Tanzanian Traffic Police Woman (siye yule wa Pernille)Shukurani ya Dada Subi:
Wiki iliyopita niliandika kukerwa juu ya maneno fulani ambayo yanasomeka hapo chini. Watu kadhaa waliuelewa na kuujibu kwa kuafiki ama kupinga. Kwa kuwa lengo langu ilikuwa ni kukemea maneno fulani tu katika ujumbe mzima, ninayo furaha kuwa aliyeandika maneno hayo ameamua "kuyaondoa katika" blogu yake ya "Louder than Swahili".
Ingawaje hii haifafuta fikira na dhamira zilizojikita kwenye mawazo binafsi ya mtu, lakini kwa upande fulani imesaidia kuondoa ile hali ya kuyazungumza "mambo ya chumbani sebuleni" au "mambo ya ndani ya milango upenuni" ama "kuweka hadharani yaliyozoeleka kuzungumzwa ukiwa na baadhi ya watu fualni tu".Simfahamu mtu aliyeanzisha kampeni za Facebook, ila ninamsihi asifanye vitisho ama ugomvi. Lengo langu kama nilivyojieleza kwenye barua pepe ya awali, ilikuwa ni kukemea maneno fulani tu, hiyo ndiyo hoja, na si kumkashifu mtu kwa utu/ubinadamu wake.
Aliyeanzisha kampeni za Facebook amepita mpaka na ukomo wa fikira nilizokuwa nazo juu ya neno 'kukemea'.Ninatanguliza heshima kwa kila mmoja wetu na ninaomba samahani sana kwa yeyote niliyemkera ama aliyekwazika kwa ujumbe huo. Ni mimi mshamba wakuja,bi Mdadisi binti Nsipitwe,Subi'
**********************************************************************
On Fri, Mar 7, 2008 at 10:18 AM, Subi <http://us.f397.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=subiras@gmail.com> wrote:
Jamani, kuna mzungu ameandika kuhusu Tanzania, ipo sentensi moja katika blogu yake imenichefua mno. Tafadhali naomba walioguswa nao wakemee hii tabia ya kulinganisha vitu visivyolingana, ni kebehi na dharau! Sentensi iliyoniudhi ni hii: "a female traffic officer in a tight blue skirt and with legs as thick as small tree trunks" . Walaumu anavyofanya kazi yake na si kumwingilia mtu maungoni! Mambo kama haya hayasemwi hadharani hivi, labda uwe na ugomvi binafsi na si kumnyumbulisha mtu kwa mfano wa kitu.This is what the traffic looked like this morning at 7. Incoming and out-going, switching between fast and slow lanes, evidently obeying new rules every day.
Sometimes you drive according to the traffic light: On occasion it doesn't work (but you still drive as if it sort of did): Most mornings a female traffic officer in a tight blue skirt and with legs as thick as small tree trunks is orchestrating the traffic.
Many mornings it feels sort of like a mental preparation of my mind for attacking the heaps of work in my office.
Inapatikana: hapa (bofya)
*******************************************************
Na Pernille mwenyewe kajibu hivi:
March 10, 2008
I have decided to put my blog on stand-by for a while
The reason is that over the weekend I have been receiving comments, e-mails, text messages and a phone call telling me various things, which I am far from comfortable with. Someone even made a Facebook group with the aim of boycotting my blog.
Basic message is that I am not giving the right impression of Tanzania. That the image I display of Tanzania to the world is damaging Tanzania's image. To me there simply is no right impression, but apparently there is, and I am not meeting these standards. I am highly aware that Africa is not just Africa, that Tanzania differs from other African countries and vice versa. I also know that the image of Tanzania in for instance European media often does not correspond with the one of the Tanzanians. But again 35 million Tanzanians do not make one idea, but many. I am an ex-pat, I blog from my perspective.
I find different viewpoints expressed on different blogs inspiring, which is why I read different blogs. I have only ever intended to reflect my impressions, which I have emphasised over and over. I have also emphasised that my views are mine and do not necessarily correspond with the NGO I work for.
I don't believe that this kind of group pressure should shut someone up, but I also feel I have no choice. However, in the mean time - until I figure out if/when I will return to blogging with a public identity - I will be happy to provide you with more detailed information if curious. I will also be interested in - and happy - to hear from other bloggers who have experienced the similar. I am still interested in dialogue, but I will not tolerate that people dictate me what to write on my blog, or comments where people i.e. name themselves 'Killer' or call me 'dog'.
