Koti
kuva: L. Packalen

2009

Joulukuu - December - Desemba

Independence Day Celebration - Report

The traditional Tanzanian Independence Day celebration took place this year on the 5th of December at Rauhanasema in Pasila. The event was well attended by both young and old, Tanzanians and Finns, and the evening was danced away to the rhythms provided by Menard Mponda's ngoma dance group and Dj Eric Steppa.

The Independence Day celebration got started - after a slight delay allowing for the latecomers to pour in - around 6 pm with a welcoming speech by the chairman of the association, Mr. Humphrey Kalanje. The guest of honour, the Tanzanian ambassador to the Nordic and Baltic countries Ms. Victoria Mwakasege, was next in turn, and in her speech reiterated the importance of the close relationship between our countries and the need for all of us to volunteer our services whenever and wherever needed. Finally Ms. Sinikka Salokorpi gave an interesting presentation on the famous Tanzanian Tinga Tinga artist Jaffary, who had sadly passed away recently.

After this, glögi was served and the bar was opened, and very well frequented. With the help of our volunteer cooks, we were able to provide both rice and pilau, as well as chicken, sauce and chapati. The proceeds from the food sales served as a welcome infusion to our cooperation projects, including the Rehema school stipend.

After the food, Menard Mponda and his ngoma dance group began their music performance, and warmed up the old Eastern Pasilan night with their African rhythms. The stage was set for the dance party to start to the tunes provided by DJ Eric Steppa from African Dance Nights, and the dance floor was well-filled until closing time at midnight.

We want give a big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in making this event a success, and for contributing to keep the Tanzanian-Finnish community active and vibrant. Special thanks go to everyone who contributed their time and energy for the party: Sinikka Salokorpi for the presentation; Bertha Mashalla for providing the chapatis; Dennis, Hanna and Amwewa Londo for providing rice and pilau; Agnes Chillipweli and her sister, Lulu for the sambusas; Janet for helping sell the food; Menard Mponda and his group for the rhythms and dance; Eric Steppa for the music; and to everyone in the shopping-, bar- and kitchen teams!

Asanteni sana, kila la heri, merry christmas and a happy mwaka mpya!

 

48th Tanzania Independence Day - Invitation

The Suomi Tansania Seura has the pleasure of inviting you to the celebration of the 46th anniversary of Tanzania's independence on Saturday, 5th December 2009, at the Rauhanasema, Veturitori 3, East Pasila from 17:00 until 23:00. Families with young children are very welcome.

I am happy to inform you that the Tanzanian Ambassador to the Nordic and Baltic countries will join us on the 5th December to celebrate Tanzania's Independence day at the Rauhanasema from 17:00 hrs onwards. It is also now confirmed that Mr. Menard Mponda and his family will give a ngoma performance at the same event. One of our members, Marjaana Toiviainen, will also be collecting clothes and toys for the newly opened Refugee Reception Centre at Punavuori. Winter clothes are especially needed.

Food will be available at a nominal cost and later in the evening, a cash bar will be opened. There will also be presentations on "building in Tanzania and Tourism" as well as dance performance and singing together of Tanzanian and Finnish songs etc.

From 20:00 there will be an opportunity to dance to African music as well as music from other parts of the world. Please inform anyone else whom you think might be interested in this event. Everyone is welcome.

Karibuni sana.

Humphrey Kalanje, Chairman

 

Siku ya Uhuru

Ndugu wapendwa,

Napenda kuwataarifu kuwa wakati wa sherehe za kuadhimisha siku yetu ya uhuru tutakuwa tunakusanya nguo ( haswa makoti za wakati wa 'winter'), na michezo ya watoto kwa ajili ya kituo cha wakimbizi Punavuori. Ni matumaini yangu kuwa kama kawaida yetu tutaonyesha moyo wa ushirikiano kwa wale wenzetu ambao hawana chochote. Sherehe zitaanza saa 11 jioni hadi saa saa 5 usiku, kwenye ukumbi wa Rauhanasema, Pasila.

Karibuni sana!

Wasalaam. Humphrey, Mwenyekiti

 

Marraskuu - November - Novemba

Etnisoi!-festivaali, 4.-8.11.2009

Dear friends,

the last day of the Etnisoi festival focused on programs for children. There was a hip hop workshop for children held by Mambo Jambo and Dudu Baya which was pretty cool, and the Tanzanian dance group Sanaa Sana was performing African dances twice, which was very impressive. I was forced to dance with one of the girls on stage though, which was kind of fun except I'm possibly the worst African dancer on the planet. At the event there was also a workshop where children could make their own instruments, and in the main aula the Seura and Art in Tanzania had one stand each.

