The biggest tribe

I took a bus today to the Sukuma museum - a visit well worth it. The Sukuma is the largest tribe in Tanzania. Komanya is a Sukuma as well, and he mentioned the museum in addition to LP (Lonely Planet). The guide went through a lot of explanations and he answered all my questions very well. Even though no official function is associated with it, some clans still have a king.
The picture shows some tools and stuff that the blacksmiths used to make, ahem, other tools. You can see the blowy thing (whatever that is called in English) to get the fire going, which was started with the device in the lower part of the picture. The long and thin dish on the left is for hand washing. In the other one food was served. The rocks in the center served as hammer to shape the tools.

Afterwards went to a restaurant per the guide's recommendation and met Jangu Jangu. That's right, first name equals last name. The food was delicious (fish, of course. With ugali and beans). Of course I again got weird looks for not eating the eyeballs and the rest of the fish head. "It has a lot of nutrients," they tried to tempt me. Sorry, sir - can't do...

I can now articulate myself in Swahili enough that the basics like transport, food and lodging I can handle (as long as they keep the answers simple...). Of course, most people still prefer to talk to me in English and when I continue some weird stuff can come out, like today:

Me: "Kuna Maji Kilimanjaro?" (Do you have water of the Kili brand?)
Dude: "Water?"
Me: "Ndiyo." (Yes)
Dude: Vanishes and comes back with Dassani water. "Seven Hundred."
Me: "Hakuna Maji Kilimanjaro?"
Dude doesn't understand.
Me: "Dassani tu?" (You have only Dassani water?)
Dude: "Ah, two Dassani?"
Me: "Hapana. Hakuna maji Kilimanjaro?" (No. You don't have Kili water?)
Dude: "No."

Grr, so I bought the Dassani water. The other confusion arose when the conductor let me out one stop earlier and apparently told the bike rikscha guys I was gonna get a ride with them. But after I asked how to get to the turn off and it became apparent I was going to walk, he led me back in the bus, under the somewhat angry shouting of the bike dudes. One more stop. I then walked from the turnoff to the museum (about 2km). It's the only exercise I am getting right now, so I can't let that interfere with the need of clients from some biker. Sorry.

This pic shows the altar in the Sukuma church, still decorated for christmas.
I'll not join the New Year's parties today. Frankly, the music here is way to loud for my taste at weddings and other events.

One of the things that is still the same here are the taxi drivers. It's very frustrating with them. When there are ten taxis parked and you passed nine of them and said "Hapana" then the tenth will still say "Teksi?"

I often ignore them completely, sometimes say "Hapana" and when I am in the mood I am doing silly stuff like I did with telemarketers in US. Just random nonsense. "Oh, nice taxi. But yours isn't shiny and white like the others!" (Guy storms to the front and points to his white license plate while mumbling something..." Or I may point to my legs and say "I am not that old yet", which has them smile. Still, I wished they wouldn't underestimate of my ability to read the taxi sign on their cars...