*************************************************************
My Comments:
I came across this issue after it had already been posted on several blogs. The problem is that Pernille insulted African beauty. The legs that she called, 'small tree trunks' are considered beautiful to Tanzanians. Also in Tanzania having large buttocks and big breasts is something to be admired. The 'Twiggy' standard that Europeans worship is considered very ugly. I hope this brief explanation will help Pernille understand why some people are/were angry with her. - Chemi
Wiki iliyopita niliandika kukerwa juu ya maneno fulani ambayo yanasomeka hapo chini. Watu kadhaa waliuelewa na kuujibu kwa kuafiki ama kupinga. Kwa kuwa lengo langu ilikuwa ni kukemea maneno fulani tu katika ujumbe mzima, ninayo furaha kuwa aliyeandika maneno hayo ameamua "kuyaondoa katika" blogu yake ya "Louder than Swahili".
Ingawaje hii haifafuta fikira na dhamira zilizojikita kwenye mawazo binafsi ya mtu, lakini kwa upande fulani imesaidia kuondoa ile hali ya kuyazungumza "mambo ya chumbani sebuleni" au "mambo ya ndani ya milango upenuni" ama "kuweka hadharani yaliyozoeleka kuzungumzwa ukiwa na baadhi ya watu fualni tu".Simfahamu mtu aliyeanzisha kampeni za Facebook, ila ninamsihi asifanye vitisho ama ugomvi. Lengo langu kama nilivyojieleza kwenye barua pepe ya awali, ilikuwa ni kukemea maneno fulani tu, hiyo ndiyo hoja, na si kumkashifu mtu kwa utu/ubinadamu wake.
Aliyeanzisha kampeni za Facebook amepita mpaka na ukomo wa fikira nilizokuwa nazo juu ya neno 'kukemea'.Ninatanguliza heshima kwa kila mmoja wetu na ninaomba samahani sana kwa yeyote niliyemkera ama aliyekwazika kwa ujumbe huo. Ni mimi mshamba wakuja,bi Mdadisi binti Nsipitwe,Subi'
**********************************************************************
On Fri, Mar 7, 2008 at 10:18 AM, Subi <http://us.f397.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=subiras@gmail.com> wrote:
Jamani, kuna mzungu ameandika kuhusu Tanzania, ipo sentensi moja katika blogu yake imenichefua mno. Tafadhali naomba walioguswa nao wakemee hii tabia ya kulinganisha vitu visivyolingana, ni kebehi na dharau! Sentensi iliyoniudhi ni hii: "a female traffic officer in a tight blue skirt and with legs as thick as small tree trunks" . Walaumu anavyofanya kazi yake na si kumwingilia mtu maungoni! Mambo kama haya hayasemwi hadharani hivi, labda uwe na ugomvi binafsi na si kumnyumbulisha mtu kwa mfano wa kitu.This is what the traffic looked like this morning at 7. Incoming and out-going, switching between fast and slow lanes, evidently obeying new rules every day.
Sometimes you drive according to the traffic light: On occasion it doesn't work (but you still drive as if it sort of did): Most mornings a female traffic officer in a tight blue skirt and with legs as thick as small tree trunks is orchestrating the traffic.
Many mornings it feels sort of like a mental preparation of my mind for attacking the heaps of work in my office.
Inapatikana: hapa (bofya)
*******************************************************
Na Pernille mwenyewe kajibu hivi:
March 10, 2008
I have decided to put my blog on stand-by for a while
The reason is that over the weekend I have been receiving comments, e-mails, text messages and a phone call telling me various things, which I am far from comfortable with. Someone even made a Facebook group with the aim of boycotting my blog.
Basic message is that I am not giving the right impression of Tanzania. That the image I display of Tanzania to the world is damaging Tanzania's image. To me there simply is no right impression, but apparently there is, and I am not meeting these standards. I am highly aware that Africa is not just Africa, that Tanzania differs from other African countries and vice versa. I also know that the image of Tanzania in for instance European media often does not correspond with the one of the Tanzanians. But again 35 million Tanzanians do not make one idea, but many. I am an ex-pat, I blog from my perspective.
I find different viewpoints expressed on different blogs inspiring, which is why I read different blogs. I have only ever intended to reflect my impressions, which I have emphasised over and over. I have also emphasised that my views are mine and do not necessarily correspond with the NGO I work for.
I don't believe that this kind of group pressure should shut someone up, but I also feel I have no choice. However, in the mean time - until I figure out if/when I will return to blogging with a public identity - I will be happy to provide you with more detailed information if curious. I will also be interested in - and happy - to hear from other bloggers who have experienced the similar. I am still interested in dialogue, but I will not tolerate that people dictate me what to write on my blog, or comments where people i.e. name themselves 'Killer' or call me 'dog'.
*************************************************************
My Comments:
I came across this issue after it had already been posted on several blogs. The problem is that Pernille insulted African beauty. The legs that she called, 'small tree trunks' are considered beautiful to Tanzanians. Also in Tanzania having large buttocks and big breasts is something to be admired. The 'Twiggy' standard that Europeans worship is considered very ugly. I hope this brief explanation will help Pernille understand why some people are/were angry with her. - Chemi
