Like baby ducks in a line behind their mother, we followed Mama Grace Buberwa and LuAnn Kibira through the Bukoba market. The jagged and winding stone path led us into a maze of shops filled with colorful dried beans, fresh pungent fish and sweet bananas. With the sun beating down, we wound our way through the afternoon crowds. Merchants called from their shops to get our attention in hopes of a sale. Bartering on the price of goods is a cultural expectation in Tanzania, and so we watched LuAnn go back and forth in Kiswahili on the price of hand carved wooden spoons -- finally settling on a price of 500 shillings, or about 35 cents each. As we walked on, our eyes were drawn to the beautiful African fabrics from which the people of the area have clothing tailored. We went about choosing our favorites, which was not necessarily easy given all the choices. With fabric in hand, Mama Grace led us around a few corners to a tiny shop with 3 beautiful women and their treadle sewing machines. We chose dress styles by pointing to photos and using hand gestures to indicate length or width. Yet only with Mama Grace's detailed translation were each of us able to purchase a gauni (dress), sketi (skirt) or khanga (wrap).
No comments:
Post a Comment