Dancing our way around West Cumbria ...

We had a great time this morning at Maryport Cosc centre, where we started by singing and dancing traditional Tanzanian songs to the amusement of the members. This was followed by a question and answer session, then on to more singing and dancing which everybody seemed to enjoy. The centre had provided us with a lovely lunch before we left to continue our day at Mayfield School.

At Mayfield School, we were split into small groups and each group attended part of a lesson; my group took part in a PE lesson where we played ball games with the students. After these lessons, we all met in the hall where once again we took part in some traditional Tanzanian (and not so traditional) songs and dancing, with some of the Mayfield pupils joining us.

Later in the afternoon, we visited Copeland’s MP Mr Jamie Reed, where we chatted about many things, from life in Tanzania to the ambitions of Mr Reed to travel to Tanzania. The day was filled with fun and laughter for all.

Shannon Mossop

Making smoothies with bikes ??

On Thursday we spent the morning at the cleator moor disabled centre. The tanzanians showed them various traditional songs, and the people who attending the centre showing us the various songs they have been practising. many questions were asked, many songs planned and everybody had a great time. We then spent the afternoon at the northside community centre, where we all had the chance to make bike smoothies, play video games and see the great work the centre does!

 

Mark Nolan

 

Chottas Blog

The happiest day we were singing, dancing and got lunch with disabled at 
cosn centre  I enjoyed.

They asked question and we do. The way government 

manage to help that type of people to be like others is lesson to us. We have a school like Katumba II in Rungwe for the disabled few student that means we can plan more but we made them enjoy because being an able no one who know and they are human as we are!!. Also cycled to soften the different juice at the community centre.

 

 

 

The centre explain us to grow at list vegetable for home consumption in our small garden so as to eat fresh food. We ended by the joint committee(CRCL and RCCL) meeting at Becca's house, was my first time to meet chair person of CRCL. We agreed many things with different type of food.But every thing in Uk is good peolpe are kind i'm with my host eating every thing I want that's Andy and all Peter's family. Is me Chotta E.

Music and Culture day at COSC!

Today we visited the Copeland Occupational and Social Centre for a music and culture day. We met at St. Benedict’s before heading to COSC in the minibus (which was badly driven by Mary ;-)). When we arrived at COSC we were all given a traditional Tanzanian shirt or scarf.  It was a fantastic opportunity for us all to share our cultures with one another. It was especially exciting for me as I only became involved in the link on Thursday; everyone was so welcoming and made me feel a part of the group.

Ivan led the group in singing the national Tanzanian song “Tanzania Tanzania”, we also listened to the Tanzanian national anthem “Mungu Ibariki” which was great! We thought it was only fair to share our national anthem with the group too. Other songs which we sang and danced to include: “Maria”, “Inganganbwite”, “Natambea”, “Timoti Sosi” and “Tumogele”. During “Tumogele” Mr. Chotta and I pretended to get married while the Tanzumbrians sang the wedding song to us.

It was a fantastic opportunity to us to experience the Tanzanian culture however it was also a great pleasure for the Silver Liners to be able to share many songs from their repertoire with us, such as ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’, ‘You’ll never walk alone’, ‘La Bamba’ and ‘Twist Again’.  COSC provided a lovely buffet for us all, which I’m sure everyone will agree, went down a treat!

Everyone had a wonderful time… a day to remember.

Jodie Mingins

Aizeck and Matthew share blog writing

"I liked the music we performed today, and how we met with primary pupils from
different schools. I really liked the music for the new rigged ship dance that
the musicians played for us while we danced and of the Macarana and Cha Cha
Slide which were English Dances.

This evening we visited Bibi Matthew and got
some new shoes and a football and came home and went up to the local school
field with the dogs before finally playing football with Matthew, Alex, Jude and
Baba Matthew"- Aizeck

"It was a fantastic day, going to west lakes academy with as 'Tanzumbrians'
where we together shared music/dance from both Rungwe and Cumbria. I enjoyed
spending time with my Tanzanian Friends and getting to know each of them
further. I especially enjoyed singing and dancing to the Tanzanian Dances  and
songs such as 'Timoti Sosi' and 'Maria.' Performing these together was very
pleasing because we were able to perform as one. I look forward to the
forthcoming days on the programme"- Matthew

Singing, dancing and ice cream.

The fast few days have been very fun. Meresiana has been glued to YouTube showing the family the songs she listens to back at home, and showing us her brilliant dancing for hours on end, the family get tired just watching! Meresiana has me hooked on a singer called Diamond.

We have been looking at some pictures from last year’s outward visit, and also some pictures and videos from the previous days we have been spending together. Meresiana has taken to the dog and has been getting him involved in her dances, but he isn’t too good, so we’ve stuck to taking him on little walks so she can see more of the place I live in.

We have both enjoyed seeing how different most aspects are in the two countries, watching music on the TV then seeing some Tanzanian music on YouTube has been really nice for us both.

We took a trip down to Whitehaven Harbour with Rooney and had a look at the mining history there, we all also enjoyed a nice Hartley’s ice cream. It was lovely being able to take them around the harbour, explaining about the Irish Sea and going into Tesco, where the freezer aisles weren’t appreciated.

It been really nice spending this time together…and I’ve almost got the hang of counting!

Meresiana and Kira.

Dance Workshop - WLA

Today we were at West Lakes Academy for the second time. We all met up in the main entrance at 8:30 and everyone was happy to see each other. We went through to the theatre to begin our music culture exchange. We started with traditional Tanzania songs learning the tunes and dances and then attempting to sing along. We also learnt the meanings and stories behind the songs and translated and sang some in English too.

