Despite the tension about deportation and detention of rights activists between Kenya and Tanzania, Saturday May 17, proved to be a pivotal day for diasporans from East Africa, who gathered for food, drinks and music in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, USA, in this years of Swahili Night.
It was an “All You Can Eat” menu of Swahili food, good music and chilled vibes. The night’s events began at around 7pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), with a welcome by the MC, Voice of America Swahili Anchor Sunday Shomari
Dj Benny was spun a riveting mix of bongo flava, Lingala, taarab, benga and rhumba tunes from both the old school and more contemporary genres.
The menu comprised sumptuous, exquisite East Africa delights, including nyama choma, samosas, biriani, pilau, mandazi, fried fish, goat soup and sukumuwiki (Kale)
To wash these delicacies smoothly down was spiced East African tea with a touch of Zanzibari cloves and exotic spices. This provided a mix of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors that engaged the attendees taste buds.
The Swahili Night goes back to the early 2000s. Guests came from a range of states in the US including Florida, New York, Virginia, the Federal Capitol Washington DC and Virginia
Nationalities represented included Tanzanians, Kenyans, Ugandans, Congolese and Americans. The events was headlined by famous Tanzanian rappers Ibrahim Mussa aka Roma Mkatoliki and David Mlelwa aka Young Dee.
According to the MC Shomari, Swahili Night is important because of its centrality in preserving the cultural identity of East Africans. It reinforces the strong cultural heritage among East Africans in the diaspora while transferring cultural norms, mores and traditions to the younger generation of East Africans born in the USA
Swahili night also affords East Africans a platforms in the US to assert their presence in a political environment that can become xenophobic and unwelcoming to foreigners. Mr Shomari said: “Swahili Night provides networking opportunities for East Africans to connect with each other over food, music and camaraderie.”
With the current tensions between Nairobi and Dodoma over the deportation and detention of Kenyans attempting to attend the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, Swahili Night affords the diaspora community of East Africans a chance to come together in a unity, solidarity and consanguinity
The Tanzanian rappers freely mingled with guests. The air was filled with a varied tone of voices enjoying the evening in conversation, laughter and exaltation as attendees danced to the pulsating music rolling off the discs of Dj Benny’s system.
Carol, a Kenyan in Maryland, who attended the event said: “This event is an important part of the annual calendar for East Africans. It is must-attend social jamboree that brings together a mosaic of nationalities, cultures and races”
Ogum from Uganda said, “Im glad to see we had matooke on the menu. The Spices used are Zanzibari, which gives the matooke a flavor a bit different from what i am used in kampala. I liked it though”
Most attendees shied away from discussing the political firestorm that was occurring 8000 miles away in both Kenya and Tanzania over deportations and detentions of Kenyan activists and legal literati.
However, Edward Mariga from Kenya was bullish in his opinion of the deportations arguing the suluhu administration had panicked and acted in an overhanded manner. Something not good for the East Africans Community He stated that i am disappointed with the treatment of Martha Karua and former Cj Willy Mutunga. Their Deportation from Tanzania for simply wanting to attend the trial of a major Tanzanian political figure is unnecessary and undiplomatic
This meeting of East Africa diaspora created a forum for East Africans to network, socialize and build human to human contacts which enhances the warmth, Africanness and unity of being East Africans in the diaspora
The Tanzanian Times 