SUALA LA UVAAJI MIKANDA KATIKA MAGARI LASISITIZWA ULAYA

Mara ya kwanza kuvaa mkanda katika gari ilikuwa nilipopewa lifti  na Mzungu mmoja miaka ya Sabini. Kipindi hicho tuliwaita weupe, walami. Sijui neno lilitokea wapi. Ila yupo jamaa aliyefasiri kuwa “mlami” ilitokana na “lami” yaani barabara safi, isiyo ya matope, makorongo, udongo au mchanga. Barabara iliyowekwa lami ikawa ya Kizungu zungu. Na enzi hizo, walami waliangaliwa kama watu walioendelea. Si tu kitabia pia kiteknolojia. Ukiwa na mlami, unaulizwa maswali. Kakupa nini? Kakupeleka wapi, mlami? Atakupeleka mtoni? Yaani, utofauti.

KISWAHILI CHETU KINADIDIMIZWA NA KUPANDISHWA NA NANI?

Nilimhoji Mkenya mmoja kwa kipindi  cha Kwa Simu Toka London. Jina nitalihifadhi kwa sasa. 

“Nikiwa mdogo sikupenda kabisa kwetu Kenya tulivyolazimishwa kujifunza Kiingereza.  Tulichapwa...”

Nikasema ndiyo maana Kenya na  Waafrika wengine huzungumza Kiingereza  ( na lugha zingine za Kizungu ) kwa ufasaha sana.

“Lakini nilipofika hapa Uingereza nilishangaa au tuseme nikajifunza. Waingereza wanaipenda sana lugha yao.  Huongea tofauti na sisi tunavyoongea. Ukitaka uraia wa Uingereza lazima ujue Kiingereza sawasawa.  Wanakithamini Kiingereza. Majina, barabara, shule, serikali, muziki,magazeti, vitabu, kila kitu.  Hawatumii lugha nyingine. Hawakidunishi. Wala hawakichanganyi na lugha nyingine. Nikatafakari. Ndipo nikaanza kuifikiria Tanzania...”

Akadai miaka mingi amependa sana msimamo wa Watanzania.

  “Zipo nchi kumi na moja zinazungumza Kiswahili. Lakini chimbuko la Kiswahili ni Tanzania. Hata wengine tukijidai, hatuifikii Tanzania...”

Mara, mhojiwa akapaaza sauti.

KISWAHILI KINAVYOZIDI KUPARAGANYA HERUFI “R” NA “ L”

Watanzania tuamke jamani. Tumelala.

....Kiswahili kilianzia kwetu. Nchi kumi na moja zinazungumza lugha hii iliyotuunganisha na kutuletea amani zaidi ya miaka 100!

 Nchi kumi na moja! Ongezea idhaa kadhaa za redio, TV na mitandao jamii ughaibuni inayokitukuza Kiswahili. Jazia, vyuo.

 Hapa London kiko chuo maarufu cha lugha- SOAS ( School of Oriental and African Studies- Shule ya Masomo ya Mashariki na Afrika).

MTINDO WA KISASA WA NYWELE UNAHARIBU AFYA ZA WANAWAKE WEUSI

Watu wa kabila la Chwi kule Ghana wanaozungumza lugha iitwayo Tshi wana methali kuhusu umuhimu wa kupendeza. Inashauri: “Ikiwa mwenda wazimu ataiba nguo zako na kukimbia nazo wakati wewe uko majini unaoga, itakuwa vyema utafute angalau kipande cha kitambaa ujifunge wakati unamkimbiza maana usipofanya vile watazamaji watadhani na wewe umeheuka.”
Hakuna mwanaume ambaye hajawahi kupayukiwa kuwa asuburi wakati ndugu yake wa kike anajipodoa akijiremba. Na kati ya mapambo yote nywele zinaongoza foleni. Mwanaume waweza kutoka bila kuchana nywele, unaweza ukawa nusu kipara (kama mimi mwandishi) lakini hujali mradi u msafi utatoka zako mitaani. Kwa mwanamke kujisanifu nywele ni tendo muhimu sana. Ndiyo maana waandishi mbalimbali wa hadithi hawakosi maelezo ya ususi ndani ya riwaya zao.

MUSICIAN REMMY ONGALA - Obituaries in English and Swahili

FOUR PHASES IN THE LIFE OF REMMY ONGALA AND RECALLING HIS LAST GIG IN LONDON

I would like to divide the life of excellent musician Remmy Ongala who died on Sunday night into four phases. First, his early years growing and entertaining in Kivu, Eastern Zaire where he was born on February 10^th, 1947. Those grounding years included playing guitar, kit drums and saxophone. This passion for music was pushed by sadness. Both parents died when he was quite young; his father, Etiennes Kalimangonga was a percussion player while his charismatic mother, Aziza Moza Mayokei passed away in 1964 leaving the lonely boy heart broken in standard five.

The late genius musician, Rama  Zani Mtoro Ongala, was a man of incredible lyrical skill...