‘The decline of society sets in when people don’t greet anymore,’ said the friendly shopkeeper when I anonymously entered his packed place early that morning, looking for some bottles of fine Usambara honey to take with me on my way back to Dar es Salaam. ‘Welcome to my place my brother. My name is Juma. How are you and your family? And how can I help you?’
A wise lesson for a dull, ill-mannered Dutchman, from a humble but observant Tanzanian businessman. Citizen of a country where all kinds of people live peacefully together, regardless of all their day to day economic and social challenges.
That simple encounter with Juma changed my long, exhausting day of bumpy travelling into a heart warming event.
That’s ubuntu!
