When I was a kid there was a funny, dirty
popular jingle. A naughty song about bad
wind, or in impolite, raw English, farting. Allegedly composed on the East
African coast where Swahili lullabies developed and creativity blossomed.
Swahili of Taarab, fun, coconuts, mischief, music and fish.
Today we take Kiswahili for
granted, but 45 to 60 years ago, non fluent Swahili speakers, from upper
regions and highlands were often teased. The bad wind song was an example of
such inter-territorial arrogance and brilliance. Please look closely at the
lyrics. Aren’t they meaningless except
for the last Swahili word...?
“Ana ana do
Kachanika basto
Iziplingi matingo
Kajaamba!”
As
time moved, folks added more lines. Normally, the tune was chanted after a
smell of bad wind had been detected. In their innocent fashion, children are
allowed to be silly and playful. So while everyone waved hands close to their
noses, someone would start singing and wagging a finger at everyone present.
Each word will go to the next person until Kajamba was finalised. If you
happened to be the one at that end of the round, laughter and jeer would wash
your face, even if you were not the culprit. Such unfair embarrassment contributed to folks
adding more lines to extend the playful ordeal.
“Ushuzi unanuka! Atatandikwa! Tena Saana...”
There were other bad wind jingles.
Like “kujambisha”, for instance, used to
tease homosexual men. Making loud diarrhoea sounds with fingers on lips. Very
funny if you are from Swahili coast culture as guys would playfully, jump and
twitch pretending being hurt. As life
went on and having travelled around, I discovered that poking fun at this
natural bodily function, is cultural. In Latin America, certain regions do fuss
and make jokes when someone in a room has blown up the back tyre, so to speak. But
among Wazungus (especially Europe) I have noted over the years, stinking wind
and the whole issue of toilet etiquette, is not perceived with similar humour. You could be in a room and someone pumps the
most awful, smelly fart, yet, all continue as if nothing happened. Lately, the
matter has worsened.
I used to think it was me imagining
things until a chef friend from Jamaica brought up something interesting. He
said he did not eat any wheat products. Totally avoided Gluten. The
cooking maestro explained Gluten and its problems, i.e. constipation, bloated
stomach, bad wind, etc. Now. In East Africa we associate bad wind with say,
eating nutritious beans. A global thing. During Christmas in the UK, Brussels sprouts on the menu are known for that.
The
tiny, extremely nourishing cabbages are part of Christmas humour. Then if one
keeps on climbing the ladder of this particular topic we are reminded of other “partners
in crime” like beer, coffee, meat, bananas, etc.
Yup. Natural stuff. Nothing wrong.
Something
is wrong, nevertheless, when the foul smelling blip-blip, gets frequent and
chronic. Once in my local Gym we were talking about the
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) phenomenon. Apparently there are five foods that may
contribute mucus to the digestive walls and subsequent, IBS. Dairy products, soya, excessive sugars and
salt, plus gluten. Ah, Gluten.
According to Wikipedia, Gluten (Latin gluten,
"glue") is a protein composite in wheat and related grains, e.g.
barley and rye. Gluten gives
elasticity to dough, helping it rise and keep its shape, offering a chewy
texture. East Africans may not be huge wheat consumers (as bread is not as
widely cherished as in the West) however, we love Chapattis and Maandazi; prepared
by wheat with salt and sugar, respectively.
Scientists say Gluten is
made up of Gliadin and Glutenin. It is
the Gliadin, which causes problems, supposedly.
“When gluten reaches the digestive tract
and is exposed to the cells of the immune system, they mistakenly believe that
it is coming from some sort of foreign invader, like a bacteria,” explains one
Internet source.
Mmmh. This bacterium brings memories of
the childhood Swahili jingle. Some of the foods that do not contain Gluten
include beans, corn, millet, potatoes, sweet potatoes, black and wild rice. But
why is wheat such a huge subject in the developed world? Partly because main foods
(pasta and bread) are wheat based. Experts are asking why wheat has suddenly
become a problem whereas folks have fed on it for centuries.
Things changed around a hundred years ago
when the meal industry began producing large amounts of food for sale. Wheat
was processed differently. This overturned taste. A similar process is presently
happening in Tanzania and naturally reared, free range chicken (“kuku wa
kienyeji”) are being ditched for fast grown ones that are not as tasty or
healthy. Same with Ugali. I recently, stumbled upon a Maize meal packet for
Ugali in a London shop, labelled Made in Tanzania. On careful examination, I
disappointingly became aware, it was genetically modified. Another storm on the
horizon.
-Also published in Citizen Tanzania
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