We left home base after breakfast and drove north and east of Moshi, up the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Our first stop was to visit a huge baobob tree and to learn about its significance in Tanzanian culture. The baobob trees play an important role in traditional Tanzanian life. With its leaves, seeds and bark, it provided medicines to the community. It was a place of shelter and a center of the spiritual life of the community. Just as is the case throughout the world, as Tanzanian culture becomes more and more influenced by the larger world, the baobob tree plays less and less a role in the community. However, we enjoyed learning about this magnificent plant.
After encircling the tree with outstretched arms, all of us hopped back into our vans and were driven to a blacksmith shop that was unlike any that we have ever seen any where in the world. This one was located under a pavilion that was not too much different from the one in which we eat our meals at Home Base. The Blacksmith pavilion was more rustic and had a dirt floor, but it was very simple, without walls and provided the workers shade from the sun.
Of course, the iron was being shaped entirely by hand. It was heated in a wood fire similar to those used at campsites to cook food. The bellows were extremely unusual because they were powered by the men moving a rubber tube back and forth horizontally. I am afraid that I couldn’t understand the mechanics involved, but took pictures that may help someone else explain how they worked.The blacksmith shop produced both long and short spears, bells that might be similar to cow bells but round in shape, and several other iron objects. We found a simple rattle-like musical instrument that will be added to our dining room wall. We’re both pleased with the purchase.
Our next stop was the Marangu market. As you know, we have visited many, many markets throughout the world. Therefore, we didn’t expect this one to be very different. Were we ever wrong! The banana market section in the Marangu market was phenomenal.
We have never seen so many stalks of bananas in one place. From miles away farmers used very simple wheel barrows to bring piles of stalks to the market. Some women were bringing one stalk on their heads while others were taking a stalk away after having bought it. We learned that many of the stalks of bananas were headed south to Dar es Salaam and other parts of Tanzania. Thus, it was not a local banana market but one that served a much wider region.
We also wandered around the market because it was interesting and colorful. Kirk bought a bunch of carrots and Jean bought a tiny package of beans.
We hoped to begin to fill the “bean bag” that we’ll use as a “tripod” for the camera on our safari. However, this purchase didn’t help fill the bean bag very much. We’ll need to make another trip to the Moshi market and buy a lot more beans. More on that another time.
After an enjoyable visit to the market, we drove to a cave that was dug in the mid-1800s for people who did not want to be sold into slavery. They could hide in these caves and escape being sold. There are many caves in this part of Tanzania. All were dug by women. This one had a very steep ladder that enabled us to climb down. It was an interesting look into Tanzanian history.
Our next stop was at a resort on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro which caters to foreigners who are either about to begin their climb to the top of the mountain or who have completed their climb. CCS kitchen staff had packed lunches for each of us, so we enjoyed a lovely lunch of buttered bread, a hard boiled egg, a fried vegetable croquette, a muffin, apple and banana. Kirk bought a refreshing beer which we enjoyed sharing. Everything was delicious and filling. We were all ready for this stop.
After the delicious lunch we all visited an outdoor museum which contained an example of a traditional house made of grass which was used by the Chaaga tribe who lived in this area of Tanzania. Before Tanzania became a colony of Great Britain, there were 120 independent tribes in the area that is now Tanzania. The Chaagas lived in the area around Moshi that we visited today. Their round, grass covered houses protected them and their animals from their enemies, especially the Maasai (who claimed that all cows anywhere in the area belonged to them as a divine right), and from the sun and rain. A separate building in the museum displayed weapons, household utensils, and musical instruments that the Chaagas used in their daily life.
Our final activity of the trip was to walk from the museum to a famous waterfall and the pool below that it makes. The dirt walkway first took us through a community, and past two small cemeteries and a Lutheran church that seemed to be out in the middle of nowhere. Then we started to climb down the side of the cliff that formed the side of the river valley. It was a dirt footpath with steep steps, unstable handrails and lots of rocks. A park official appeared to offer Jean a helpful hand at the difficult places along the trail. We made it to the bottom of the waterfall, but not to the pool that it formed. Jean was about to try to cross the water to get to the dirt path that led up to the pool, but slipped on one of the steep stepping stones that led across. After slipping into the water, getting wet, but not getting hurt, she decided that she would not make it up to the pool. We both joined the rest of the group as they walked on to another pool, put our feet into the cool water and enjoyed a break before climbing the cliff again. We were so happy to make it back to the vans to return to Home Base in Moshi.
It was a very interesting and exhausting day. We all learned a lot, saw a lot and had wonderful experiences. After a delicious CCS dinner of beef kabobs and baked potatoes, we played Bananagrams with some of the other volunteers. Electricity is off again, so the generator is providing power to run the computer so that I can write this post.
We both wish all of you a very happy weekend.
Love,
Mama Jean and Babu
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