Mahesabu
JF-Expert Member
- Jan 27, 2008
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ADAM LUSEKELO, 25th September 2010 @ 12:00, Total Comments: 5, Hits: 1627
THE other day I was having a casual look at our papers. In this rag they were talking a little tuition lesson to 'O' level history. I went through it and, believe it or not, the item was about 'the Maji Maji Rebellion' of 1905-07.
Excuse me! So, some of our history books to teach our totos still talks about the 'Maji Maji Rebellion'? I thought that those wrongs and lies have already been corrected more than 50 years after independence.
I remember at 'O' level a youthful teacher in training came down from the University of Dar and had fearsome language for what had transpired in pre-colonial Tanganyika in the 18th and 19th century.
"Karl Peters was an 19th century German thief who came to steal our land!" boomed the trainee teacher. The class was so quiet you could hear a gecko break wind from the classroom walls.
I looked at my desk mate in astonishment and disbelief. Was this man from the Uni of Dar okay? He seemed to enjoy telling us that. "Yes." He nodded, "Karl Peters was just an agent of German business thieves who came and conned the people of Morogoro in Tanganyika into signing their lands away. Who was Rebmann, then", he asked.
That sounded easy streets. Someone raised his hands and: "Rebmann was the first man to see and discover Mt Kilimanjaro," My fellow student said with a triumphant glee on his face.
"Oh yeah? Where was Mr Swai's grandfather at this time? You mean there were no people around the mountain, for Rebmann to see? Was there only the mountain. Where were the Chagga, the Taita the Pare people at this time?" Silence.
Then it dawned on us. The revolutionary teacher in practice made sense. It is true that we have been diddled by both the European powers, Germany, Britain into thinking that the colonialists had come to civilize us.
Both parties share the blame of the historical disaster. What is unforgivable is that you suspect that the 18th and 19th century rip-off is creeping in today and our so-called 'leaders' are giving it an enthusiastic nod. Eti investors!
Every right thinking person knows that sooner or later today's colonialists, wearing suits, will try to run our show, if they are not running it already. In our struggle for the liberation, Africans have been very happy with the left-over toys -- the toys and like the flag and the motor-cade.
Other than that, the wazungus and Arabs can come and turn our country into a playground and a brothel. My biggest fear is that it is a matter of time before we get a mzungu or an Indian or an Arab PM. Or, even a president! It does not seem to bother us. The reason? This country's path is not based on racism!
THE other day I was having a casual look at our papers. In this rag they were talking a little tuition lesson to 'O' level history. I went through it and, believe it or not, the item was about 'the Maji Maji Rebellion' of 1905-07.
Excuse me! So, some of our history books to teach our totos still talks about the 'Maji Maji Rebellion'? I thought that those wrongs and lies have already been corrected more than 50 years after independence.
I remember at 'O' level a youthful teacher in training came down from the University of Dar and had fearsome language for what had transpired in pre-colonial Tanganyika in the 18th and 19th century.
"Karl Peters was an 19th century German thief who came to steal our land!" boomed the trainee teacher. The class was so quiet you could hear a gecko break wind from the classroom walls.
I looked at my desk mate in astonishment and disbelief. Was this man from the Uni of Dar okay? He seemed to enjoy telling us that. "Yes." He nodded, "Karl Peters was just an agent of German business thieves who came and conned the people of Morogoro in Tanganyika into signing their lands away. Who was Rebmann, then", he asked.
That sounded easy streets. Someone raised his hands and: "Rebmann was the first man to see and discover Mt Kilimanjaro," My fellow student said with a triumphant glee on his face.
"Oh yeah? Where was Mr Swai's grandfather at this time? You mean there were no people around the mountain, for Rebmann to see? Was there only the mountain. Where were the Chagga, the Taita the Pare people at this time?" Silence.
Then it dawned on us. The revolutionary teacher in practice made sense. It is true that we have been diddled by both the European powers, Germany, Britain into thinking that the colonialists had come to civilize us.
Both parties share the blame of the historical disaster. What is unforgivable is that you suspect that the 18th and 19th century rip-off is creeping in today and our so-called 'leaders' are giving it an enthusiastic nod. Eti investors!
Every right thinking person knows that sooner or later today's colonialists, wearing suits, will try to run our show, if they are not running it already. In our struggle for the liberation, Africans have been very happy with the left-over toys -- the toys and like the flag and the motor-cade.
Other than that, the wazungus and Arabs can come and turn our country into a playground and a brothel. My biggest fear is that it is a matter of time before we get a mzungu or an Indian or an Arab PM. Or, even a president! It does not seem to bother us. The reason? This country's path is not based on racism!