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。

Somehow many musicians were staying at the same guesthouse where I stayed. Some play marimba and some play guitars.
Camping was a bit expensive here; $9, but this guest house, it's small world backpackers was very comfortable.

ハラレで泊まっていた宿は偶然なのか何なのか楽器弾きが沢山集まっている宿だった。ギターやらマリンバやら世界から色々な人達が集結していた。なかなかな宿It's small world backpackers テント泊で$9 だけれどすごく居心地が良い。




There were Japanese musicians as well, and they were playing an instrument that I've never seen. They told me it was called Mbira in Zimbabwe.

そんなインターナショナルな中には日本人の人達も数名いて、何だか見た事ない不思議な楽器を演奏していた。聞いてみたらンビラという楽器らしい。この写真がムビラ




This simple instrument sounds very nicely. Normally, couple or more are played together but even only one sounds very beautifully. I loved it.
Mbira is believed as the instrument that makes a sounds calling spirit of ancestor. In Zimbabwe, there are many animism left, so people still use Mbira to contact their ancestor.

このシンプルな楽器からは何とも言えない心地良い音が出る。
ペアで弾くのが普通らしいけれど、ソロでもすごく良い。この楽器、そもそも精霊を呼ぶ力を持つと信じられているらしく、精霊信仰が多いジンバブエでは、霊を呼ぶ行事なんかで使われるそうだ。だから、音色によっては何処と無くお経に似たものがある。



For us as Japanese, animism is easy to understand. We enshrine a big tree or spiritual place as a god dwelling inside. We cerebrate "O-Bon", an invent cerebrating our ancestor once a year. Many people still love to visit spiritual places.

日本にはイタコやユタがいたり、大木や神聖な場所にある物を神様として祀ったりしますね。先祖の霊を敬うお盆っていう行事もあります。こんな国から来た人間としては、ジンバブエの精霊崇拝はすごく理解し易い。



This spiritual invent calling spirit is actually rare in Zimbabwe. They don't do it many times; I've hard that they did only a few times during an year. When someone wants to ask or tell something to their ancestor, this event, they call "Function" will be scheduled.
When I was in Harare, I wasn't expect function. I was just enjoying listening the sound of Mbira.
It was just a coincidence. I met a Japanese Mbira player, Sumi who has been living with local Mbira player. He was visiting my guest house for refreshing from staying local house for long time. He told me that there would be the function next week at his host family's home, and anyone could be attended.
I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to see such an event, so I decided to extend my stay of Harare. My goal will be a bit delayed but it's no point to be hurly. I was very excited.

そんな精霊を呼ぶ儀式は年に何回もあるイベントでは無いらしい。誰かが先祖に何かを訪ねたり伝えたい事がある時に行われるそうだ。ただ、縁という物は時として降って来る物で、たまたまこの宿で出会った日本人ンビラ奏者スミさんからその儀式があるとお誘いを授かる事が出来た。しかもただの観光客の自分も参加はさせてもらえるらしく、是非見に行かせてもらう事にした。ただ儀式開始は今から5日後、ゴールがますます遅れてしまう。まぁ～これも縁だし良しとしてしばらく滞在する事となった。

I safely cycled through Safari area and have been cycling towered Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe. The scenery was like pretty much the same as others.

サファリエリアを無事に抜けてからは、いつもと同じような景色の中を進んでいる。




In Zimbabwe, I occasionally saw a big farm, and it was all fenced off. They use trackers and heavy machinery. Seemed more civilized agriculture has been organized in here, Zimbabwe.

たまに大規模農場がある。トラクターや大きな機械を使って計画的に農作物の生産がされているらしい。道路脇にはフェンスが現れてその中で牛が草を食べていたりする。ザンビアよりさらに文明的な場所になった感がある。



I had been greeted by people like "Hello Muzungu" on my way in other countries. However, here, people normally don't greet when they saw me; they just keep watching me. Then, as soon as I greet, they start talking to me endlessly; where are you from and going etc..
When I stopped by women for buying vegetables, I had been asked so many questions. Seemed Zimbabwe has also happy people.