We were also shown the type of dancing that is popular in Tanzania at the moment and tried (badly) to have a go as well but it was hard. Then it was our turn to show them some of our dances like the Macarena and Cha Cha slide and also a more traditional song which we had musicians from the group playing.

We learnt some more Tanzanian songs one of which had a fake wedding in. The Tanzanian’s also taught us a complicated dance that took us a while to grasp.

We spent lunch chatting and the girls showed us how to do a dance/game with our feet. We then put on kangas to perform what we had learnt as a group of Tanzumbrians for some primary schools. We got some of them involved and they asked questions and some of the Tanzanian’s did some gymnastics with past Cumbrian’s showing something they had learned in Tanzania. After a fun day of dancing we were very tired and ready to go home but had great fun and got to know each other even better.

Alice Rae

Mama Mahembe's Blog

At the end of the working day i.e. Tuesday evening my hostess Madame Rebecca Lewis invited me out to meet her family in Beckermet Village.  It was the crowning event of the day. I had the pleasure of sharing some three hours in the company of  Dr and Mrs Lewis i.e. Baba Rebecca and Mama Rebecca.

It was a very warm and friendly evening. It was my wish to meet Rebecca’s family as I have known Rebecca the last two times she has visitied Tanzania, in the last including 2012, so today my wish was fulfilled as we drove into a beautiful maisonette in Beckermet where Rebecca’s family live. Alongside the parents was Joshua, the last born of The Lewis’. There were also other close family friends visiting; Owain and Kim, members of the family. Only Tom and Hannah was missing.

The home was lively, loving and every minute was precious. I was so excited to see the beautiful surroundings in which Rebecca spent her early childhood.

There was so much to see in that home. The house, the charming children, the active mom and doctor himself, the wonderful garden. All was so fabulous and on top of it all a great dinner – it looked like Christmas without snow!!

I asked Mama Rebecca to give me the recipe of the great meal she prepared for us, she even offered me some of the ingredients to go and try in Tanzania!

I admire such a loving family; these days such families are rarely seen.

Prepared by Joan Mahembe.

Science experiments

Today we went to West Lakes and spent some of the afternoon in the lab, doing 
experiments. It was really good and everyone seemed to have fun. We used an 
exercise bike to generate electricity to play music as well as setting bubbles 
on fire in our hands. These were the favourite activities but there were more
(also exciting) experiments. 

Tia Pullin

                                                                          Too cool!

Culture Swap at its best

Today we went to West Lakes Academy Secondary School. Firstly we had a geography lesson where we learnt about tourism in Tanzania. The students really enjoyed using google earth as they could interactively view the whole world.

 

We then had a P.E lesson which started with climbing. We had a little competition to climb across the walls Aiseck managed to get the whole way across! The Tanzanians then played football. Rooney was very good at football and his team won the match.

 

At break we had a little wander down Egremont Main Street to see what a town looks like. After we sat in a sixth form maths lesson to see how this was different to a lesson in Tanzania. We then went to the library and played on the computers.

 

We watched the school performance of rock challenge which was very interesting. We then had lunch ready for the science lesson.

 

The Students found the school very large and impressive and they also found it interesting comparing the school to the old one (Wyndham). Lilian really liked the uniform as it was very smart.

We are both looking forward to dancing and singing tomorrow!
Usiku mwema (Good night)
Sylvia & Lilian

THE DAY I COULD’NT WAIT TO TELL!

It was on 24^th june 2013, in Hensingham- Whitehaven.  Rebecca the English lady came to pick  up me for the  music in town, when i entered the hall, i was real excited to meet all people there.

 It was different from what i expected to see, as my pre-experiences  in mind guided, it was all way wonderful to see the English people  not regarding to their ages,sex and social disparities, meet together joyfully to practise music.

I couldn’t wait--- to stand for so as to share that moment!. 

I decided to join them in learning new songs, there after they gave me the chance to sing,  in front them on  stage,  we all ignored that the language differences  not to be an obstacles, rather  I  asked the  better if we could to  sing in  kiswahili songs  from Tanzania, everyone did well  and amazingly, it pleased me and made my nerves  real excited and my heart pumped blood in regular rhythmical that i could  hear all way back to my hostess Amy!.

I shall keep remember the  Rock choir, they are my friends in music.

Lots of love!

Ivan Raphael Bukuku.

R.C.C.L- SECRETARY.

A team is more than a collection of people. It is a process of give and take. The first step in creating Tanzumbrians

Today we did some team building exercises. We went to a field by the centre and did lots of them, one we had to copy what someone did (some of the actions made me laugh). Some of my favourites were the one where we had to get everyone through a hoop without letting go of each others hands, and the one where we had to get items from outside a circle without leaving the circle.

Another time we were placed in 2 teams and had to get from 1 crate to the another, which was placed further away using 5-7 small planks of wood, my team got across in just 1 minute 24 seconds (we were fastest WOO).

After the many team building exercises we played tug of war that was great to watch, everyone was so enthusiastic. The Tanzanian boys played football while the girls taught us a dance they do, in return we showed them The Macarena.

When we got home me and Gama watched TV after I showed him round my house. We had a meal my mother calls "Chicken Surprise" and we just chilled. I showed Gama some of the CRCL Facebook pictures. I loved every minute of the whole day!

Nadine Jones