WANAUME WA "KIZUNGU" NI BORA ZAIDI YA WA "KIBONGO"?

Naomba kujadili mada ambayo imekuwa ikijirudia mara kwa mara kuhusu “wanaume wa kibongo”.Nikiri kuwa sina hakika neno “wanaume wa kibongo” linamaanisha Watanzania pekee au Waafrika kwa ujumla au Weusi (Blacks) wote.Ila kwa madhumuni ya mjadala huu,nitayumkinisha kuwa walengwa ni wanaume wa Kitanzania.

Pengine mtazamo wangu unaweza kuathiriwa na ukweli kuwa nami ni “mwanaume wa Kibongo” (Mtanzania).Hata hivyo,nitajitahidi kuepuka kujipendelea (subjectivity).

Kama nilivyopata utata kwenye neno “wanaume wa kibongo” (na hivyo kutumia dhana ya Watanzania) najikuta kwenye utata mwingine kuhusu neno “wanaume wa Kizungu”.Je linamaanisha watu weupe (Whites)?Au watu wa “dunia ya kwanza”/nchi za Magharibi ikijumuisha na weusi/non-Whites waliozaliwa huku?Je “wazungu” hao wanajumuisha pia wale wanaotoka “Ulaya iliyochoka” kwa mfano Ulaya Mashariki-ambapo baadhi yao wanalazimika kuja kutafuta maisha bora Ulaya Magharibi na kwingineko?

Tukiweka kando utata huo wa maana inayokusudiwa, kuna suala jingine ambalo ni muhimu kuliweka wazi.Nilipokuja Ulaya mara ya kwanza, nilikuwa na picha ya “wamisionari” –watu walioacha “raha” za kwao kwenda kuishi maeneo magumu kabisa kwao.Na nilikuwa na picha ya watu wenye upendo,huruma na wanaoguswa mno na shida zetu za kimwili na kiroho.

Lakini haikunichukua hata mwezi kugundua kuwa Ulaya nilokuwa naifikiria awali ina viumbe wa aina tofauti kama ilivyo huko nyumbani.Kuna wenye upendo na wenye chuki,kuna wenye busara na majuha,kuna wenye akili na machizi,nk.La kwanza nililobaini ni UBAGUZI.Sio tu wa rangi bali hata wa kipato.Wakati kimsingi jamii nyingi za kiafrika zimejengwa katika misingi ya ushirikiano,usawa na utu, kwa hawa wenzetu “ubinafsi” ( individuality, katika hisia chanya na hasi) una nafasi muhimu katika mafanikio au kufeli kwa mtu.Jitihada za mtu binafsi zina umuhimu mkubwa zaidi kuliko za ushirika/ujamaa.Hilo linaweza kuwa na uzuri wake lakini pia kuna suala la madaraja (classes) ambayo mfumo wa kibepari umeyaimarisha vizuri.

Na hili la madaraja ni muhimu sana katika kuzielewa jamii hizi.Kuna wale walioelimika na kuielewa dunia, na wengi wao-japo si wote- wanafahamu kwanini Afrika au Waafrika tuko jinsi tulivyo.Lakini kwa wale “waliokwepa umande”- japo si wote-kwao Afrika na Waafrika ni vitu vilivyopo duniani kimakosa.Ni katika kundi hili la pili ndipo kuna uwezekano mkubwa wa kukutana na “wapuuzi” wanaoamini kuwa Waafrika tunaishi maporini au kwenye miti huku tukizungukwa na nzi,tukijisaidia popote,na upuuzi mwingine kama huo.Kwa takriban mwongo mmoja niliokaa hapa Uingereza nimeshakutana na watu wa aina hiyo mara kadhaa na majibu yangu huwa “kama sie tunaishi kwenye miti je balozi wenu huko kwetu naye anamudu vipi kuishi kwenye mti?”.Ila mara nyingi huwa naishia kuwatukana tu.

