A few weeks ago I went out for drinks with my Tanzanian friend who I have never met but talked to her a lot online. When we met, she had other friends with her and introductions were made. Throughout our conversations, there was an accent that I recognized as South African but I wasn’t sure because I thought his name didn’t sound South African.
Nearer to our destination, the car switched off so we opened the car bonnet to check what was wrong. This other friend took out what looked like Zambuk to fasten the car battery as it had loosened because of the rough road. So naturally I asked if that was Zambuk just to make sure and he confirmed that it was and my suspicion that he was from South Africa was confirmed. I also pulled out my Zambuk; we re-introduced ourselves to each other; this time catching each other’s names.
There aren’t a lot of South African products in Tanzania and Zanzibar and if you see someone with products like Zambuk and Vicks then they are most likely South African. Naturally a friendship developed between us as we keep on comparing notes on the things that’s we have experienced.
One of those things is that once you tell people that you are South African, they expect you to know how to dance to Amapiano. Whoooshem! I must apologize to the South Africans who can dance. I have brought down the class average. Every time an Amapiano song is on; the others look at us expecting to see us recreate some of their favorite music videos and Tik Tok videos. The expectations are always funny. I can follow the rhythm of the music but my feet cannot do the necessary leg work in order to qualify as an Amapiano dance star.
At a music event that we were on, we kept having to explain to everyone that we were some of the few South Africans that could not dance the way that they expected. It was a fun event and I really love how Amapiano is making waves even outside the South African borders. After that event I might or might not have taken a resolution to learn how to dance.
Afrikan Princess 