Day 2

Bitese!


Yesterday I left off where Mr. S. was going to pick me up. He took me to the local market, where vendors sell everything from buttons to cloths, second hand clothes, soap, showergel, handbags, bedcovers, pillows... all you imagine. It's like the African version of Harrods; 'If they don't sell it here, they don't sell it anywhere.' I got myself something as stupid as a little washing cloth, since I forgot one at home.


Groceries
The market was impressive. Women were sewing in the middle of the market. You can buy very nice fabric and have it made into a jupo (skirt) or a dress, or anything you like. Some boys were sqeezing casava leaves in a crusher. Casava looks like spinach and when crushed, it smells like fresh green herbs, a bit basil-like. It's a local delicacy which you have to boil and eat as such. Further down the road we went buying some groceries at his friend's place. He told me they had the best chapatis in town. Chapati is dough that has been rolled out into a pancake-like shape. Then they bake it on both sides. It looks a bit like pitabread or naan. I remember chapatis from India, but here they are plain with no spices. You dip them into your meatsauce or vegetable dish. Very nice, but rich.


For dinner, Mr. S.wanted me to have 'real food'. So he took me to this little restaurant, which looked more like a soccer canteen, but had the nicest people working there. We got a plate with fries, spaghetti, rice, green beans, chicken and some spinach with paprikas on the side. It was delicious. We shared as the carb-combo was a little too much. After that we had Chai tea, also inspired by Indian cuisine, which is a sweet spicy tea with milk. I love it.


Rihanna
Early in the evening, we went to a local club where Rihanna and other Afro-American music was very popular. The club was quite empty, but most people go clubbing on Friday instead of Saturday. We'll have to check this out in the next couple of weeks.


Muzungu
Everywhere you go, you see people staring and some shout 'muzungu muzungu'. It means 'white', but has the same connotation as the Mexican 'gringo'. Mr. S. doesn't like it at all and points out to the public that my name is Valerie and not 'muzungu'. He says it means the same as if people in Europe would call him 'African' instead of using his name or 'sir'. But I don't make a big fuss out of it as long as people are friendly. What surprises me in a very positive way is that people are not pushy to sell things. They do come up and show them, but they don't harass you in order to make you buy.


Of course, whenever you want to buy something, they charge you the 'muzungu price tag'. To avoid that, Mr. S. gave me a list of normal prices for bananas, milk, juice, vegetables and bread. In the marketplace, he also introduced me to his friends, people whom I can trust. And he's not to shy to put them in their places. We met an old man, a Twa, who sells wooden necklaces, earrings and such. Mr. S. asked him to come to the market and discussed a price. He wanted to buy me something as a gift, and the old guy tried to rip him off as soon as he saw me - the muzungu. So Mr. S. made a scene in the marketplace, saying the old man should be ashamed of himself for putting him in such a position while I was standing there and overcharging him just because it was for a white person. Everyone got quiet and serious and the old man had to give in. Just an example of the 'muzungu price tag'.


Twa, Hutu, Tutsi
I mentioned 'Twa' a bit earlier. The Rwandese come from three groups; Hutu (farmers), Tutsi (cattle holders) and Twa (pygmees). These used to be tribes but then evolved into a population. Later on, the distinctions between these groups would become of great importance. The upperclass and king came from Tutsi, but since the Hutu outnumbered then, they felt they should reign after the last king died. There were two wars, one in the fifties and one in 1994, which would become a milestone in history; the genocide. Depending on which group you belonged to, you lived or died. In less than 100 days, about 1 000 000 Tutsi were massacred and many others fled the country. Today, they are all Rwandese. It's forbidden by law to make the distinctions. But more about this topic later.


Today is Sunday and since the majority is catholic, they all join in church. I will attend a service later, to have the experience. Outside it's cloudy and very windy, and it just started to rain like crazy! At least it's not freezing cold.

Sunday 27FEB - Gitarama 23 degrees