Kuna suala la ubaguzi.Kwa hapa Uingereza,baadhi ya Waingereza wanakiri bayana kwamba “ubaguzi ni sehemu ya utamaduni wa baadhi yao...na ndio maana unaona Wakatoliki na Waprotestanti wanaendelea kupingana huko Ireland ya Kaskazini”.Wengine wanakwenda mbali zaidi na kueleza imani yao kuwa hisia hizo za kibaguzi zilichangia sana ukoloni wa dunia “ya watu wasiostaarabika”.Ni muhimu hapa kukumbushia angalizo kuwa wakoloni walikuwa haohao “wazungu walio bora kuliko Wabongo” japo hilo ni suala la kihistoria zaidi kuliko malavidavi.

Kwahiyo dada zangu wanaoamini kuwa “wanaume wa kizungu ni bora zaidi kuliko wa kibongo” wanapaswa kufahamu kwamba miongoni mwa “wazungu” hao kuna wanaompinga Obama, si kwa vile hajatimiza ahadi zake bali tatizo ni weusi wake,kuna wafuasi wa British National Party (BNP),kuna neo-Nazis (vijukuu vya Hitler) na wengineo wenye “chuki binafsi” wakiamini kuwa vyanzo vya matatizo ya nchi zao sio Weusi tu bali Waasia na wageni wengineo.Nasisitiza,NI BAADHI.Miongoni mwa "wazungu" hao ni MAKABURU,wanaharamu waliowabagua wasio-weupe hususan Weusi huko Afrika Kusini kwa vile tu waliamini kuwa asili yao ni bora zaidi.Miongoni mwao pia ni wenye mtazamo wa akina James Watson mwanataaluma mahiri kwa madai yake kuwa Waafrika wana akili pungufu kulinganisha wa "wazungu".

Kama ambavyo huko nyumbani kuna wacha Mungu na washirikina,ndivyo ilivyo kwa “wazungu” pia. Kuna wanaoangalia upendo,haiba,urembo na sifa nyinginezo za kibinadamu badala ya rangi ya binti,lakini pia kuna akina Nick Griffin,Jean-Marie Le Pen,nk ambao kwao rangi ya mtu ni kigezo muhimu cha utu/ “ushenzi” wake.

Labda swali naloweza kuwauliza dada zangu wanaohitimisha kuwa “wanaume wa kizungu ni bora kuliko wa kibongo” ni hili: je mama zetu waliolewa na wazungu kiasi cha kututengenezea familia bora zilizotufikisha tulipo sasa?Au je takwimu zinasemaje kuhusu idadi ya waume katika ndoa nyingi “zenye furaha” huko nyumbani?Japo nahofia kutoa takwimu pasipo utafiti lakini yayumkinika kusema takriban asilimia 90 ya waume kwenye ndoa “zilizotulia” huko nyumbani bado ni wanaume wa kibongo.Hapa simaanishi kuwa walioolewa na wasio “wabongo” hawana furaha na ndoa zao bali nasisitiza hoja kuwa kama mama zetu walikuwa kwenye furaha katika ndoa na baba zetu wabongo,sasa hoja ya “wanaume wa kibongo kutokuwa mwafaka kwenye ndoa” inatoka wapi?

Hivi wakati dada zetu wanaponyoosha vidole kuwashutumu wanaume wa kibongo wanajaribu japo kiduchu kujiangalia na wao wenyewe?Mbona hata huku kuna hadithi nyingi tu za watu kusaliti ndoa zao/mahusiano yao?Je Bill Clinton alipomsaliti Hillary kwa Monica Lewinsky alikuwa Mndengereko?Vipi kuhusu John Terry au seneta Edward Kennedy?

Katika sosholojia kuna theme inayohusu deviance (kwenye kinyume na taratibu zilizokubalika katika jamii husika).Hapo,baadhi ya wanasosholojia wanaamini kuwa umalaya ni uvumbuzi,yaani kwa mfano mwanamke mrembo anajua “anatakwa” na kuna walio tayari kutoa fedha kumpata kwa hiyo “anajipeleka sokoni,mwenye kiku kikali ale nyama”.Kuna wanaofanya hivyo kwa vile hali ya uchumi inawasukuma kufanya hivyo,na kuna wale wanaofanya hivyo kutokana na kufata mkumbo,huku wengine wakifanya hivyo kutumia uhuru wao wa kupenda chochote watakacho ikiwa ni pamoja na ngono.

