The Mzungu Factor

This picture is from several years ago, but it could have been taken just about any day here. There is something about being a white person in Tanzania that just kind of draws attention...

I like to go running. Before I moved to the house we're currently in, I'd go running two or three times a week. One issue that I had to struggle with every time I went out was the calls of "Mzungu! Mzungu!" from the kids who lived along my running route. The Swahili word "mzungu" is supposed to mean "foreigner" and comes from the literal meaning of "person who travels around", which is how foreigners end up in Tanzania, so that makes sense. However, "mzungu" really just means "white person", since a non-white person, even if they are a foreigner, is not considered a mzungu. But anyway, I find it rather stressful and annoying to be unable to avoid drawing attention. There are times when I'd really like to just go somewhere without people noticing me. Without a doubt, there have been days when I wanted to go for a walk or jog, but stayed indoors because I didn't have the energy to face being a mzungu in Tanzania. The temptation to turn around and shock the kids by yelling at them in Swahili is always present, I confess. However, self-control wins out almost all the time, and the kids are so delighted by the attention of my snapping at them in Swahili that it's utterly futile to convince them that it's not nice to shout at and chase people.

On Thursday and Friday of this past week, I went out to several Ikizu villages along with the two Ikizu translators. We'd finished translating Luke chapters 3-6 and needed to do some community checking of the chapters with a group of Ikizu speakers. We were quite pleased that whenever we arrived at a village (we went to three total), a nice group of about 25 people showed up to listen to Luke being read and answer the questions we'd prepared. In a couple of the villages, a crowd of schoolchildren also gathered around the adults to listen. As we left our final destination and headed home on Friday afternoon, I asked the translators what they thought of the experience, and if it had been helpful to them or not for me to go along. They both quickly replied that the main benefit of my presence was how quickly so many people gathered. They said, "The last time we went out, we had to wait a long time and walk all around just to find some people willing to take the time to listen and answer questions about Luke, but it's so easy when you come with us! We just show up, they see you, and they show up, curious as to why you are there in their village!" So, the mzungu factor can be a bit annoying, as when I'm in church and need to slip out early and can't, since everyone would turn and stare and watch me leave, but it certainly has it's perks!

I must admit, there have been times when I've benefitted from being mzungu here. One Sunday I went to church, although I felt a bit sick. The service reached the two hour mark and wasn't showing any signs of ending soon, and it was a very hot day. I was so grateful that day that since I was a mzungu, the pastor's wife had insisted that I take one of the few plastic chairs instead of sitting on one of the wooden benches. I survived the service thanks to that extra bit of comfort.

The mzungu factor has it's annoying moments, but yes, there are benefits to being highly noticable, too!