I arrived at around noon with all our stuff together with Marjaana Toiviainen, who spent a semester studying close to Arusha, and who is now getting involved in the Seura, which is very appreciated indeed. Marjaana also brought a haya ngoma that she had made herself, as well as some other instruments. I also brought some instruments from our store and the children got a chance to try the instruments out and cause general mayhem.

Marjaana and I put up the stand which of course was a sight for sore eyes as always, and Bahati Yegela joined before 1 pm to help out. The visitors started pouring in at around 1 pm and although there were fewer visitors than during previous years, people seemed to enjoy themselves. Board member Micky joined later in the afternoon and helped out at the stand. Unfortunately the members of the Seura were represented only by the families Kalanje and Mutafungwa, but the presence of these dignitaries made up for the absence of others.

We had merchandize for sale, but this was obviously not an event where people whopped out their wallets lightly. We sold only few material. Of course, being a postmodern man, I engaged in some networking and talked for some time with Kari from Art in Tanzania and with Miikka Mwamba, music producer. Miikka was also interested in the Seura and in trying to come up with more activities and events. We agreed to keep in touch through Facebook - again, very postmodern.

So, the event can be considered a success although our sales were modest: we had a good time, increased our visibility, caught Marjaana and stung her with the Suomi-Tansania fly, forced Bahati to provide cheap labor (his salary was one cheeseburger, paid for by the secretary) and made some new contacts.

That's all, I guess, kila la heri na tutaonana!

Sebastian Gahnström, secretary

 

Taarifa 2 / 2009

 

Maaliskuu - March - Mwezi wa tatu

 

Uusi sähköpostiosoite - new email address !

               suomitansaniaseura(at)gmail.com

 

 

Taarifa 1 / 2009

Annual General Meeting

Dear fellow members,

We are happy to inform you that the Suomi Tansania Seura Annual General Meeting will take place on 20th March, 2009 at the Aurinko meeting room at Kepa offices from 18 to 20:00 hrs. It is our hope that as many members as possible attend the meeting in order to make sure that we have the best team possible to lead us into the coming year. If you cannot attend but would like to be considered for membership of the board in any capacity or as a volunteer for any future events, do please send an e-mail at humphkalanje(at)yahoo.co.uk

Your participation is of utmost importance. We would also very much appreciate receiving many new ideas for activities from our members.

Karibuni sana!

 

Helmikuu - February - Mwezi wa pili

 

AFRICA/NOW Contemporary Art from Africa - last day February 15 !

AFRICA/NOW offers a fresh and fascinating perspective on present-day African art.

The exhibition includes works by over 35 artists from ten countries of sub-Saharan Africa. AFRICA/NOW shakes loose the preconceptions about traditional, handicraft-like African art by presenting the diversity, subtlety and expressiveness of the continent´s contemporary art.

The artists of the exhibition are self-taught and educated, young and old, known and unknown. The styles of their work vary from demotic to documentary and from modernistic to social and political. Contemporary African artists demonstrate that Africa is much more than poverty, AIDS, famine, corruption and maladministration.

Tampere Art Museum (http://www.tampere.fi/english/artmuseum/)

 

Jäsenmaksu - membership fee

Members, please, will you pay your membership fee to our Bank account 800018-492663. We shall send you a recognition of the payment if you include your e-mail address. Thank you!

Pyydämme jäseniä maksamaan jäsenmaksunsa mahdollisimman pian tilillemme 800018-492663. Pyrimme lähettämään vastaanottoilmoituksen kun panet mukaan sähköpostiosoitteesi. Kiitos!

 

Kirje Rehemasta - letter from Rehema

"Dear my donor,

Praise the Lord and Glory to God. Many greetings I return to you. And many thanks I return to our God for all goods which we have seen in our life and for all goods he continues to give us. So we praise to him. The aim of this letter is for greetings and many thanks for you for your donor which occurred to me..." (original letter) (suomeksi)

 

Masai project

Our society is looking for volunteers working together with our board members Sirkka Peltola and Tuovi Tolonen on a new project idea concerning a group of Masai in Tanzania. It is difficult to make any way forward as our main problem here is lack of human resources in the society to volunteer for the project. In case you are interested in this project work or would like to know more details, please contact us by email or phone (see yhteistiedot-link).

Welcome

 

Rehema fund

Jäsenet, lukekaa www-sivuiltamme (linkki Rehema) informaatio AIDs-orvosta Rehema Charles, Tansaniassa, jota seuramme avustaa koulumaksuissa. Tämän vuoden vajaus on vielä 350 euroa.

Kiitos

Members, will you take part of the financing Rehema Charles from Tanzania in her schooling by contributing to the Rehema fund? We still need about 350 euros this year. For more information please click on our "Rehema" link.

Thank you

                    HONGERA MWAKA MPYA !