“A Muzungu for an In-law!”

To the Villagers like many of us, mention the term “Muzungu” and all hell will break loose!  None se, umuzungu ninde (who is a Muzungu)? That can be a subject of intense discussion.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

To the Villagers like many of us, mention the term "Muzungu” and all hell will break loose!  None se, umuzungu ninde (who is a Muzungu)? That can be a subject of intense discussion. To some of us, the mere mention of the word itself makes our mouths wet (salivate), who wouldn’t?  There are two accepted definitions of a Muzungu (according to me, the Villager); someone with a "white skin” with an origin from Europe and the second, someone with financial muscle.  Whatever the case, the former or the latter could be combined to describe someone or they could separately be applied for the same!With the above thesis, let me proceeded uninterrupted.  First and foremost, what I am about to expose befell one of my numerous cousins, if you are not a cousin of mine, then stop thinking that it is you I am talking about though similar incidents could befall many people separately!  We popularly called her Katomato (a word derived from kanyanya (small tomato) for little sister), up till now, many of us refer to her by the same name, and even some strangers think that, it is her actual name! Some time back, Katomato signed up to Face Book (FB), many of us do have FB accounts.  I am not an Anti-FB activist at all, I too have an FB account, if you doubt me, try searching for "Mfashumwana” and you will see for yourself!  Please, do not rush me, many times, some of you read my stories while looking for the conclusion.  I am a villager, storytelling is one of my hobbies, I can tell a story as the cows go to graze till they comeback to be milked!Now, cutting the short story long, oops, ntatangiye kuvugishwa (I’m getting confused), it is the other way round!  I am not trying to deviate from the subject but as you know, a few of us have so many stories that we pose the risk of mixing them up!  While on FB, Katomato met a Gentleman by the name of Brian, with a European origin (our first category of a Muzungu).  Brian is the Muzungu I am talking about.  If all that glitters is not gold, then Brian was not glittering at all!Brian swept Katomato off her feet, literary, she was in the air!  Many of us were praying that Katomato’s chance would befall many others in the clan.  Mfashumwana being the only guy knowing the inside of many aeroplanes like the back of his palm, Katomato was soon going to be the next family member to see the inside of the aeroplane; a mean achievement by African standards, eh!  Having opened the doors, I expected many other family members to follow suit!After a few months of FB chatting, Katomato and Brian were truly in "online love”, there is nothing anyone can do about it, such is the cherished "iterambere” (development), and we either embrace it and move along with it or reject it and risk being left behind!  Not so easy, just like being caught between a rock and a hard place! Let me go, electricity has just got off and the Battery of my device is warning.See you next time. (To be continued)