THE GENESIS OF MZUNGU
I refer to the short article on this subject in Bulletin No. 34. For what it is worth I offer a copy of a Swahili story with the title’ Kwa Nini Watu Weupe Kuitwa Wazungu’ taken from the publication ‘Hekaya za Abunuwas na Hadithi Nyingine’ which throws a slightly different light on the subject, albeit in a somewhat facetious manner:
Zamani Wazungu walipoanza kuingia katika nchi ya Afrika watu wengi Hawakupenda. Basi ikawa mji wanaokaa Wazungu, watu hama, hutafuta mahali pasipo Wazungu.
Alikuwako mzee mmoja hapa Unguja alipoona bendera za Wazungu zinazidi, akaazimu kuondoka kwenda bara. Akaenda hata akafika mji mmoja mahali pazuri akataka kufanya maskani. Hata jioni akasikia kengele akauliza, nini hicho? akaambiwa, Nyumbani kwa Mzungu huko, pana Mzungu mwalimu anasomsha watu. Akasema, Haya ndiyo niliyoyakataa tangu kwetu. Akapumzika siku kidogo, akaondoka akaenda mbele.
Akafika mji mmoja, akakaribishwa, akakaa. Akauliza habari za Wazungu, akaambiwa, La, hapa hawapo, akafurahi sana. Akafanya maskani, akaanza kufanyiza biashara kidogo, akaanza kusitawi.
Hata baada ya miezi sita, siku moja wamekaa kitako wakasikia mganda unapigwa. Watu wakasema, Safari hiyo! Punde si punde wakaona safari inaingia, wakauliza, Safari ya nani? Wakaambiwa safari ya Mzungu, mwenyewe yuko nyuma anakuja. Alipofika akamwita jumbe wa mji akamwambia, nimetumwa na serikali yangu kuja kutia bendera hapa, maana hii nchi yake!
Yule mgeni akafahamu kuwa ndiyo mwanzo wa kufa kukaa pale. Akaondoka akaenda zake mpaka Nyasa. Alipofika huko akakuta Wazungu wa Serikali, wa biashara, walimu, wawindaji, wamekuwako tangu zamani. Akaona udhia mkubwa, kusimweke.
Akafanya safari akarudi Unguja. Aliporudi akawaeleza watu kisa chake. Lakini akanena, Mimi sijashindwa, maana Afrika kubwa. Sasa nitafanya safari nitakwenda ndani huko mpaka Uganda nikakae. Wenzake wakamwambia, Baba, Uganda kuna Wazungu kul iko huku kwetu.
Yule mzee akasema, Kweli, sasa najua hawa sio Wazungu lakini Wazungukeni. Hii Wazungu ni mkato wake tu, wamekwisha tuzunguka.
Ronald W. Munns
Adelaide, Australia.
THE GROUNDNUT SCHEME
I am publishing a study of the Queensland-British Food Corporation at Peak Downs – an activity of the Overseas Food Corporation which was also responsible for the Tanganyika Groundnut Scheme. I would like to make a comparison between these two ventures. I wonder whether any of your readers could help me to answer a number of questions.
Firstly, why was Kongwa selected for the initial and principal project? It was not in the original Wakefield list but was added after a suggestion by Tom Bain, a settler near Kongwa, and a field inspection but despite contrary advice from the Governor, the Director of Agriculture and the Director of the East African Meteorological Department. Having been added to the list, how did it become first choice?
Secondly, what has happened to the area since the scheme was abandoned and what is happening there now? I understand that it was handed over to the Tanganyika/Tanzania Agricultural Corporation in 1955 and that this was subsequently amalgamated with the National Development Co-operation. How is it now managed? What is the farming ranching system and how successful is it?
I would be grateful for any help your readers may be able to provide.
Dr W.T.W. Morgan
Geography Department, University of Durham.
South Road, Durham DHl 3LE
NATURAL CRYSTAL FORMATIONS AT THE MUFINDI GOLF COURSE
I was interested to read the article by Colin Congdon in Bulletin no. 34. My memory of Mufindi golf course goes back to 1960 but, during 1961, I had a period there during which I hunted natural crystal formations. I was alerted to these through George Newton who was responsible for the upkeep of the golf course. I recall being driven in an Austin Devon at great speed down to the fourth green to check on the snakes. They came there for water even during the dry weather.
Later I came across black garnets at the fourth green instead. At the fifth green and on the slopes down into the forest there were red garnets of low value everywhere. But between the eight tee and green on the right hand rough there was a deposit which later proved to be a form of Zircon.
The finest formation was however on the lower edge of the bunker before the ninth green. This contained a group of clear and rose quartz crystal of large size, A magnificent find.
These all came to light while assisting with the reconstruction of the bunker at that time.
What is remarkable is that these memories returned only recently in the UK when I tried in vain to transfer an 8mm cine film of my family on the Mufindi golf all those years ago, onto video-tape. Having read Congdon’s article I really will have to try once again to preserve my family’s very fond memories of Mufindi and its golf course.
Colin Clinton-Carter, Sylhet, Bangladesh