Malezi,imani ya kidini na mchango wa wanaotuzunguka ni miongoni mwa mambo muhimu sana katika kutengeneza tabia ya mtu.Baadhi ya wansayansi ya jamii wanabashiri kuwa mtoto anayekulia familia ya mzazi mmoja (single parent) ana uwezekano wa kuwa single parent ukubwani kwa vile “kama baba/mama aliweza kunilea peke yake kwanini kie nishindwe?” (socialisation).Wapo pia wanaoamini kuwa mtoto anayekulia familia inayothamini umuhimu wa ndoa anaweza kuiga mfano wa wazazi wake na hivyo “kutulia” ukubwani.

Mwisho,naomba kuhitimisha kwa kusema kwamba ni mambo machache sana duniani ambayo yanatokea tu pasipo sababu. Kama kila mume/boyfriend wa kibongo “anakukimbia” pengine tatizo ni wewe na sio wao,hasa ikizingatiwa kuwa wao si mapacha.Lakini na muhimu zaidi ni la kiroho.Kwa sie tunaoamini Mungu,hakuna liwezekanalo kwa mwanadamu pasipo baraka za Mungu.Pengine kabla ya kukimbilia kulaumu “wanaume wa kibongo” ni muhimu kwa walalamikaji kutazama upya mahusiano yao na Muumba.Kuna ishu inayonong’onwa na baadhi ya wanaume (hususan walio nje ya Tanzania) kwamba dada zetu wa kibongo wanaondekeza tamaa za makaratasi na kubabaika lakini naomba nisiligusie kwa vile,again,tamaa kwa Wakatoliki ni mzizi wa dhambi.Kwa aliyemshika Mungu na kisha kupatiwa chaguo lake,chochote atachopewa kitakuwa ni mapenzi ya Mungu,hivyo masuala ya tamaa yatakuwa hayana nafasi.

Naweza kuwa siko sahihi lakini huo ndio mtazamo wangu.

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RACISM IN EQUADOR (DOCUMENTARY)

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THE OBAMA EFFECT? CHINA CALLS UP ITS 1st BLACK ATHLETE

A 19-year-old volleyball player from the eastern city of Hangzhou has become the first black athlete to be called up to represent China, triggering fierce curiosity among his compatriots.Ding Hui, who is affectionately nicknamed Xiao Hei, or Little Black, by his team mates, was included in the national team's new 18-man training squad.

The son of a South African father and a Chinese mother, Ding is expected to play a key role in China's push for gold at the London Olympics in 2012.

However, despite the fact that he was born in China and only speaks Mandarin and his city's local dialect, his elevation has stirred up some racial prejudices among his countrymen.

Commentators have noted that he has a "pleasant and perky nature" and is talented at "singing and dancing". On Chinese internet forums, he has been lauded for the "whiteness" of his teeth and the "athleticism of his genes".

China's black population is tiny, and attitudes remain relatively unsophisticated. One predominately African suburb in the southern city of Guangzhou is cheerfully referred to as "Chocolate City".

In the run-up to last year's Olympic Games in Beijing, large numbers of blacks were rounded up by police on suspicion of being drug dealers.

However, the black population is growing rapidly. Since 2003, when China started pouring investments into Africa, there has been a significant movement of Africans in the opposite direction. Guangzhou authorities believe there are now 100,000 Africans from Nigeria, Guinea, Cameroon, Liberia and Mali in the city, and the flow is growing by 30 to 40 per cent annually.

Mr Ding told the Shanghai Wenhui newspaper that "people seem to care more about my heritage and appearance, but all I want to do is to play good volleyball". Referring to China's policy of drafting foreigners to boost its teams, he added: "I am not a foreign aid. I want to be included."

Li Shiping, the captain of the volleyball team, said the players had been irritated by the gawping of the Chinese media. "I had hoped the press would not dig out the boy's African heritage or his family details but instead focus on his skills and performance," he said, adding that there would be no chance to see Ding until a press conference next week.

SOURCE: The Telegraph

RELATED STORY: Young,gifted,and Black:China unveils Ding Hui,its new Olympic hope.

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