Kwetu Faraja

Photography:

Tanzania is a beautiful place, and you will want to take lots of pictures. Unfortunately there are many situations where photography is not permissible. It is illegal to take pictures of any government buildings (like airports, banks, ports, jails) or official government workers such as police officers, military figures, anyone in uniform of any sort. You should not take pictures in public places such as the markets. Africans are very suspicious of people with cameras and will think that you are trying to “steal” their identities in order to sell them. They see the National Geographic pictures and think we are trying to make a profit from their condition. Others will think that you are a spy or CIA agent, even though it may sound strange. When taking photos try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes – how would you feel if someone aggressively attempted to take photos of you, your home, or your children?  It is always best to ask for permission before taking pictures. Any photography in the city will be problematic. Ask before you act. While on the Kwetu Faraja campus you can feel free to take pictures – but also be aware that many of our kids will want to play with your camera. Let them play at your own risk!

 

Gestures:

There are many common gestures in the USA that have different meanings in East Africa. Thumbs up signs are good and mean that things are good. Resting your head on your hand will make people think that you are sad. Yawning will make people think that you are hungry (but yawns are hard to avoid). If you wave your hand to someone to say hello they might think that you are asking them to come to you if your wave is palm out with fingers waving downward… it is better to wave “queen style” rotating your hand from side to side rather than up and down.

 

Body Contact:

Hugging is not common among people of opposite genders unless there is a very strong friendship. It is common for people of the same gender to hug. Hand holding is the most common form of physical contact. Men hold hands with one another as a sign of brotherhood. Women also hold hands with one another. When greeting someone people always shake hands and sometimes they will hold your hand for a few minutes as part of the greeting. Many foreign people who first see hand holding think that the people are homosexuals, but homosexuality is not publically accepted by the majority of Africans.

 

Magic:

Tanzania is a land full of Witch Doctors, and magic is perceived to be everywhere. It is a unique country because of the prevalence of Witchcraft. Most African nations have outlawed magic and being a witchdoctor is considered a capital offense. In Tanzania these people are often revered and seen as the leaders of society. People associate personal hardship with Witch Doctor involvement. This is a very difficult bridge for Christians to cross in helping people understand the power of Jesus over the power of magic. The Muslim culture of East Africa has embraced magic, but the Christian culture is at odds with it. It is important to be sensitive to people’s perceptions of magic, but also to offer them the truth that the Holy Spirit is bigger than the Witch Doctors. Generally, discussions about magic should take place in a private setting. Having a spiritual background will open the doors for more meaningful interaction with people. You can feel free to share your faith at any moment.

 

Religious Affiliations:

Tanzania is a majority Muslim country (Muslims 35%, Christian 30%, “Pagan” 35%), but the people are very moderate “Folk” Muslims meaning they have mixed in parts of their traditional religions with the Muslim religion.  In the city you can expect to hear the call to prayer five times a day. Even though it is a Muslim nation, there is freedom of religion. You can feel free to share your faith openly and to have frank discussions about spiritual matters. People will often ask your religion and you should feel free to explain why you believe the things you do. You can expect to have many wonderful religious conversations.

 

That being said, we do ask for you to show respect of all religions. Whatever your personal beliefs are, we ask that you are respectful of the fact that the Kwetu Faraja community and many of our surrounding community members are Christians. Faith is an extremely important part of our culture and lifestyle. Please be tolerant of other people’s beliefs and view even if they differ from your own.

 

Dress Code:

The dress code in East Africa is very modest. Please make an extra effort to abide by the following guidelines. If you are found to be wearing inappropriate clothing you will be asked to change so that you don’t embarrass yourself, and you don’t offend other people

 

FEMALES

Women must wear dresses or skirts that come to the calf or longer and should cover the knee when sitting. In the big cities there will be more women who wear trousers, but they are often looked down upon by society. Most women who wear trousers are considered to be prostitutes. Showing any skin above the knee is offensive to others. Shirts can be sleeveless, but please do not wear spaghetti straps or shirts with open backs or those that show your stomach or excessive cleavage. Make sure that your clothing is not transparent. It is good to test your clothing in full sunlight to see if it can be seen through!

