Banana Beer, Anyone?
Wonderful Things
Banana beer, a local tradition in northern Tanzania, has become a popular tourist attraction along with the national parks and safaris in the country. This is a local brew which is partly preserved to keep the hordes of curious visitors coming to get a taste of life in an African village. The villagers go about their life as usual and easily accommodate the tourists in their midst. These villagers retain their dignity for they do not beg for money nor pester the tourists to buy trinkets off them. And tourists are finding the insight into life in an African village more and more fascinating and valuable.
The villagers and tourists alike have changed each other’s world views. The tourists eat flatbread, stay in shacks, cycle around the village, and understand the harshness of life in Africa while enjoying the warmth and simple joy extended by the villagers. The visitors, on the other hand, bring new technology and modern perspectives to the villages besides boosting their economies. More importantly, this cultural tourism programme brings people of different cultures together and strengthens international understanding at the individual and community level.