I don’t make much fuss over birthdays so I wasn’t expecting anything exceptional to happen yesterday. That is, unless you consider exchanging multiple handshakes and greetings with Masasi warriors, while on your way to the bank, to be exceptional. Masasi warriors are the pastoralists dressed in purple and red plaid cloth, carrying four foot sticks and wearing sandals made from re-cycled motorcycle tires. They have a culture apart from any other.
My day began with a thoughtful birthday card containing a phone voucher and the command Phone Home. Later, a meeting convened at our CERC office turned out to be a chai (tea) party for all staff complete with the special donut-like snacks called vitumbua that Mr. Ndee only buys for special occasions.
When asked to divulge the source of these delicacies, Mr Ndee always gives the same reply “You have to order the day before and you need to talk in big letters.” In lieu of candles the small cakes were decorated with Tanzanian and Canadian flags stuck on toothpicks. The Tanzanians got a great kick out of this. I was draped in a Masasi woman’s scarf and we all had our pictures taken while everyone sang Happy Birthday.
Our colleagues from Dar es Salaam arrived in the evening bearing a real chocolate birthday cake. All of the customers in the restaurant were fascinated; happily there was enough for everybody.
On the way home there were phone calls and text messages. What more could one want?
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