African Folklore: How the Zebra Got Its Stripes

One day long ago, a very big, very fierce baboon came down from the trees to live on the banks of the great Umfolozi River. Here he made his home and declared to all the other animals that the land all around belonged to him, and they were not to use the water in the river. He alone was to be allowed to drink.

There was one among the animals who decided to stand up to fearful Baboon. This was a proud young zebra stallion, Dube. In those days, zebras were pure white, likethe fabled unicorn. Now Dube was brave, and he challenged Baboon to a fight. Baboon, a fierce veteran of many battles, agreed. He knew all about fighting.
"The loser of the fight:' he said, "will be banished forever to the barren kopje (hills) across the river:' And he told the zebra to come to his kraal (corral) the next morning.

The fight was long and terrible. Both animals fought with all their strength, using the weapons the Creator had given them. Dube used his sharp hooves and teeth. Baboon used his long fangs and his agility. Eventually, Baboon gained the upper hand, and poor Dube was thrown backwards into the blazing logs of the kraal fire. The cruel flames licked all over his body, searing his fine white coat. The dreadful pain gave Dube a surge of new strength, and with a mighty kick he sent Baboon flying.

Over the river sailed Baboon, right onto the rocks of the kopje on the other side. Baboon landed with such force that a bald patch remains on his behind to this very day.

But Dube too was marked for life.The burns from the blazing logs in Baboon's fire left black stripes all over his snow-white coat. But at least he had won and from that day on, the water was free to all the animals. Since then, zebras wear their stripes with pride, and while baboons are banished to stony kopjes, the zebras dwell on the open plains, coming and going to the river just as they please.  (From: When the Hippo was Hairy and Other tales from Africa; Nick Greaves.)

Angola Did You Know 3: Coffee!

Angola at one time was the world's fourth-largest coffee producer. In 1975 and 1976, Angola produced almost one million bags (61,000 metric tonnes) of robusta coffee annually.  Continued warfare, which in particular devastated rural areas, led to the slow but steady collapse of the industry. By 1985, harvests were at only 189,000 bags - in 2004, numbers even dropped to 15,000 bags.

 “Angola's robusta (coffee) bean is the best robusta in the world,” Mayimona Romulo, an engineer from the National Coffee Institute stated.  “Angola has excellent conditions for growing coffee in terms of climate and rainfall and the ability to grow many robusta varieties."

At least 15,000 tonnes of coffee were harvested during the 2009 harvest year, which is considered a drop in the ocean compared to Africa's major coffee producers such as Ethiopia (4.50 million bags), Uganda (2.75 million bags) and Kenya (1.0 million bags), according to statistics from the International Coffee Organisation (ICO). World production is now around 120 million bags annually, with Brazil and Columbia being the leading exporters.

The Angolan government has started a pilot project for coffee production in the municipality of Amboim, in the Cuanza province, which is located just east of the capital, Luanda.  With a capital injection of over USD $8.5million,is serious about its intent "to re-launch the coffee sector in Angola."

For rural Angolans around the Amboim area, which were deeply impoverished by the long war, even current low prices of coffee means an important economic advance. The Angolan government has estimated that the Amboim coffee project will lift around 4,000 rural families in the region out of poverty, totalling approximately 30,000 people. (Adopted from Afrol News 2009)

Attack on African Cup of Nations Soccer Team

The African Cup of Nations Soccer tournament, due to start tomorrow in Angola, has suffered an unfortunate setback due to a rebel attack on one of the participating African country teams.

A bus carrying Togo’s football team to the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, was fired upon after it crossed from the Republic of Congo into Angola's oil-rich territory of Cabinda. Nine people including two Togo players were reportedly wounded on the bus as well as the death of the bus driver.  The Togo team has since withdrawn from the tournament.

The government called the incident, initiated by the rebel group Flec, an “act of terrorism.  This occurance will put an unfortunate mark on the spirit, energy and image of the Angolan tournament. Read more about the incident here.......

Angola AIDS Watch

All sub-Saharan African countries in this era have a great concern about the effects and destruction that the AIDS virus causes on their own individual societies. (This region has some 22.5 million people with HIV- the highest percentage in any region worldwide).  Angola's worries concerning the spread of this are not unfounded especially as the government opens the borders and interior with massive reconstruction.

Recently, the Angolan Health Minster stated that though "27 years of civil war in Angola caused much bloodshed and destruction, the corresponding isolation served as a protection against the deadly AIDS virus which now threatens to spread across the country."  With the reconstruction of roads and bridges, the threat of AIDS in Angola may worsen with the facilitation of the movement of people from neighboring countries: 20% of the neighboring Namibia population is infected with HIV.

Currently only 2.1% of Angolans are HIV positive.  But in the southern Cunene province which borders Namibia, some 16% of the inhabitants carry the virus.  Other provinces bordering or near the Republic of Congo in the far north of Angola have also shown steady increases in the number of AIDS cases.

Though the Angolan government has pledges multiple billions of dollars towards the education and fight against the spread of AIDS, I am hopeful that the Evangelical National Church in Angola will have an impact in changing the lifestyles and mindset against the personal actions that spread the HIV virus.

Angola's Showcase to the World

When the opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Luanda on Sunday January 10, it will be the first time since the tournament's inception in 1957 that Angola will be hosting the tournament.  Being a participant in this high-level athletic event for many years, Angola's right to host the showpiece of African football will most certainly allow the world to see the potential and amazing development that this country holds.

The fact that Angola has been chosen to host the 2010 cup is a sign of confidence in the stability of the region and shows how the government through this event is taking proactive steps to build up the infrastructure which can assist in bringing the country out of poverty. By hosting the African Cup of Nations over this month, Angola also hopes that it can kick start its tourism industry to showcase its pristine beaches, warm climate, and distinct colonial Portuguese architecture.

This is my personal hope through this event; that the world showcase and attention that Angola will receive will revise the world's stereotype of the country and strengthen the relief aid and tourism interest, and that this influx of capital will aid the local communities.

Ovimbundu Wisdom!

The Ovimbundu people comprise the largest 'tribe' in Angola, some 37% of the peoples, and though they are spread throughout Angola as a result of the civil war, they are mostly located in the Benguela / Central Highlands in the mid to southern part of the country.

The Ovimbundu have their own distinct and interesting culture and inherent within the culture are unique wisdom sayings in their language, Umbundu.  

I will periodically share some some of the wisdom sayings and folklore here.  Enjoy!

Proverb:  Okulya Omuma yolonjinji, okukuliha okupunja.

Literal Translation:  To eat the liver of the ant is necessary to know quartering.

Meaning:  It's the little things which show the character of a great man.