これまでの国々では人とすれ違いざまに「ムズング！ハロー」とか声をかけられていたが、ここでは殆どない。子供も大人もジッと見つめて来るだけ。ただ、こちらから挨拶すると待っていましたかのように質問が始まる。
道端で野菜を売っている姉様達にもタジタジだった。すごく明るい人が多い国のようだ。雰囲気的にはマラウイの人達をもっと積極的にした感じ。



This county had been governed by white racist minority. Those racial policy created a backlash oversea. Then, Patriotic native African group stood up including Mr Mugabe, the current president and took back the chair. Now this country has been mainly governed by native.
Still now, the feeling of native African is not really good for white people.

こんな気さくな人々が暮らすジンバブエだけれど、かつては少数派の白人住民が人種差別政権を掲げて国を動かしていた。
それを今の大統領ムガベさんがひっくり返し、先住アフリカ人主導で国運営をしている。
そんな事もあって対白人感情はあまり良くは無い。
この前会った白人なんてジンバブエ育ちなのにジンバブエの言葉はしゃべられなかった。



Zimbabwe has been struggling their uneasy political situation to be mended. They had a serious hyper inflation, and people couldn't buy anything by recent year. Now, their Zimbabwe dollar has been scrapped, and U.S dollar was replaced. Since then, the life is getting back to normal. I was sometime told by local people that Zimbabwe was now very safe country.


つい最近までハイパーインフレーションが深刻な状況で、物が高すぎて誰も何も買えない状況に至っていたらしい。
現在ジンバブエドルは破綻しアメリカドルが実質上国通貨になっている。大分治安は改善して、ジンバブエ人からジンバブエは平和な国だよ～と言われたりする事もしばしばあるくらい。


I was a bit nervous about security issue in Zimbabwe before coming but don't think I have to worry much since the face of people I saw in this country.

ジンバブエは不安要素の方が多かったけれど、ここまで走っている感じからすると、それほど心配する必要は無さそうだ。むしろ人々の表情や農村部を見てきた感覚からすれば、他の国より豊かな国なように思える。

I reached to the Zambezi river where a border of Zimbabwe was situated.

ルサカから1泊挟んで国境まで来た。とうとうと流れるザンベジ川、ここを渡ればジンバブエだ。



The visa was supposed to be $30, but an official told me that they had changed the price to $50 yesterday. Okay, I told him, I pay you if you give me a receipt. Then he wrote the receipt of $30 and didn't ask me another $20 again.
What a small ass he was.

$30と聞いていたビザ代だが、昨日から$50になったらしい。領収書を出せば払うと言ったら$30の領収書を出して来た。最初から正直にそうすれば良いのにバカな奴だ。



From this point, I decided to cycle. What made the decision was the first, there were quite many trucks running from and to Zambia on the road. The second was the big cats normally stay in shade during hot day time, I hope. To be hornets, I was totally nervous.

ここからどうする。ヒッチか自走。自分は自走する。自走できると判断した理由、1.ザンビアからのトラックが案外通る、2.日中の暑い時間帯は猫は日陰でグダグダしている事が多い、はず。それでもビビりまくっていた。

In Zimbabwe side of Zambezi river, there were many elephant shit on the road. The grass on the side of the road was grew enough to cover inside of bush. I couldn't really see what were inside.

やたらとゾウのクソが落ちているし、道路脇の草が生い茂っていて茂みの中が全く見えない。



I had been watching around while cycling, and every time when a bird flew up, I was astonished.
I saw many animals feed on grass, so some animals harmful for those grass eaters such as lions must be somewhere around.
For 40km to the entrance of mana pool N.P. where some ranger stayed and 20km from this point to the main ranger station, I had been very nervous and uncomfortable.

鳥が飛び立つ度にビクッとして自分が自分でおかしかった。でも笑い事では無い。草食動物はちょいちょい見かけるので、ライオンもいる事はいるのだろう。国境からマナプール国立公園の管理ゲートまでの約40km、そこから公園の管理事務所まで20の登り、正直生きた心地がしなかった。



I saw an elephant. The accuracy of my camera was really bad for zooming.

途中でゾウも見かけた。カメラの精度が悪くて何だがわからないけどゾウ。




In the end of the day, I finally arrived to a small village called Makuti. I was really off stress when I saw a person walking.
This village was still in safari area so I asked a police station for camping in their property. I was safely slept inside of fences in this night.

