nota: nao tem acentos.. por isso sempre que uma palavra
te parecer mal escrita, re-escreve-a na tua mente
com um acento algures… 
Durban, 23 de Abril de 2008
Depois de 5 dias em Pretoria, mudei-me para Durban,
a terceira maior cidade da Africa do sul,
localizada na costa este, capital da provincia
Kwazulu-Natal. – Natal porque Vasco da Gama pos ca o pe
no dia de Natal e entao ficou o nome! O povo portugues
e grande! Todos os paises africanos por onde passei
teem historia escrita por maos portuguesas, e ee triste
constatar que, hoje em dia, o estado letargico do povo
portugues nao nos deixa sequer escrever a nossa propria
historia… Mas este assunto tem pano para mangas, e
gostaria de voltar a ele mais tarde… Inch a Lah!
Voltando atras… ate Pretoria, capital administrativa
do pais, construida num vale todo rodeado por colinas.
Bastante mais historica que a capital comercial,
Joanesburgo, o centro de cidade expoe edificios
oitocentistas, heranca da colonia holandesa Zuid Africa.
Ha zonas a evitar no centro, tal como o bairro
Sunnyside, considerado o mais perigoso da cidade,
e mal-afamado pelo pais fora… onde estou a dormir!,
Riana, a minha anfitria do couch surfing, diz-me que
a zona de Sunnyside onde estamos e calma, e de facto assim
parece, mas um gajo faz sempre figas e, ao fim do dia
espera que tudo corra bem na jornada seguinte.
Pretoria – de dia e de noite
Riana e a embaixadora do couch surfing na Africa do Sul,
o que quer dizer que estou instalado na Embaixada!
Este seu estatudo nao e para qualquer um, e justifica-se
com o simples de facto de durante os 5 dias que la fiquei,
ter ido a 4 encontros locais do couchsurfing e ter
conhecido 7 membros! Ela esta sempre a organizar
encontros, passeios, jantares… Levou-me ao Lion Park,
nos arredores de Joburg, onde pude ver os Leoes que nao
vi no Kruger Park, e ate pude fazer festinhas a leoes
bebes! Foi “maningue nice”, dir-se-ia em Mocambique!
Lion park and host @ Pretoria
A cena ficou mais “hectic” (aqui estao sempre a dizer isto,
e ee um calao que quer dizer “marado”) quando fui dar
uma volta a pe de Sunnyside ate aos Union Builiding, onde
esta instaladado o governo nacional. Pelo caminho sou
varias vezes olhado de alto a baixo, como quem pensa
“o que e que este branco faz aqui sozinho?!”. Muito poucos
brancos andam na rua, mas encontrei alguns no caminho,
o que me deixava sempre um pouco mais descansado…
Pah! Sabem bem que nao sou racista, mas a minha ideia
e que se nao ha muitos brancos na rua, e em percentagem,
eles sao mais ricos que os negros, e porque ha algum
perigo nas ruas! “Nao ha fumo sem fogo”, diz-se ai na tuga!
Tenho esta ideia, tambem, depois de ter ido a varios
centro comerciais e restaurantes, onde 70% das pessoas
sao brancas. E contudo, falacioso, pois apenas 10%
dos sul-africanos sao brancos!
A caminhar para os Union Buildings, encontro um maluco
branquela no meio da rua a tirar fotos a tudo o que
encontra a sua frente. Nao e facil.. eu, por exemplo,
andava com a minha no bolso.. discreto, para evitar
problemas. Mais a frente no caminho, num parque rodeado
de predios com fachada em tijolo, ao estilo britanico,
(que me lembram tambem bairros de New York, que via
nos clips de hip-hop quando adolescente… Queens sytle!),
encontro jovens brancas a falar na rua. O nivel de stress
diminui de novo um pouco…
Chegado aos Union Buildings, sou capturado pela
esplendida vista sobre toda a cidade. Os “Edificios
da Uniao” sao belos, com uma fachada trabalhada ao
estilo oitocentista. A voltar a casa, incursando pelo
mesmo caminho, encontro de novo as jovens brancas,
desta vez a meterem conversa comigo. Afinal sao
prostitutas!!! Onde raio e que me fui meter?!
