Tópico: Diário de um guerreiro Masai em Londres

[Dr. Manhattan]

Hoje vi esses trechos do diário de um Masai da Tanzânia, que foi correr Maratona de Londres:

The marathon is easy. There are no lions


Six Maasai warriors will run the London Marathon tomorrow to raise money for a well in their village. Isaya, 24, is their chief. This is a diary of his week in London, the first time he has left Tanzania

Fay Schlesinger
Saturday April 12, 2008
The Guardian

Friday April 4: arrival in London

The plane was so big and frightening, and I closed my eyes. My family didn't want me to come to England because they never saw a plane before.

Our elders told us we can do the marathon because we have been running all over, killing a lion and herding cattle. I sometimes run for two or three days with my cattle, and I have to protect them from lions. We can help the village by raising money to drill for clean water, so all of us have trained hard.
 Heathrow was very busy and it was difficult to walk on the floor because some of it moved. You're walking along and the next moment it's whooosh! It's difficult to get on and off but very good when you're on.

Saturday April 5: a day out in Kent visiting a farm, training

I miss meat and blood very much. Not vegetables because they are food for a woman. There is milk here but blood is better because it gives energy. English tea with sugar is good and we tried Coco Pops, but the nicest food is croissants.

I wanted to see your cows because they are very important to us. But these were small. The horses were like a big zebra with strange metal feet.

The weather here is strange. From a window it looks warm but outside it's very cold. It is better when we're running or in the shower. We heard about showers before, in a briefing about the country. It said be careful - when the shower is hot it is really hot, and when cold, really cold. This is true.

Sunday April 6: interviews with local press, tour of Cooling, Kent

Everybody in England is friendly and smiley. This is common in Maasai culture - the one difference is they are white. And here people depend on money, back home we don't buy food. People are very interested in us, always asking why we are here.

Monday April 7: national and international press in Trafalgar Square

All journalists ask the same questions. They ask why you have the strange shoes and shields, about blood, about lions. In Trafalgar Square, they asked: "What do you think about the bronze lion over there?" But what can I say? It's not a real lion. I don't mind because we are interesting to them but I am not here to be a show, an exhibition.

Tuesday April 8: changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, visit to the Houses of Parliament

Everyone took photos of us, not the soldiers and horses. We are looking at one culture, and everyone is looking at us.

The Houses of Parliament are the best buildings in London. They use very strong materials. We hoped to see the Queen in London very much, but she is never there.

Wednesday April 9: dance at the opening of the London Marathon show, visit the Barclays tower

We will dance and sing when we run the marathon. We won't drink water, we eat and then go. Maybe we'll do the marathon in four hours, not very fast. I do not think it will be difficult for us - our shoes are made of car tyres and they are very comfortable. We have trained three days a week and we run for about 13 miles. My younger brother, Nguvu, has a very good speed and I run after him.

Thursday April 10: London Eye, carousel, horse riding in Surrey

The horses that go around were amazing and we couldn't believe how fast. We rode a real horse for the first time too. It is amazing that people can talk to them, tell them where to go and they do it.

Friday April 11: Tower of London

I prefer my home in Tanzania to here. It's a more natural life without all these buildings. This is more western, we can live in the west but I miss the village.

Saturday April 12: rest in Kent

I am excited to get the marathon done and get clean water to save lives. We have a dam that we share with wild animals so every morning the children go to get water, it's dangerous for them. Some have lost their lives. Next week we will drill and get clean water for the top life. Then I would like to study community development in America so I can be a great chief to my people.

EDIT: fonte: http://sport.guardian.co.uk/athletics/story/0,,2273114,00.html

[Rodion]

I miss meat and blood very much. Not vegetables because they are food for a woman.

hahahah

Everyone took photos of us, not the soldiers and horses. We are looking at one culture, and everyone is looking at us.

masais são tipo índios. o diário me pareceu esquisito porque um índio não faria uma observação assim, a começar pelo fato de que não deve entender o conceito de cultura. ainda, muito witty pra um masai. tipo "diário de uma holandesa sobre o brasil". mas vai ver é só picuinha minha.