I had another thing to do in Bulawayo before taking off. My cloth I've been wearing were really torn out. I was really looking homeless these days. I thought appearance was important when I ask for camping for someone.
I might have been rejected when I asked for camping at the police some days ago because of my cloth.
Since that reason, I went to the market to get new.

モロッコで友人からもらったジャージの下、タンザニアで買った長袖シャツがもう寿命が来ていて、身なりがあまりに薄汚いのでブラワヨで新調した。やはり野宿交渉する時なんかはある程度の見なりでないと失敗する可能性がある。この前警察署で野宿を断られたりしたのも、あまりに小汚かったからなのかもしれない。買いに行ったのはブラワヨのマーケット。


A Shorts and shirts were $17 total. I got a Zimbabwe country product, honey as well. It came with beehive inside and was really tasty.

近くにデパートもあったけれど高いのでマーケット内の安物で済ませた。上と下で$17。ついでにジンバブエ名物、蜂の巣入りの蜂蜜も買った。丸々したおばちゃん。大が$5、小が$2、濃厚でエネルギーが出る。



Bulawayo was easy to walk.

ブラワヨの町は碁盤の目のようになっていて歩きやすい。




It's been 3 days since I came back from the Victoria falls. I had the bad luck but the guest house I stayed was really nice place; Burks Backpackers Paradise Lodge.
It's almost a month since I came to Zimbabwe. I should take off to the next country.

滝から戻って来て何だかんだで3日、ネズミ被害はあったとはいえ今泊まっているBurks Backpackers Paradise Lodge はかなり居心地が良い。あと数日でジンバブエに入ってから1ヶ月が経とうとしている。もう出発しなければ。

As I mentioned before, I left my bicycle and luggage in Bulawayo while I was taking a side trip to the falls. When I came back, I found a bad news.

自転車と荷物をビクトリアフォールズに行っている間ブラワヨの宿に預けていたのだけれど、戻って来てみると大変な事になっていた。




My luggages had been badly bitten by mice. I got more than 10 holes, and some were bigger than my fist. I shouldn't have left instant noodle on my bags.

ネズミにかじられてバッグがボロボロにされてしまっていた。大小10ヶ所以上、大きな穴は拳が入るくらいの大穴。インスタントラーメンを入れたまま残したのが悪かったらしい。災厄だ。


Luckily, I had had a lot of reaper patches from my Italian friend. I could manage to reaper all. I used a used tube for couple of big holes as well.
I spent whole day for working for these.
Look my beautiful bags.

昨年イタリアの友人から補修用の生地を大量にもらっていたのがここに来て本当に役にたった。大きい穴は自転車のチューブを切って代用。地道に穴を塞いでいき、何とか防水性を保てるまで補修を済ませる事が出来た。長旅になるといつ何が起こるかはわからない。

In the same day we arrived to the falls, we went to see the actual falls. It costs me $30, a bit expensive. As we walked through the forests, the sound of splashing started hearing.

ビクトリアフォールズに到着して早速その日のうちに滝を見に行った。エントランスで$30、なかなか良い値段を取る。滝の流れ落ちる轟音を聞きながら森の中を抜けると。

We were moved by fall's great force. Volume of water was impressive. It was sometime hard to make a conversation properly because the sound of fall was really big.

大迫力のビクトリアの滝。雨季ともあって流れ落ちる水量が半端ない。落ちる音がすごすぎて声も聞こえずらい。



It was the late afternoon, the sun light created beautiful rainbow.

丁度午後の時間帯の光に照らされて、綺麗に虹も出ていた。



As we walked towered the main fall, the splash started making rain. I had to have a brave to take my camera out. I've hard from coupe of Japanese that they got their camera broken by water.

断崖に沿ってメインの滝に近ずくにつれ、舞い上がったしぶきが落ちて来て、カメラを出すのが怖くなってきた。それも宿で会った日本人2人からカメラを水没させてしまったという話を聞いていたから。



At the main view point, the splash became falling bucket of water. No way to take a photo here. I put my camera and other things in two of ziplock bags.