Entre varios olhares enviesados e suspeitos, assedios
de prostitutas brancas, sai do Parque de Arcadia
e alinhei-me na rua da casa de Riana. (o meu
livro-guia Lonely Panet nao lista este parque
como uma das zonas a evitar na cidade, mas quando
fores a Pretoria, nao ponhas la o pe!)
Nao esperava… insconscientemente, fui associando
a riqueza neste pais a comunidada branca, mas nao…
ja vi sem-abrigos e prostitutas de raca branca.
E o estado da “Rainbow Nation”, assim lhe chamou Mandela,
onde coexistem cerca de 10 tribos negras diferentes – 70%,
mulatos – 10%, indianos – 10%, brancos – 10%
(aproximadamente.. azzz azzzz!)
Deixo para tras Pretoria no autocarro Translux,
rumo a Durban. Tenho a minha espera Catherine e
a sua familia, membros do couch surfing. O seu pai
e baixista e e um autentico guru musical! Fa de
Moody Blues, BB King, Eric Clapton…
Assisti a um concerto da sua banda de blues,
em Umlhanga, nas cercanias a norte de Durban.
Vista de Durban da praia…
Dias depois mudo-me para a casa de Karl e Adriana,
dois jovens irmaos de espirito libertino que me acolhem
a 100%. Relaxados, calmos e sabedores. Sabado a noite
rumamos a festa de reggae na universidade! Aqueceu,
aqueceu o clima! Quando chegamos o dance hall estava
parco, mas foi enchendo, enchendo, ate estar full!
Sentado na bancada do campo de raguebi, socializavmos
com as diferentes comunidadas da “rainbow nation”…
grupos de brancos, grupos de negros, grupos de indianos.
Travei conversa com os amigos de Karl, estudantes de
ciencias sociais, cantei com um grupo de negros
“i wanna give you some good good lovin’” de ziggy marley
e lauryn hill, e dancei com uma negra ao som das
selecoes ragga dos selectas!! Bombaclaat! Me a gwan broda!
Todos admirados de eu saber as letras da musica do ziggy,
e de rapar as liricas de Eric B e Rakim “Paid in Full”..
“You’re the man”, ouvia no caminho para o dance floor!
Mas o melhor estava para vir… quando comeco a ouvir
a nossa lingua portuguesa a brotar das colunas do
sound system “Puxa la, puxa la… Puxa la, Puxa la…”
o ultimo tune dos Cool Hiponoise!
Levanto-me, vou a correr para a mesa dos DJs e
descubro que sao Mocambicanos!
Uma rapariga a servir no bar tambem e! Tem maningue por aqui,
brother!! Eheheheh
Poster da festa de reggae.. e os meus anfitrioes em Durban!
O unico calcado que tenho sao umas botas de caminhada
(ofereci os meus tenis a um broda no senegal!) e nao
dao jeito nenhum para bailar, pelo que as tirei e pedi
a uma rapariga russa no bar, para as guardar.
Chamava-se Maria, e no dia seguinte, lembro-me
que tinha pedido a uma Maria, russa, em Durban
para me acolher atraves do couch surfing.
Manha seguinte, recebo uma sms e descubro que era
ela! O Mundo e pequeno, meu irmao!
Sexta-feira rumo aos picos da Africa do Sul – Drakensberg!
Vai ser lindo, prometo!
Ate ja!
Um abraco,
vosso
Joao Aguiar
ENGLISH
Durban, 23rd of April, 2008
After five days in Pretoria, moved to Durban,
third largest city in South Africa, located on the
east coast and the capital of the Kwazulu-Natal province.
- Natal comes from the fact that Vasco da Gama
landed here on christmas day! (natal + christmas
in portuguese!) Portuguese people are historical!
All the african countries i’ve been travelling
in the last 3 months, have a piece of history
writen by portuguese hands. And it’s sad to verify
that nowadays, not even our own history we can
write… But this is a big issue with a lot to talk
about it and i would like to wrtie about it later…
Inch a Lah!
Rewinding… back to Pretoria, administrative capital
of the country, built over a valey, all surrounded by
hills. Quite more historical than Joburg, the city
centre, exhibits 18th century buildings, heritage
of the old dutch colony of Zuid Africa,
before the british establishment. Some zones of the city
shall be avoided, such as the Sunnyside hood,
considered as the city’s most dangerous,
and infamous thourghout the whole country…
This is the place where I’m staying!
