Our Banana World

Last weekend (24th Jan) I cycled all the way from Arusha to the foot hill of the Highest Peak of Africa as a part of preparation for Cycling Feasibility Study East Africa to South Africa first part. Early in morning I left Arusha 7:30am by using old Moshi-Arusha then join the currently Moshi-Arusha high way at usa river town-ship. Riding up and down passed through small towns and villages then after 3 ½ hrs, I covered 80km reached Moshi town Kilimanjaro region.

I had a lunch at Moshi town I decide to have a banana for lunch as it was cheap than Arusha then I have a rest to avoid high temperature. I Left Moshi 3:00pm head out along Dar es Salaam road bearded left after 23km as heading Taveta after 4km then I turned off left at Himo. 40km from Moshi lays Marangu.

Marangu village is where I was raised with my grand mother and went to primary school in this village. Marangu whose name drives from local Chagga ward meaning “spring water” is situated on the lower slope of Kilimanjaro National Park. Unlike lower lying Moshi, Marangu has an appropriately alpine feel surrounded as it


Is by lush vegetation and bisected by a babbling mountain streams and remains a popular springboard for Kilimanjaro ascents using the Marangu route. For those who lack the time, inclination or money to climb Kilimanjaro, Marangu is pleasant place to spend a night or few days exploring the lower slopes of the great mountain, with several attractive waterfalls situated within easy striking distance.

Since I left this village and went to secondary school then college I had had no time to visit it again. When I reached there all the people was wandering to see me on the bicycle come from all the way from Arusha where I live currently. My grand mother welcomed me with a juggle full of banana juice, it was cooled juice as it was from re refrigerator but not from the refrigerator it was from local pot known as Mtungi which also used to keep water, and make it cooled all the time. My grand mother whose now become more older then the time I was staying with her(now she is about 80 years old or so as she can’t remember exactly when she was born) she was looking on me very curious all the time as I was drinking the sweet banana juice without stop. When I stopped to drink the juice I receive hard question from her “My grand son are you crazy to cycle from Arusha to here for a single day?”

After heaving a shower I find a pleat of cooked banana waiting for me in the table as I was continue with banana dinner she send her grand son in the nearby bar (mwafrika club) for the local brew/wine, we had a long conversation around the fire as it was already become dark. We seat there for about 3 hours then said good by to each and heading to my room which covered with banana leafs for the it’s circular wall and roof. I slept well, drifting off to the hoot of owls, and the cackling off bush baby and hyenas.

The next day I was worked up by the call of grand mother for the break fast. The breakfast was a black coffee which she made herself from her backyard where there is a lot of banana and coffee trees, the coffee tea was accompanied with roosted long banana which they called (Mkono wa tembo) elephant proboscis. After breakfast I packed my day pack ready for the walk and bird watch around the village my grand mother gave me 20 pieces of sweet banana as a snack. I walk through the village greeting some people who seemed to forget me. I visit the caves which I was used to play in during my boyhood but now it reserved as attraction for visitors near to the caves there is smith work shop where my grand mother used to send me to repair or buy new machete, hoe or knife. My way back I passed at the local market which usually to take place twice a week here I found I lot of interesting things but mostly was this wide variety of bananas, this is what I called banana wonders. Ranging form sweet bananas, green bananas, big bananas, little bananas, cooking bananas, red bananas, fat bananas, skinny bananas, fresh bananas, fried bananas, roasted bananas, boiled bananas so many kinds of bananas grow here. I interred in the mwaFrika club (a local bar) to have a juggle of local brew made from bananas which sold for200/= Tshs perhaps 1/2. There I join some other people in the conversations and share our brew as it is a custom. I bought banana-leaf cap as my support for the banana leave product artists.

I reached grand mother home and have banana porridge before I had the tradition dish which is beans, coco yam and banana pounded together. The next day I left the village cycled back to Arusha. As I was cycling back to Arusha I was still wondering about this trip and how it become very exiting, I told myself; In order something to be value it should be lost first.