Tanzania trip offered Somersfield’s Asha Caisey an opportunity to learn about Africa and the African diaspora's history

Lest we forget: visiting a moving tribute to the enslaved across the centuries at the site of the former Zanzibar slave market was one of the significant events of Asha Caisey's participation in the recent ADHT youth summit.

December 17, 2009 — What are your roots? Who were your ancestors and what were their first traditions?

Unfortunately, many people cannot answer any of those questions. Over the ages, many people have lost sight of their heritage.

However, on October 25th 2009, Asha Caisey from Somersfield Academy and Tori Smith of The Berkeley Institute, travelled to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to learn about one part of their heritage, when they participated in the African Diaspora Heritage Trail Youth Summit.

Asha and Tori travelled to Tanzania as part of the African Diaspora Heritage Trail (ADHT) Conference's International Youth Leadership Summit from October 25th to the 30th.

According to Tori, the purpose of the ADHT youth summit was to "educate us about our past, and let us know how far we've come".

Tanzania's Minister of Culture gave a welcoming reception, where the girls got to know the other students who were at the youth summit and even met the Premier of Tanzania.

Asha found it particularly interesting when Tanzania's Minister of Culture sang and danced after she gave her speech.

Asha said that she found it to be totally different from what most people would do after giving a speech, but she admired the way that the Minister of Culture did not seem to worry about what other people thought about the way she danced or sang.

"I think one thing we can learn from them is to be more confident," Asha said. "I think that Bermuda is too worried about what other countries think of us, and that, while a lot of people in Tanzania have hardly anything, they're still happy."

Tori noted how the culture and look of Tanzania reminded her so much of being in St. Lucia.

Although she is Bermudian, Tori also has St. Lucian lineage, and much of the flavouring of the food, the style of music and culture of Tanzania remind her of her countless visits to the island.

Tori was also moved because she was able to see where slaves had been.

She also expressed how interesting it was to learn about segregation in America, and about how stereotypical most people's impression is of Africa.

Asha expressed how much she enjoyed "the cultural experience of meeting other people of African descent".

When asked about some of the most interesting things that she did in Tanzania, Asha told about how in three different days, she went to different stalls that were set up with traditional Tanzanian dress wear.

Everything that was being sold at the stall was wonderfully handmade.

Asha said that she loved the traditional Tanzanian necklace that she bought, decorated with beautiful beads and carved wood. Her greatest moment was in Zanzibar, because she was able to see the trade routes of African slaves, especially when she went to a church where a slave market used to be.

Outside the church, there is a monument that shows a group of slaves standing up, with chains around their necks.

Asha expressed gratitude when she said: "It was a lot to take in, being that I am of African descent, and seeing that this was what my ancestors went through for my freedom."

She added: "It gave me a lot of respect for them. It gave me relief because of my freedom."

Originally published The Royal Gazette