Is this really ‘history’ of military salute...?

Mr Karl Lymo 

In Summary

>> MILITARY SALUTE
Stomping the ground meant that, ‘although the land is mine (‘Ardhi yangu’), I lack the requisite intellectual capacity to manage same.’ This latter is, of course, signified by the raised arm pointing at the head and, just as suddenly, jerking it off – thus conveying the message/impression that one’s empty-headed…

By Mr Karl Lymo israellyimo@yahoo.com

Two weeks ago to the day today – July 25 this year, to be precise – Tanzanians officially marked ‘National Heroes Day.’ The event was officiated at the national level by President Jakaya Kikwete laying a spear and a shield on the Heroes Monument at the Mnazi Moja Grounds in Dar es Salaam.

Then followed leaders of notable institutions who laid ‘this, that and/or the other at the Monument – doing so ostensibly to symbolise their camaraderie (for lack of a better term) with Tanzanians in honouring their heroes.

The event is to honour Tanzanians who perforce assumed the Mantle of Heroism in one way or another, invariably doing so by making the highest sacrifice – paying with their life (or limb) – for the freedom, honour and welfare of the nation!

Thus, we saw the Chief of the Tanzania Defence Forces, Gen Davis Mwamunyange, laying a sword at the Monument – followed by the current representative of the Diplomatic Corps in Tanzania, Ambassador Juma-Alfani Mpango from DRC, who laid a wreath at the Monument.

While the leader of the Tanganyika Legion laid an axe at the Monument, Dar es Salaam City Mayor Didas Masaburi laid an arrow at the Monument. [The Guardian-on-Sunday: July 26, 2105].

What happened to the bow that complements an arrow to make it deadly, effective, pray...? Is the City in such dire financial straits that it couldn’t afford a bow? Whew!

Religion wasn’t left out of the picture... Leaders of the two main Religious Faiths in Tanzania – Islam’s Sheikh Alihad Musa Salum, and Reverend John Kamoyo from the Christian Council of Tanzania – led the ‘celebrants’ in prayers for peace and the coming General Elections.’ Boy…! (ibidem).

The Citizen on Sunday (July 26, 2015) devoted a full inside page to pictures of the happenings at Mnazi Moja Grounds that Heroes Day. Military-style salutes also dominated the related scenarios.

In this particular context, a ‘salute’ is a prescribed movement of the hand (or a flag or a (military-type) weapon) as a sign of goodwill, welcome, respect or recognition – usually given unto a superior officer. For aeons, hand-saluting is done by smartly stomping the right foot hard on the ground and raising the right hand – all fingers outstretched (not only three as in a scout’s salute – with at least two of them briefly touching the right temple before the arm is ‘returned’ to the slopping position just as smartly!

What do you make of that, pray? One of our Secondary School Class Masters in the early 1960s told us – rightly or wrongly – that the salute was deliberately designed for Africans to acknowledge on their own land (the foot-stomping) their empty-headedness!

Stomping the ground meant that, ‘although the land is mine (‘Ardhi yangu’), I lack the requisite intellectual capacity to manage same.’ This latter is, of course, signified by the raised arm pointing at the head and, just as suddenly, jerking it off – thus conveying the message/impression that one’s empty-headed…

‘Ardhi Yangu, Akili Sina Kichwani’ roughly translates into ‘this is my land; but – empty-headed as I’m – I’ve ceded it to colonisers!’ Any takers, please…? Cheers!