I Dream of Travel… and Africa
Yesterday, our 1000 Places To See Before You Die Page-A-Day Calendar featured a photo of a beautiful woman from the Suri Tribe in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley. It was a striking image that affected me for several reasons, but it was mainly my unfulfilled desire to explore the world.
But right now, I can’t.
Certainly, travel is a privilege and that in this time of COVID-19, the thought of getting on a plane is just a distant memory. But I can’t help myself from dreaming…
I long for the days when it will once again be possible to get on a plane and escape to another country. I miss that chance to challenge what I know because of where I go. There is so much to see on this beautiful planet, a place of unimaginable diversity and learning. For those lucky enough to be able to travel, it presents opportunities to discover different cultures and encounter unique people, embracing cultures that may seem alien to one’s own.
And as a child of Africa, I dream of being back among her people. To see their smiles, hear their laughter, and observe lively banter among friends and family.
When I Next Cross the Atlantic…
Ethiopia is one African country I dream of visiting. From the mysterious churches of Lalibela to the ancient city of Gonder, there is a rich history to appreciate within her borders. Natural beauty abounds, from Lake Turkana to the Simien Mountains that hide elusive creatures like the Walia ibex and gelada (otherwise known as the ‘bleeding heart baboon’).
But it’s her people I really long to see. In the face of tremendous economic development, the traditional ways of life practiced by different Tribes in Ethiopia have been maintained. The Suri are some of these people.
Gazing upon the photograph in my calendar, I see a person whose culture is under threat. Undoubtedly, her experience of life is different from mine and my appearance is quite a strange sight to her. She has a number of traditions that I don’t understand, but would love to appreciate.
My ‘Future Fear’
Behind the floral patterns delicately drawn with clay paints is also a face, serious and fearful. I see a woman whose way of life is being infiltrated by ‘modern life’ and by foreigners, like me. As much as her culture and traditions of decorative lip plates and scarification are under threat, I too am fearful.
What sort of future does Africa face? While Western countries struggle to come to terms with the thread of the coronavirus, what lies ahead for a continent that has been under appreciated and over-exploited? Healthcare systems are buckling under the pressure of the global pandemic and I worry about many African nations’ capacity to respond to the crisis.
Are we approaching an anti-travel world where “stay home” and protectionism will result in closed borders? Will our fear of the unfamiliar — and difference in general — lead to keep us from cross-cultural engagement? Are we going to become so concerned with the potential of infection that we resist the urge to engage with strangers?
I hope not.
In the meantime, I will keep dreaming of travel and Africa, praying that the travel industry will, one day, return to ‘normal’.
Originally published in MrCole.net.