さらに20km走ってたどり着いたMakuti。歩いている人を見てこんなホッとした事は無い。これで何とか山場は越えた感はある。この日はここの警察署でお世話になった。まだサファリエリアは抜けていので動物は周りにいるはず、でもフェンスで囲われていたので安心して眠る事が出来た。動物を見ながら走りたいという願望はあるけれど、やはりライオンは怖いです。

Lusaka was very civilized city. Big shopping malls were crowded by local people. The gap of people's life between country side and here was huge.

ルサカの市街地に入るとでかいモールがあって買い物客の車で混み合っていた。これまで見て来た地方の生活とのギャップが凄まじい。



Super market was just like one in western countries. The price of goods were also almost the same. Since I came from Malawi, the cheapest country to live in Eastern Africa, I was very shocked how things got so expensive.

スーパーの中は欧米そのもの。値段も欧米や日本のそれと変わりない。マラウイから来ると物価のギャップでおかしくなりそうだ。



I've been thinking how I would move after Lusaka. If I go to the west towered Livingstone, the distance to Cape Town is closer. However, I started interested in going to Zimbabwe because some cyclists I met on my way told me they had this country the most interested.
Zimbabwe is one of the trouble spot in east Africa, the only country where the history of civilization had been created and Mr. Mugabe has been running as president.
That sounds interesting, isn't it?

ここまでずっとこの先のルートを考えていた。さらに西に進めばリビングストンを経由してゴールは近い。けれどジンバブエも気になる。
ここに来るまで会ったアフリカ北上サイクリスト達はジンバブエが良かったと言っていた。
ゴタゴタ続きの国だけれど、この辺りの国々で唯一文明があった国、人種差別政策を乗り越えて独立した国、ムガベ大統領の国。なかなか面白そうではないか。


I decided to go south to Zimbabwe. But there was one concerning on the way.
From the border of Zimbabwe, the stretch about 80km, a safari area covers entire region including the main road. Some people warned for animals such as elephants and lions.
I've heard that the American cyclists I met in Lusaka had hitched for this section. I was getting nervous.
This turned into another headache even though I could make a desolation of my way.

おのずと方向は決まった。ただここで問題が1点、ルサカからジンバブエの国境を越えた後の約80kmくらいの区間がサファリエリアでライオンが出るらしい。ルサカで会ったアメリカ人サイクリストはこの区間はトラックをヒッチハイクしたらしい。ルートは決められたのにまた悩みが増えた。

Kids are always sweet. Their cloth are normally really torn out and they don't wear shoes, but their smile is always really blight.


子供達はどこの国でも可愛い。ぼろ切れのような服着て基本裸足、それでも眩しいくらい無邪気に手を振って来てくれる。



Not only kids, people always gave me warm greeting, especially when men on old chinese bike with a lot of things on the back smiled to me as they passed by, I always felt really warm.
These days, one thing keeps staying in my mind, it doesn't go away.

大人は大人で山ほど物を積んだ中国製の安いポンコツ自転車ですれ違いざまニコニコっと親指立てて挨拶してくれる。
こんな生活をずっと続けていて、最近よく考える事がある。



Many people dominated the image of Africa as poor, unhappy, unfair etc.. all kind of negative perspectives.
However, since I have been cycling Africa for quite a while and communicated with many different families and people, I started feeling that the image of Africa I had might have been wrong.

Do they actually have decent happiness or peace as African?
What people do to Africa is just self satisfaction, isn't it??

In our measurement, of cause African's life is hard and sentimental. But actually this is Africa, what we as people from developed countries thought to be hard or sentimental is nothing special, really normal life for African.


「アフリカ人＝物が乏しくてかわいそう」というのが世界一般的な感覚。でも最近それが疑問に思えて仕方が無い。彼等は彼等である程度幸せな生活を送れているんじゃないの。そもそも「かわいそう」という感情は我々先進国にいる人間が自分の物差しを元に勝手に感じた感情で、彼等にとっては我々がかわいそうと勝手に思った生活は当たり前で普通なのではないか。



Now, there are many organization and individual have been helping African countries.
What I've seen for African was that help or supports by others became very common in Africa. It seemed people were expecting somebody's help. They don't try to do things by themselves.
For instance, now many schools and hospitals have been established, but the skill and motivation of teachers and nurse are very poor. They don't try to improve education or medical level of their counties because U.S. aid, JAICA, World Vision, whatever will support.


