The Mzungus

<!– @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>

“Mzungu! Mzungu! How are youuuuu?”

“Mzungu! Mzungu! Give me money!”

“Mzungu! Mzungu! Taxi? Boda boda?”

Whenever I walk around with more than 2 of my caucasian friends, constant calls this like follow us around town (indeed, in most places we have gone). The most annoying prize, however, has to be given to the first few trips when we travelled as a group of 15 and more. Mzungu meaning foreigner or more specifically white person, miraculously transforms into a plump walking wallet in the eyes of many locals. One time, when my friend was bargaining for a boda ride, the driver insisted on charging 500 shillings more. My friend, exasperated, said “why? Just because I am white?” and the driver nod and agreed “white people have lots of money!” Unfortunately, there is no local word that you can throw back at these calls…the only ‘revenge’ (results not guarenteed) seems to be buy yourself a “My name is not Mzungu” t-shirt at one of the many tourist shops. Indeed, our African friends refuse to buy anything when we are with them, because prices will always be higher (exception is food stuff).

Of course, there are also many benefits of being a mzungu (otherwise known as playing the white card). Lots of people come talk to you at bars (often starting with ‘where are you from? Can I come to your country? Will you marry me?), people help you on the street, people come up to you and thank you for building them a new road (actually happened to my friend), swarms of little kids trail you when you walk through residential areas…hard to get used to, really. Getting preferential treatment just because you look different just isn’t what you grow up with in Vancouver (Hong Kong is a bit different).

Actually, one of my friends asked and mzungu originally meant traveller in Swahili (more properly: Kiswahili). My dictionary lists it as “European” or “something wonderful; a way of doing things (e.g. love-making, speech-making).” (Well, since most of the Norwegians get asked if they are Americans, I suspect mzungu does not mean European only anymore.)