そして最後のビューポイントに着く頃には豪雨のごとく水が落ちて来て、カメラを出しての撮影は完全に不可能。貴重品はジップロック2枚で対応して中に突入した。これはジップロックの中から撮った写真。



I was soaked by the time we got to the end. It was good choice that I wore swimming pants.

最後のビューポイントから出る頃には全身ビショビショ。海パンで挑んで正解だった。



There was the bridge over Zambezi river. It was constructed 1905.

最後に見えたのはザンビア側に渡る古い橋。1905年に建造されたらしい。

In Bulawayo, I planed to leave my bicycle at a guest house and take a train to the Victoria falls. It is one of the"must see" sights on my list.
Falls are located 450km north from Bulawayo and since I wanted to go to Botswana, it would be a big detouring if I go there by bicycle. So I decided to take the train.

ブラワヨからは電車を使った小旅行を予定していた。目的地はビクトリアの滝。ここはアフリカに来たならば見ておきたい。
ただ、ここからビクトリアの滝までは自転車で片道450km、5日の距離、ボツワナは走りたいから、そうなると自転車でまた300km程同じような区間を戻らないといけなくなる。それなら自転車をブラワヨに残して、電車で往復しようという事になった。

より大きな地図で Cycling East Africa 2/2 を表示


For this side trip, other Japanese I met in Harare joined me.
It had been a while since I took a train at the last time. I was exited.

この電車旅にはハラレで会ったチーさんオーさんも合流して一緒にビクトリアの滝に向かった。久々の電車旅、しかも日本人も一緒という事で何だが遠足気分。



The train left 9:30pm, 2 hours behind actual schedule. We took a first class sleeper. It cost only $12. This train was very old but including a dining car. I thought it was way good enough for $12.

出発から2時間遅れて夜9時30分ブラワヨ駅を出発した。
乗車したのは1等寝台、とはいえ値段は$12とかなり良心的だ。古い割には寝台もまあまあだし、食堂車もあって朝飯や酒も安く飲み食い出来て良かった。







We drunk local beer "Chibuku" and then just enjoy talking to other passengers and seeing the views passing by.

ローカルビール「チブク」を飲みながらのひたすら車窓を眺めたり、乗り合わせた地元の人達、車掌さんと話しながら過ごした。天気も良くて素晴らしく気持ち良い車窓からの風景。








I brought a speaker to enjoy some music.

持ってきたスピーカーから音楽をガンガン流して、気分は最高。




The train arrived to the Victoria Falls station at 3pm. It took us 20hours.
When we were arriving to the station, we could see the splash from the falls.

12時間の予定乗車時間を大分過ぎて翌日の15時、約20時間掛かって目的地のビクトリアフォールズ駅に到着した。駅からは早速滝からのしぶきと思われる雲が地表から立ち上っていた。期待が高まります。

From the Great Zimbabwe ruin, I headed west. My next destination was Bulawayo. It took me for 3 nights. On this way, I had a bit of hard times.

グレートジンバブエからは進路を西に取ってブラワヨに向かった。この3泊4日は苦しくも良い思い出になった。まずブラワヨを出た当日、久々に寝床探しに手こずった。



In the first night, I arrived to the town called Mashava. I was thinking to stay this night at the police station.
I went there about 5pm. I had to wait till 6pm. Then, their answer was NO. Okay, I went to a primary school next and asked the head master. She told me to go to the police station. Okay, then I went to a church and asked a paster. He told me to go to the police station. Damn....all told me to go to the police even the paster. I told him I went there already but...
It started raining. I was very tired and frustrated.
It was already dark so no way to go back on the road.
My best choice was to go back to the police station again.
I went back and explained everything. They told me no at first but eventually I successfully convinced them to let me stay one night.
It was already passed 9pm. I was exhausted and slept like a dead body.

