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Yesterday, it was the 36th anniversary
to commemorate the establishment of Mozambican army, so there
was a military parade (though actually too small to be called that) here
in Tete as well. A makeshift stage was set up at an intersection in
downtown, and it was a merry festival day with music and public
speech going on all day long.
After the three-day weekend, a regular
workday was about to resume this morning. I stopped by at the
bank near my office to settle study team's expenses as the first
thing of my day's agendas. There were many people at the bank,
naturally after the long break, waiting in lines for their
transactions. I joined in one of the lines and it was then I noticed
something different: it was the quietness that could only be described as
"utter silence".
It has already been two weeks since I
arrived here for my assignment, and come to think of it, people in Mozambique talk very quietly and
politely as I have realized. I first
thought that was their humbleness mixed with curiosity toward us
foreigners, but it doesn't seem to be the case. Even at the
street market near my office, their business is bustling but people
don't yell or talk loud at each other.
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If you expect the
resonating clamor so prevalent in Asian markets to be present in
markets in this country, you are apt to get a very different impression.
There is the kind of quietness that may be appropriately described as
"gentle."
Hearing them talk, you'd certainly become prone to develop the stereotypical
view of Mozambicans = Portuguese = Brazil = samba = festivity, African rhythm,
cheerfulness, etc. However, the reality appears to be slightly
different. Of
course, "festivity, African
rhythm, cheerfulness, etc." in the last term of the above equality are all there. Yet, they all
talk quietly. Silence is observed in banks. This is a big
discovery to me, and at the same time, it is one of those things that keep
me interested in the people of this country.
(Trans.:
TS)
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