Question: When did you first decide to travel to Africa?
Reply: He had always wanted to visit the mainland since he was a little boy. I wanted to reconnect with my history as an African in the Diaspora and an African of Jamaican descent. Growing up in the South, I wanted to learn more about the triangle of the slave trade, and traveling to Africa guaranteed me this knowledge.
Of all the countries on the continent, why did you choose to visit Tanzania?
Tanzania was one of the options for me through the school. I participated in a study program at Canisius College, which allowed me to travel to Tanzania. I was introduced to Walter Rodney, an academic activist with connections in Tanzania. When I read his book titled “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa”, which hints at the history of the coast, he inspired me to visit the country. Another reason is Mwalimu Nyerere; I’ve always liked him and his perspectives.
How was your first time in Tanzania?
It was incredible. We weren’t in a traditional setting because our class was mostly in the car on the road and we were traveling from city to city. The trip felt intimate and gave us a closer look at Tanzania as a whole. We kept journals and wrote about every experience we had.
What was the most surprising thing about the country when you visited it for the first time?
Just the natural beauty of it. It developed, but Tanzania has not practiced cultural suicide to adapt to a foreign way of life. I like the way it balances modernity with the traditions of the country.
Have you ever been on a safari? If so, how was it?
Yes, I do. When I was a child, I used to watch a channel called ‘Nova’ that showed the beauty of the world, and many times they showed Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, and these scenes made me fantasize about visiting these places. . When I got the chance to do that, it was a dream come true. It was an experience that changed my life.
How was it life changing?
You can watch anything on TV, but it won’t have as much meaning as when you come face to face with it. Not only is it amazing, but it is a memory that stays with you forever. We have zoos in the United States, but the actual experience in the natural habitat is more exciting and feels different.
What experience did you gain from your safaris?
I was able to connect with the Maasai and other groups that live in the Serengeti. I met a few of them and we developed cultural relationships to the point where a young man who was just as excited to meet me as I was gave me an item of Maasai clothing. I have the garment since 2010.
Being an African American, why do you think it is important to explore Africa?
Traveling puts things in perspective. For us, traveling is a symbolic connection between us and our ancestors. It also gives us a sense of pride and self-esteem.
Carlton Duncan admires a giant turtle. PHOTO | COURTESY
What other interesting experiences did you have in Tanzania?
One thing about Tanzania is that when you think of Africa, you are going to get everything at once. One can watch different kinds of birds singing in Iringa, climb Mount Kilimanjaro or lie on a white sandy beach in Zanzibar. The country offers all this in its different regions. You can also get different kinds of cultural climates in one place, like in Serengeti National Park, where you might be in a bathing suit one day and wear a jacket the next.
What can you say about country food?
If a person likes food that is full of flavor, Tanzania is the place to be. There are so many spices that are self-made in different parts, one of them is Zanzibar. In a way, these flavors are also connected to the stories of the communities that make them. When I use or smell these spices, I think of Tanzania.
What Tanzanian foods did you enjoy?
A lot, but especially Mayai Chips with chicken, sambusa, goat meat, Kitimoto, Pilau and Ugali.
If you had to advise someone traveling to Tanzania, what advice would you share?
Support local businesses because they reveal the true essence of the place you have visited.
It connects you with the people and the culture of the place more than anything else. Eat local food, tackle the daladala and the like.
Since you have visited almost all the regions, which place has a special place in your heart?
Morogoro! I will always remember it. I visited it and stopped in to learn a bit about Swahili.
