Although my ultimate happiness lies in the wild untouched landscape away from all these bustling humans about the place, the lives of humans and animals are so intertwined, I feel it relevant to get involved in the human dynamics of community just every now and again. We are also well into the month of December, and with Christmas looming there’s that buzz about the place that makes me feel all giddy and community-spirited. I like to think we’re all aiming for the same result in life, no matter where we are born and raised in the world. We all just would like a nice time of it. To quote the endless wisdom of Gandalf “all we have to decide is what to do with time that is given to us”. What I find fascinating is how differently we humans have decided to spend our little jot of time in all corners of the globe. The tactics of playing a good game of life here in Tofo, Mozambique, is another small example of how people do it differently. Firstly, Tofo life would not be the same without these adorable kids running about the town at all times of day, always donned with huge smiles, “ola”’s, and hands aloft primed for record-breaking numbers of high fives each day. There are 3 school sessions in a day, 7am-12pm, 1230pm-5pm and 6pm-930pm. This is so the kids can be of service to their families, either selling bracelets or other souvenirs, I’ve seen small children carrying 5 litre water jugs along the road, or whatever other jobs the family may require of them. Kids are sent to Pre-school from the age of 3, if their parents can afford the 300 meticais (around £3) per year. Otherwise kids will start their free education at primary school from the age of 5. By the age of 11, kids then are enrolled into secondary school if, again, their parents dish out the 300 meticais per year. There is a university, just opened, in this regions’ capital of Inhambane. I’ve met one individual, a police officer from Tofo, studying Law there. So it is now possible, given the right circumstances for the individual, for the young adults of Tofo to attain further education. The vast majority, by the ripe age of 16, have already found employment. The average life span in Mozambique is approximately 43. One observation I have made about this comparatively short is that the pressure to start a family at a young age is extremely high. It is very normal to have had a child by the time you hit 20 years old. Housing is so varied, as Tofo is host to a fair few well-monied expats that have shipped materials over to create their modern beach-facing wrap-around terrace dream house. For the most part, however, the local families live in modest wood or concrete huts, topped with thick layers of straw. Most have just one or two rooms, with an outdoor toilet building, which provides just a little privacy away from your 3 sisters and 2 brothers you'd have bothering you the rest of the day. There are no road names (except for one, very random non-major road) and there is only one tarmac road leading up to Tofo’s entrance, after that, it’s all sandy tracks. Needless to say it doesn’t take long whilst walking around Tofo to find another car fallen victom to the sand, wheel spinning, sending a plumage of sand about it’s back end as it goes nowhere. Typical jobs in just the small town of Tofo include fisherman, drivers and skippers, vegetable-stall and general market salesperson, carpenter, I’ve even met a cobbler. Several incredibly talented artists sell their goods in the market too. The beach kids sell bracelets and coconuts. Some are found in the restaurants as chefs and the like. There are also several in the diving industry. It seems the vast majority work in the tourism sector, but behind the scenes there are an awful lot of local people working for private households, where cleaners and gardeners seem to come with houses as standard. INTERVIEWING THE PEOPLE OF TOFO To get an insight into the lives of the people of Tofo, I figured that I'd better get talking to them. I asked them a series of questions and just let them tell me (or rather, tell my incredible awesome translator friends) about their lives and, most importantly, what they plan on doing for Christmas. Here are the responses: I asked my new friends to tell me their greatest life ambitions, which were varied hugely. One said that he would like to learn all the local Mozambican dialects, a couple with dreams of travelling, a young girl dreamt of becoming a veterinarian. The one response that stood out to me was a vegetable market seller. He responded “I have dreams to change the world, one banana at a time”. It’s a beautiful sentiment, although given a little digging probably lacks any actual game plan. But I did not dig, what’s the point? If he believes that selling bananas to people will improve their lives, and perhaps the world, then good for him. I bought 20 bananas from him that day. I asked my new friends what their greatest luxury in life is. One said he loves to watch the local football teams, several others enjoy time to be in the sea. One lady loves to watch the Humpback whales when they're in season along the coast. The vast majority of people, however, have exactly the same luxury in life as anyone else in the world: family. Family and friends tend to be the greatest luxury a person can afford, whether one lives in the Sahara or the city. And of course, onto that festive topic of that southern hemisphere Christmas. It’ll be my first Christmas down here, and I was intrigued to find what people will be up to in the blazing African heat of December. Of course, being that Tofo is all about that beach life, most said they would be heading to the ‘praia' at some point after their morning church visit to play in the waves or throw a ball around. Of course, as with everywhere, the Christmas meal is the main focus. The diet of local Tofo-ians is revolved, quite unsurprisingly, around fish. And so laid upon the Christmas plates of the hungry Tofo families will of course be the catch of the day, which is, according to every single person I spoke with, barracuda. Although this won’t be my first Christmas away from home, I shall certainly be missing the traditional tree and present exchange, the cloaked santa that doesn’t seem so out of place in the cold climate, and of course, family time. My Tofo family will be here, however, and Christmas on the beach under a beautiful hot sun is going to be a pretty big novelty. Merry Christmas from Mozambique!
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AuthorJenny was born in Dorset, and now is living in Mozambique. She participates in long-distance triathlon and rowing challenges. She has a conservation degree, and is currently working toward her masters degree studying the Stingrays of Mozambique. Archives
June 2017
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