African merchants big on Obama memorabilia
By Simona Siad, For Canwest News Service
By Simona Siad, For Canwest News Service
Published May 9, 2009
Joyce Wong for Canwest News ServiceVendors
all over East Africa are selling wares embellished
with Obama's face or name.
It was around lunchtime as I wandered aimlessly down the white sandy beaches of Paje -- a stunning stretch of coastline located on the eastern side of the tropical East African island of Zanzibar.
The serene silence was broken suddenly by the sound of a young voice calling out to me from across the beach.
"Miss! Come eat at our restaurant. We have barbecue chicken, fish and shrimp."
Not exactly in the mood to deal with a persistent beach boy, I continued walking. He offered one last attempt to catch my attention.
"We have Obama fries!"
He had me. I stopped walking and looked back at the entrepreneurial salesman, who looks to be around 17 with twinkling eyes.
"You should try them," he laughed. "They are world famous."
From magazines covers to television shows to bestselling books it has been no secret that the best way to sell anything in the past four months is to attach U.S. President Barack Obama's name to it or silkscreen his face on it.
Nowhere is this more prevalent than in sub-Saharan Africa, where despite hard economic times and lagging tourism numbers, such countries as Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi are exploding with Obama paraphernalia, tours and presidential tourism gimmicks.
I had the opportunity to witness this phenomenon first-hand. After finishing a human rights media trainer
contract in Malawi, I travelled for three weeks through Tanzania, Kenya and Malawi in January following the presidential inauguration. The first change was quite apparent.
As any Canadian who has visited Africa can attest, children will often chase you as they shout and laugh: "Muzungu, Muzungu, Muzungu!"
Muzungu is an endearing or hostile (depending on the person) word meaning "white person" in many Bantu languages of east, central and southern Africa.
It is commonly used to describe any "foreigner" of any racial background who is not from indigenous African descent.
But this time was different as I walked through the crowded streets of Kariakoo, an area near downtown Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania.
Children, assuming I was American, chased me and gleefully shouted: "Obama, Obama, Obama!"
Continuing upward toward northern Tanzania and Kenya, I was shocked at the smiles, handshakes and instant camaraderie that ensued with native Tanzanians and Kenyans the moment I said the magic word: Obama.
One newspaper seller's face lit up when we began discussing the famous politician on the front page of the Kenyan daily newspaper he was selling. "Oh, today is a great day for Kenya," he said excitedly. "Do you want to take a picture of me?"
Another time I was standing in line at a food counter in the Nairobi airport behind a group of Kenyan businessmen, when one loudly announced he wanted to order the "Obama."
His quip broke the silence and had the whole line laughing as the women served the man the brown bottle of Senator Keg beer, known in Kenya as the "Obama."
Then there were the plethora of Obama souvenirs.
The most popular was the Obama kanga -- a colourful garment worn by women and occasionally by men throughout eastern Africa.
Coming in a variety of colours, the Obama kanga depicts a silkscreened picture of the president, a map of Africa and text in Swahili that translates to say: "Congratulations Barack Obama" and "Love and Peace have been given to us by God."
"Come on, buy one," urged one shop owner in Stonetown, Zanzibar.
"I will even give you the local price, not the Muzungu price," he assured me.
In Arusha, northern Tanzania, I discussed politics with a Maasai tribesman who was trying to sell me a beautifully beaded Obama bracelet - at the price of a five-night hotel stay. When I tried to barter for it, he said "Sorry, I wish I could, this is a big seller for me ... but you should add me on Facebook!"
During my three weeks of travelling, I noticed something exciting, something that seemed to be spreading.
If that's not change, I'm not sure what is.
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
The serene silence was broken suddenly by the sound of a young voice calling out to me from across the beach.
"Miss! Come eat at our restaurant. We have barbecue chicken, fish and shrimp."
Not exactly in the mood to deal with a persistent beach boy, I continued walking. He offered one last attempt to catch my attention.
"We have Obama fries!"
He had me. I stopped walking and looked back at the entrepreneurial salesman, who looks to be around 17 with twinkling eyes.
"You should try them," he laughed. "They are world famous."
From magazines covers to television shows to bestselling books it has been no secret that the best way to sell anything in the past four months is to attach U.S. President Barack Obama's name to it or silkscreen his face on it.
Nowhere is this more prevalent than in sub-Saharan Africa, where despite hard economic times and lagging tourism numbers, such countries as Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi are exploding with Obama paraphernalia, tours and presidential tourism gimmicks.
I had the opportunity to witness this phenomenon first-hand. After finishing a human rights media trainer
contract in Malawi, I travelled for three weeks through Tanzania, Kenya and Malawi in January following the presidential inauguration. The first change was quite apparent.
As any Canadian who has visited Africa can attest, children will often chase you as they shout and laugh: "Muzungu, Muzungu, Muzungu!"
Muzungu is an endearing or hostile (depending on the person) word meaning "white person" in many Bantu languages of east, central and southern Africa.
It is commonly used to describe any "foreigner" of any racial background who is not from indigenous African descent.
But this time was different as I walked through the crowded streets of Kariakoo, an area near downtown Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania.
Children, assuming I was American, chased me and gleefully shouted: "Obama, Obama, Obama!"
Continuing upward toward northern Tanzania and Kenya, I was shocked at the smiles, handshakes and instant camaraderie that ensued with native Tanzanians and Kenyans the moment I said the magic word: Obama.
One newspaper seller's face lit up when we began discussing the famous politician on the front page of the Kenyan daily newspaper he was selling. "Oh, today is a great day for Kenya," he said excitedly. "Do you want to take a picture of me?"
Another time I was standing in line at a food counter in the Nairobi airport behind a group of Kenyan businessmen, when one loudly announced he wanted to order the "Obama."
His quip broke the silence and had the whole line laughing as the women served the man the brown bottle of Senator Keg beer, known in Kenya as the "Obama."
Then there were the plethora of Obama souvenirs.
The most popular was the Obama kanga -- a colourful garment worn by women and occasionally by men throughout eastern Africa.
Coming in a variety of colours, the Obama kanga depicts a silkscreened picture of the president, a map of Africa and text in Swahili that translates to say: "Congratulations Barack Obama" and "Love and Peace have been given to us by God."
"Come on, buy one," urged one shop owner in Stonetown, Zanzibar.
"I will even give you the local price, not the Muzungu price," he assured me.
In Arusha, northern Tanzania, I discussed politics with a Maasai tribesman who was trying to sell me a beautifully beaded Obama bracelet - at the price of a five-night hotel stay. When I tried to barter for it, he said "Sorry, I wish I could, this is a big seller for me ... but you should add me on Facebook!"
During my three weeks of travelling, I noticed something exciting, something that seemed to be spreading.
If that's not change, I'm not sure what is.
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
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