夕方着いたのがMashavaという町で、この日は警察署に泊めてもらおうと考えていた。警察署に着いたのは夕方5時、1時間待たさた挙句野宿はダメ、仕方ななく次は小学校に行くも校長の返答はダメ、そして次は教会に行って神父に交渉したが警察署に行けとの返事。さすがに神父にダメだと言われたのは凹んだ。この町には神はいないらしい。雨も降って来てもう踏んだり蹴ったりだ。
もう外は真っ暗になっていた。この時間から走りたくは無いし、森の中で野宿もしたくは無い。仕方なく警察署に戻って事情を説明する事にした。最初はムリだと言われたけれど、根気良く説得した結果しぶしぶ1泊許可をもらう事が出来た。
もう時刻は9時近く、この日は久々に精も根も尽きた。


Next day, I ended up at a camp where construction workers stay.

疲れが残る2日目、この日は道路工事の作業員用宿舎。




They offered me to stay in one of the empty shade. It was great offer because I could avoid raining.
However, the shade was full of big spiders. It was not really conferrable.....

中で泊まって良いよと言われたけれど中がでかいクモの巣窟と化していていて生きた心地がしなかった。




Then, my third night, I was camping at a farm.

そして3泊目は農家の庭でキャンプ。

They had couple of dogs. They were not dangerous but not friendly. I thought it would be fine for tonight. However, those dogs started pissing on my tent. It was not only once. They kept pissing at least 4 times as long as I saw.
The photo; I cleaned my tent and was drying it beside those dogs. Stupid dogs.

ここは犬に苦労した。別に凶暴な犬とかではなかったのだけれど、こいつらにはテントに散々しょんべんをかけられた。この写真はしょんべんを洗って乾かしている様子。横で寝てるのがその犬達。のんきなもんです。



It was tiring for only 3 nights but now have already become an experience giving me laugh.

たった3泊4日だけれど異常に疲れた区間となった。既に今となっては良い思い出です。

I was heading to Great Zimbabwe ruin, a UNESCO sight.
It will be one of the highlights in Zimbabwe, so I was looking forward to visiting it.
This over thousand years old ruin is very rare in Africa because there are not any history of civilization left where Black African created in Africa.


ハラレを出てからグレートジンバブエ遺跡に向かっていた。黒人が残した唯一の文明の痕跡。これを見たくてジンバブエに来たのもある。

より大きな地図で Cycling East Africa 2/2 を表示


I have been cycling quite in a while in Africa now and started more understand the people here.
African is generally very individualists and don't have patriotic spirit for their country. Their behavior are pretty much depended on their family and tribe.
By that reason, Black African had not left any history of civilization. But it was exceptional for Zimbabwe.
Great Zimbabwe ruin is the trace of the history and people worked together for the nation.
This tradition has been passed down from generation to generation. Many people in Zimbabwe is proud of this country.

これまでブラックアフリカに入って5ヶ月、アフリカが少しずつ見えて来て、この文明の痕跡がいかにすごい物なのか考えていた。アフリカ人は基本愛国心が無い、超個人主義で家族や村単位で物事を考える。そんな彼等、唯一ジンバブエの人達が文明を痕跡を残せたのは、彼等には愛国心があって国の為に共同作業をこなす事が出来たからだ。それが今のジンバブエにも受け継がれている。黒人主導でここまで豊かな国を作り上げられたのはこの辺りのアフリカ諸国では思い当たらない。





I was thinking those things while riding to south. Then, after 4 days, I arrived to the ruin. In couple of nights on my way, people in the villages let me stay their home. The scenery became more like savanna.

そんな事をポツポツ考えながら4日走って遺跡にたどり着いた。道中はいつものように農家の家に泊めてもらった。そのうち2回は部屋まで用意してくれて本当ありがたかった。この辺りまで来ると、景色がだんだんとサバンナになって来て夕日がすごく綺麗。




The Ruins were made simply without mortar. They used many many rocks cut into similar shape.