そをな事を思い始めたのはやはり民泊を何度もして彼等の生活を見て来た事が大きい。
勝手に「かわいそう」だと感じて勝手に支援を始め、勝手に彼等に物や金をを与えたりした結果、アフリカ人の多くが支援慣れしているように感じる。
学校が沢山できても先生が育たない、病院ができても看護婦が育たない。そんなのも良い例なのではないか。


Support is easy if you just send some money or things. Of cause as African, if someone gave them things for free, it's the best. However, just giving things will make people spoiled.
If someone really want to support, they should help to educate how they make money or things. Do things by themselves.

勝手に支援をしてくれて、アフリカ人は迷惑なのではないか。
アフリカ人にはアフリカ人のペースがある。タダで何かをもらえるのは誰でも嬉しい。でも支援の仕方によっては国や人をダメにする。本当に支援をするのであれば、物や金では無くて彼等に物や金を得る方法を教えて、彼等のペースで物事を進めさせるのが大事なのではないかと思えて仕方ない。


It's hard to explain in English but it was what I was thinking.
Cycling Africa gives me many ideas and things. I think it was right choice that I chose to come Africa.

久々に真面目な内容になってしまったけれど、アフリカを走っていると、考えさせられる事が本当に多い。ここにいるだけで彼等からたくさの事を学ぶ。この旅のゴールをアフリカにして良かったと最近良く思う。

5 days from Lilongwe, keep pedaling to the West. This is middle of rain season. The vegetation is so green.

リロングウェから5日間、ひたすら西に走る日々。雨季真っ盛りで辺りは緑一色です。





African Sky. Wow always
しかしアフリカの空は綺麗



I have been getting many flat since Zambia. I am not sure but guess its because of many broken glass on the road.

ザンビアに入ってからパンクが続発。ガラスの破片が多いからなのか。前輪はもう寿命かな




As soon as I crossed the border of Zambia, the price of things became triple up to 5 times as much as in Malawi.
Just a shitty guest house costs $10. Now, I am back to camping strategy as I had been doing before.

ザンビアに入ってから一気に物価がマラウイの3倍～5倍に跳ね上がった。クソ宿でも$10近くしたりするので、久々に民泊生活に戻っています。




I'm camping at a community or villages. It's tiring but fun. I'm always surrounded by kids.

正直民泊は疲れますが、やっぱり宿泊より楽しい。西アフリカでもこんな感じだったな～と思い出しながら子供達に毎日取り囲まれてます。



Zambian is also gentle as other black African countries. The differences as far as I've found are more cars and distance between villages are wider.
In Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi, I could find a place to eat easily at noon. However, Zambia is difficult.

ザンビアのアフリカ人も他の国と変わらず穏やかです。マラウイよりはおとなしいかな。ここに来て変わったのは、村と村の間がかなり開き始めたのと、車が案外走っている事。ケニアやタンザニア、マラウイではある程度走れば何かしら食べられる村を見つけられたのに対して、ザンビアは飯屋がある村が結構限られる。
小さな村を出るとしばらく森の中を走らないといけない。



I don't have much complain but the only thing I hate here is too many drunk people.
Almost all adult who tried to talk to me were drunk.
The one who drunk a bit is okay but I hate some for too drunk.

ザンビアで唯一気に入らないのが酔っ払いがかなり多い事。大抵の大人は昼間から酔っ払っていて話しかけられると必ずと言って良いくらい酒臭い。
ほろ酔いならまだ良い、絡んで来る奴とか支離滅裂の奴とか正直うっとうしい。


Now, I'm trying to get to the capital city of Zambia, Lusaka. From there, I have to decide to go south, Harare or go west, Livingstone.

今目指しているのはザンビアの首都ルサカ。ここから南にハラレを目指そうか、さらに西進してリビングストンを目指すか決める予定。