 

MALES

In Tanzanian society Men wear trousers and children wear shorts. However, clothing restriction for males is pretty relaxed. If going someplace formal it is best for males to wear trousers.

 

Role of Women:

In much of Africa, women are considered lower class citizens. They work very hard but are underappreciated and often they are not given the same opportunities for education. Women generally walk behind their husbands. For the most part women’s opinions are not wanted except in the case of foreign women who have a higher status. Women in Africa are some of the strongest people you will ever meet. They work tirelessly with babies strapped to their bodies while carrying loads on their heads. They are friendly, sisterly, and usually happy to help.

 

Education:

The education is based on the British system where there are 7 “standards” (what we call grades) for primary school. Secondary school consists of “O-levels” (Form 1-4) and “A-levels” (Form 5 and 6). Upon completion of “A-levels” a student can attend the university. There are standard tests throughout the schooling process. Failure to pass the exit exam from Primary school prevents a student from attending secondary school. Such students must find other alternatives in their lives such as learning a trade. They only get one chance to take this test. Primary schools are taught in Swahili and secondary schools are taught in English. Women are less likely to have an education because boys are more often favored to receive school fees, especially when a family has a very small income. School is not free, though government schools are significantly cheaper than private schools.

 

Names:

Names are a very important part of African culture. During rites of passage a person may take on a new name. For example when a person is baptized they choose a Christian name and people often stop using their old name. When a relative dies it is also common for a person to begin using the name of that relative as a way of keeping their memory alive. When are person has their first child, they receive a new name as the parent of that child. People can have a dozen different names, so it is really hard to learn a person’s “name”.  There is really no concept of standard spelling in Swahili culture, so you really can never misspell someone’s name. They are very flexible with spelling because the people were traditionally oral communicators. This can make it frustrating when trying to use a dictionary.

 

Children:

Overall, children have a very high degree of respect for their elders. When you speak with children they may not want to make eye contact and this is considered a respectful behavior, even though we might perceive this as shyness.  People believe that children belong to an entire community rather than to an individual, so it is okay to hold children and pick up babies that you don’t know. Children enjoy physical contact with people and will often want to hold hands or touch your hair. Feel free to interact with children as you would like, respecting any boundaries that they set forth.

 

Shopping:

You can ALWAYS barter. White people are often charged higher prices than Africans so it is good to have help when shopping so that you can make sure you are getting fair prices. It is important to watch your possessions when in the markets because there are often people who will pick your pocket… Watch your surroundings when in public places like the market.

 

Animal Care:

One of the more difficult things for Americans to see is how animals live in places like Tanzania. It is not common for people to have pets. Animals who are cared for have specific jobs to do and are not cared for as pets. It is common to see starving animals wandering the streets, and you might see people hit or kick animals… this is not done out of cruelty but as a way of exerting to those animals that they are not on the same status as humans. Animals like livestock and guard dogs have an important place in society here, but you will not see these animals being treated as members of the family as they often are in the West.

 

Food:

Food is an important part of African life – because it means the difference between life and death. Snacking is not part of this culture, and meals are served with the purpose of nourishing and providing sustenance rather than as entertainment. In African culture, most meals are eaten with your hands, or sometimes with a spoon. Foods are hearty and big to fill you until the next meal. If you require snacks you can purchase them on your own, but it is important to try to eat when food is provided, and to eat until enough to carry you along till the next meal. It is also important to eat what is given to you and not to discriminate against what you are offered. Tanzanian food is much different than food in the West, but it is healthy and provides nourishment. It is important to try to appreciate the foods of this culture so that you can show unity with your fellow Africans.