遺跡はというと均等に切り取った岩を積み上げて作ったシンプルな構造で、かなり広範囲に散らばっていた。











In generally, Africans are lazy and work very slowly as long as I've seen so far. I couldn't imagine how long it took to be completed, and how difficult people supervised workers to get things done properly for such a big ruin. It was very impressive monument for me.

自分の知るアフリカ人は基本仕事をあまりしないし、やっても長続きしない。昼間からビールを飲んでビリヤードをしながらくっちゃべっている人ばかり。そんな彼等がこれだけの作業をこなす事が出来たのはすごい事だと思う。遺跡に感動するというよりは、彼等がこれだけの作業をやってのけた事に感心しながら見て周っていた。




Zimbabwe is impressive country.
This is one of the most successful countries in Africa where Black African held main leadership.
Country is created by people. Those people have to be hard workers to make their country better, so I think Zimbabwean is more hard workers than other African nations.
They still have unique culture left such as music and traditional ceremony as well.
I like this country a lot.


やはりジンバブエの人、ショナ族は働き物が多いのだと思う。
音楽も独特な物を残しているし、黒人主導でこれだけ豊かな国を作り上げられた。やっぱりジンバブエは素晴らしい。

It's been a while since I was out of pedaling. Now started cycling again. The weather was good so nice to cycle.

長くなったハラレでの滞在を経て久々に走り始めた。ここ最近ずっと天気が良くて気持ちいい。



I have been having hard time for punctures these days. I have to fix it almost every two days. I got used to it, but it was not easy in this time.
I got my pump broken so couldn't get the air in by any how.
Some local people helped me but not successful.

快調に走り始めたのもつかの間いつものようにパンク、そいていつものように修理。ただ今回はなかなか手こずった。というのも日本からずっと使って来た空気入れが壊れてしまった。これが無いとパンク修理は出来ても走れない。道路脇にいた物売りの人があーだこーだと手伝ってくれたが如何にもこうにもエアを入れられない。




Then, a local man came to me and bring me to a farmer. We walked with my tire for 30min. Then, we found the pump from junk pile. It worked, so I could get the air in.

仕方が無い、近くの農家の家まで借りに行こうという事になって、このおっちゃんが手伝ってくれた。歩くこと30分で農家にたどり着いた。ガラクタ置きの中からちゃんと機能するのかわからないようなパンプを発見し、どうにかこうにか空気を入れる事が出来た。おっちゃん、本当ありがとう。




I started cycling without the pump so was a bit nervous. If I get the puncture again on my way, it would be a disaster.
Eventually, I survived and arrived to a town without problems. Then I found the same pump I used at the farmer's home. I bought it. It was really cheap; only $2! worked fine.

この辺りは村と村の間がかなり長い、しばらくパンクしないかドキドキしながら走って何とか無事に大きめの村に到着した。早速雑貨店を探してさっき借りた空気入れと同じ物を購入した。お値段何と200円、こんな安い物でもしっかり機能します。





My old pump was about $30. My new pump is only $2. I felt I was a bit stupid having expensive things. Cycling tour might be more easier than I thought. I think many people, including me are over investing for the equipments.
I could buy many good cheap things after I started my journey.

壊れたパンプは3000円以上したと思う。かたやこのパンプは200円、なんだか出発前に物にいろいろ金を掛けたのがバカバカしく思えた。よくよく考えると現地でも手に入る十分な物や、買わなくても良かった物は沢山あったと思う。

In the Next day, I was woke up by Mbira music. The ceremony was still continued. Players kept playing Mbira alternately.
When I went to the living room, many people had been gone and some were sleeping on the floor. Everyone seemed exhausted.


翌日ンビラの演奏で目が覚めた。儀式が終わるまではンビラの演奏は続く。奏者は交互に仮眠を取りながら引き続ける。リビングにあれだけ沢山いた人達は大分減って、みんなグッタリ。



Women of this house had no time to rest. They were already up and started preparing breakfast.

