Nane Nane

Every year, on the eighth day of the eighth month, Tanzanians go to the fair.

Across the country, work stops in order to enjoy a national holiday which celebrates everything farm related. Known as Nane Nane (pronounced “nah neh”), the literal translation of the day is “eight eight”, as “nane” is the Swahili word for eight.  On this particular day (also known as National Farmer’s Day) the country celebrates and honours the nation’s farmers, with celebrations across the country, and every year, the town of Arusha where I live holds a huge agricultural fair to mark the occasion. This is a big deal; one of the biggest events in the year’s calendar, and it happened on Friday.

Agriculture employs over 80% of the workforce over here in Tanzania and thus farming is at the heart of most communities here; impacting tremendously on daily lives, as well as on the national economy.

On this particular day, farmers from across the land come together to set up stands and exhibitions celebrating and discussing farming concepts and development; to discover new tools, skill share, share crop successes and problems and meet with agricultural organisations from across East Africa.  It is also open to the general public who want to enjoy their holiday and come and share in the celebrations.

The festival is celebrated in seven major zones across the country, with large fairs creating a platform for farmers and other stakeholders to interact and communicate about their practices. The fair lasts eight days in total (from the 1^st to the 8^th August), with the Eighth day being the closing ceremony. So Friday was the big bonanza day, and a friend and I decided to head down and join in the fun.

Growing up on a farm, and spending summers touring the agricultural shows of southern England, I was interested to see what a Tanzanian Fair would have in store. Being a national holiday for the whole country, I’d suspected it would be busy, but wasn’t quite expecting the thousands upon thousands of people who were literally swarming into the festival grounds:

When we finally managed to get to the venue and nudge our way through the gates and into the grounds, it was a vast empire of excitement.

A chance for local businesses to come and sell their wares, the pathways were littered with artisans selling their crafts; from artisan fabrics and Maasai shukas

to vibrant stalls selling lots of plastic rubbish

it wasn’t just a place of farming, but of anything and everything! It admittedly took us a little bit of time to actually find anything agriculture-related (mainly because walking was a fairly hard task midst the thousands of bodies).

but when we eventually battled through the “shopping alley”, we found a whole heap of interesting stalls. People selling natural medicinal products made from fruits, flowers and seeds; people running radio stations for farmers;

people showcasing different growing methods for their foods;

people showcasing innovative irrigation methods:

there was even a John Deere tractor stand, a symbolic sight at all agricultural fairs it seems (my tractor-mad brother would be happy!)

One man, Wilson, was known as the Plant Doctor, running a free Plant Health clinic which farmers could come to and discuss their ailing crops and problem plants.

The atmosphere was jubilant; excited children enjoying a day off school; wise farmers discussing technologies and innovations; people enjoying the holidays and the beautiful crops on display:

My favourite little stall was definitely this one:

What a perfectly lovely idea! 

There was an abundance of vibrancy in the landscape as well. Having had a good amount of rain this year, crops around this area of the region are vibrant and healthy and this was really shown in the vitality of the produce across the showground. Although no livestock were on display, it was an interesting insight into the varied practices of agriculture across the region, and a wonderful chance for people to display their agrarian wealth.

Neighbourhoods across Arusha have spent the week sprucing up for the occasion. The road I walk down daily, Garden-Centre road as I’ve named it, has its plants looking spectacularly beautiful.

The whole street is set up as a living garden; with everything for sale but all on display at the sides of the road.This is not a rare street, it is something practiced across the region and, at this time of year, makes the whole area rich in natural beauty.

My own neighbourhood is also benefiting from healthy growth this year; the banana trees and coffee plants looking lush in this morning's sunshine:

All in all, a good week for Tanzania, for agriculture and for people. 

Not quite such a good week for traffic though, as the masses of people pouring into the city has meant dala-dala madness:

However, the merits of the beautiful flower-lined streets were appreciated on the long walk home, walking beating getting on a bus for a long ride to nowhere!

I came across an old song from my childhood a few weeks ago, Farmer Fisher. Those of you who know it will know of its insane brilliance (for those to whom this is a new find - click, listen and enjoy!)

Farmer Fisher Song

I feel this is an appropriate little ditty to end this week’s blog with; a song celebrating the exciting journey of a farmer off to the fair with his bounteous produce, and the tale of his failed journey to get to market because of the disastrous traffic.

Happy Nane Nane, everyone.