball stuff on the back! I'll show later the

full picture.

 

slowly getting there...step by step. I still wonder why they've put

all-terrain tyres on the back wheels...

 

rap is very popular too, like this 'singer' painted on the side.

 

100$ bills all over. Very tasty and stylish too, though the head on the notes

are not Franklin's portrait but a rapper's.

 

 

a clean one! Just the American flag (since Obama's election)

 

 

under project, orange paint as a base. I'm sure the rest is coming soon.

 

    

as I've said they stop anywhere on request, specially where they're

not supposed to.

 

African optimism...a matatu racing with a sport car. The guy hanging out

was yelling and encouraging his fellow driver...?! I wonder if the

Toyota and Nissan designers knew what would happen to their creation

when they thought of a minibus strong enough for the African roads and

other rough conditions... This matatu here looks like a standard

Tanzanian one. No decoration. Not that the Tanzanian drivers

are any smarter, just lack of money or the fashion hasn't hit here yet...