家の女性陣は休む暇も無く、朝飯の準備を始めていた。何だが日本の正月に見るような光景に似ている。



The sponsor guy also seemed exhausted. However, he looked happy since he had enough conversation with the spirit.

精霊達と一晩中話したおっちゃんもグッタリ。結構な歳なはずだけれど、沢山話せて嬉しそうだった。



At the noon, the ceremony was still on going. We were exhausted and very hungry.
It's time for the lunch. They had had some alive chickens yesterday. They killed those in this morning and treated all the guests with them.

昼になってもまだ儀式は終わらない、飲んで踊って腹が減って来た頃ご馳走の時間。儀式の前に買って来ていた鶏をバラして残っている人達に振舞われた。
みんな待っていましたかのようにがっついていた。アフリカの一般家庭なんかではこんなご馳走はそうそう食べられない。



I don't know when the spirits went away from the body but by the noon, Garikayi became normal already. Another person who had shaken last night was gone.
By the late afternoon, many people had been gone. Then, the sponsor guy talked in front of the people, and they played Mbira to bring to the finish the ceremony. It was finally ended, I thought.

いつどのタイミングで精霊達が帰って行ったのかは定かではないけれど、昼の段階でガリカエさんは普通になっていた。痙攣していた女性も朝にはいなくなってたし、どういうタイミングで儀式が終わるのかはわからない。ただ、ポツポツ人が帰り始める中、夕方ンビラの奏者達が締めの演奏をして、主催のおっちゃんが何かを喋ったのが締めのように思われた。


Even though the ceremony was over, there were still a lot of alcohol, 7days left. We kept drunk and played Mbira.
I don't know when it was exactly over but seemed ended when we drunk all alcohol.
Through this experience, I was more interested in Zimbabwe and loving people here. Their spiritualism and hospitality seemed the link to Japanese culture.

この家に滞在している自分達はさらに7daysを飲み続け、儀式が終わったのにみんなンビラを弾いて過ごした。
ひとまずこれで儀式は終わった。書ききれない事がこの5日間の間にまだ沢山あるのだけれど、この儀式を通してジンバブエの人達がさらに好きになった。先祖を敬い、客人をもてなす心、何か日本人に近いものをすごく感じることができた。

The perpetration of The ceremony had been already started when I got there. At the beginning, they start making local alcohol called "7 days". As the name shows, it has to be fermented for 7 days.

儀式の準備は7days と呼ばれる酒を作り初めるところから始まるそうだ。名前の通り、7日間かけて作る。自分が到着した時には既にドラム缶に入った大量のエキスが発酵を始めていた。



This woman from country village was in charge of it.
田舎きら来たおばちゃんが酒担当。

She was also a good teacher for kids. I saw many times she scolding little boys.

このおばちゃんは子供のしつけ担当でもあり、言う事を聞かない子供をしばきあげていた。古き時代の日本もこんなおばちゃんがいたんでしょう。



Children were always sweet. In many African family, there were some little kids, so the family is generally busy.
Also, in many case, some freeloaders live in the family, so the family became even more crowded by them.

子供達はとても人懐っこくて可愛い。基本アフリカの家庭には子供が沢山いて、なにかと賑やか。しかも大抵の家庭には居候先的な輩がいてさらに一家族の密集度をあげている。



After few days, the time had been come. Many people started coming to the house. By the late afternoon, the living room was full of people.
The woman brought "7 days" in some cray pods, and the ceremony had been started.

こんな家庭で数日過ごし、いよいよ儀式当日、ぞくぞくと人が集まって来た。夕方にはリビングいっぱいの人が集まり、7日間発酵された7daysが振舞われ儀式が始まった。






As the sun went down, Mbira was started playing. We drunk alcohols and danced, and the ceremony became more and more fervent.

日が落ちるとンビラの演奏が始まり夜が更けるにつれて酒もまわって熱気がどんどん上がってゆく




People kept coming in. By the mid night, the ceremony became full of excitement. We danced like crazy even the women with babies.

さらに人は増え続け、真夜中には熱気は最高長に達しようとしていた。赤ん坊を背負ったかあちゃんも、赤ん坊をブンブン振り回しながら踊りまくる。



As the excitement reached to the peak, the Mbira master player, Garikayi was started changing his behavior. He stopped playing and talking uncertain way. He stood up and moved away to a room. After a while, he came back with a decorated hair ornament on his head. Seemed a spirit got into his body.

そして熱気が最高点に達した時、ムビラの達人ガリカエさんに異変が。ピタッとンビラを置いたと思ったらブツブツ言いながら部屋にはけて行ってしまった。しばらくして出てきたガリカエさんは頭に飾り物を付けている。どうやら精霊が乗り移ったらしい。




After some moment, another person had started shaking crazy and talking strange way.
From this point, the time of contact with spirit had been started. We, just guests or mbira players have no way to interrupt their conversation. The people who needed to talk have a chance to talk to the spirit now.
The old man of sponsor for this event was already drunk but in this time, he was very patient.

しばらくすると部屋にいた女性にも何かが乗り移ったらしく、酷く痙攣して何かを喋り始めた。ここからは儀式の依頼者でもある人達と精霊達とのプライベートな時間の始まり。今回依頼したおっちゃんはかなり酔っ払っていたが、この時ばかりはシャキッとして神妙にご先祖様からの言葉に聞きいっていた。


I gave up at 3am by drinking and dancing since late afternoon. I crashed in to the bed and slept like dead man.
This ceremony wouldn't be finished by next day and keep continuing.

自分は酒も入ってもみくちゃになりながら踊ったもんで、3時くらいにはギブアップ、気絶するように寝てしまった。それでもこの儀式はまだまだ続く

The ceremony will be held in Mbare, Chitungwiza, a town 30km south from Harare.

例の精霊を呼ぶ儀式が開催されるのはハラレから30km南にあるChitungwizaという町のムバレ。



Mbare is a residence area where Black people had to live during racist white minority running government. Still now, all people living in Mbare are black and most of them are low income. This area is not very organized and crowded with small houses.

ムバレ(ゲトーともいう)は黒人居住地区の意味で白人差別政権が無くなった今も主に低所得層が生活している。ムバレ内はもちろん観光客なんていやしない、ゴチャゴチャしていて、人がやたらと多いしかなり生活臭が強い。




Local Mbira players live in this area, and Japanese Mbira player, Sumi lives together with them. I cannot imagine how tiring for him to live in this area. I'm really respect him.


この場所にンビラ弾きの名人が住んでいる。そして宿で会った日本人ンビラ奏者のスミさんもここで一緒に生活しながら日々鍛錬しているそうだ。いるだけで疲れそうな場所なのに本当お疲れ様ですといった感じ。




I moved out from the guest house in Harare 5 days before the ceremony starts.
When I got there, Sumi's friends from Japan had already come. There were 4 Japanese started staying at this home.
In this local family, they had about 16 people, as long as I saw live in the same house, so 20 of us lived together.

自分はハラレの宿でダラダラするのも何なのでファンクションの5日前くらいからムバレ入りした。スミさんの友人夫妻2人チーさんとオーさんも来ていて日本人は4人、平屋のそこまで大きくない家に20名近くがしばらく生活を共にする事となった。



I have stayed at local family of African for many times but this was the first time for long term.
I was a bit nervous at the beginning because this residence area was in Mbare. However, it was fun to live and good experience to see the life of people closely.

アフリカで民泊は度々して来ているが、同じ場所で1週間も滞在するのは初めて。しかもムバレという黒人居住地区だった場所。正直、最初はどうなるもんかと思っていたが、なかなか楽しい日々となった。