Riana, my couchsurfing host, tells me that the
area where she lives in Sunnyside is calm…
and so it seems, but still… you always cross your
fingers and hope for the best in the next day.
Riana is couch surfing’s embassador in South Africa,
which means that i’m staying at the Embassy!
This status is not for anyone, and is justified
with the simple fact that during the 5 days I stayed
with her, she took me to 4 local gatherings
and met 7 new couch surfers! She always scheduling
meetings, walks, dinners… She showed me the Lion Park,
in the outskirts of Joburg, where I could see the lions
I missed in the Kruger Park. I could even touch the cubs!
It was “maningue nice”, people would say in Mozambique!
Things got more “hectic” (here they use this all the time,
and is a slang that means “weird”, “crazy”) when I went
out for a walk frmo Sunnyside to the Union Buildings,
the place where the government is established.
On my way there, several times I’m flashed from top
to bottom, as if the wonder “what’s the whitee doing here?!”.
Very few white people walk on the street, but I found a few
on my way, what left me more confortable…
Hey! You know I’m not racist, but my idea is that if
that aren’t not many white people on the street,
and in % they are richer than black people, is because
there is a certain danger to white people, because are
immediatelly tagged as rich! “There’s no smoke, whithout
fire”, people say in Portugal! Inconsciently, I must
have concieved this idea, also, after have gone to
several malls and restaurants, where 70% of the people
are white. However, this a falacy, because only
10% of the population is white!
On my way to the Union Buildings, I find a crazy whitee
is the middle of the street snapping photos every where
around! It’s an easy task, i must recon…. myself, for
example, always kept my camera on my pocket… low-profile,
to avoid problems. Straight on the way, in a public park,
surrounded by brick, british style, builings
(reminding me as well, the new york buroughs, that
i watched in the rap video clips as a teen… Queens Style!),
i find a few groups of white girls talking on the street.
The stress level diminishes a bit again…
As I arrive in the Union Buildings, I’m abducted
by the stunning view over the cuty. The Union Buildings
are indeed beautiful, with a carved 18th century style
facade. When coming back home, by the same way,
I cross again the groups of young women, this time
trying to talk with me. After all, they are prostitutes!!
And where the hell am I?!!!
Amongst several suspect eye glimpses, and calls
by white prostitutes, I lef Arcadia Park and
streamed up back to Riana’s place. (O my guidebook
doesn’t lists this park as a place to avoid,
but let me tell you that if you’re coming to Pretoria,
don’t go there!) I didn’t expect.. Subconsciently,
i was bounding the wealth in this country to the
white people, but not at all… I’ve seen already
white homeless and prostitutes. That’s the
state of the “Rainbow Nation”, as Mandela calls it,
where 10 different black tribes – 70%, coloured – 10%,
indians – 10% and whites – 10%, coexist. (approximately…)
I leave Pretoria on my back on the Translux bus,
heading now to Durban. Wiating for me, there’s
Catherine and her family, from Couh surfing.
Her dad is a bass guitar player, and a genuine
musical guru! Fan of Moody Blues, BB King, Eric Clapton,
amongst many other. I went to a gig of his blues band,
at Umlhanga, on the northern outskirts of Durban.
A few days later, I move to Karl’s and Adriana’s place,
two free spirit, young brothers, that welcome me 100%.
Relaxed, calm and thoughtfull thay are. Saturday evening
we went to a reggae party at the university (or “varsity”
as they call here!) The crowd was warming up!
When we arrived, the dance hall was empty, but
as we were socializing outside, it began warming,
until when we came back inside, it was full!
Sitting on the rugby field’s seats, we were socialing
with the different comminuties of the so called
“rainbow nation”… groups of whites, groups of blacks
and groups of indians. I chatted with Karl’s friends,
students of social sciences, sang with a group
of black people “i wanna give you some good good loving”
of ziggy marley and lauryn hill, danced with a black girl
the ragga tunnes!! Bombaclaat! Me a gwan broda!
All of them were amzed with the fact that I knew the
lyrics and I was rapping Eric B and Rakim’s anthem
“Paid in Full”.. “You’re the man”, they kept telling me!
But.. the best part was coming… ehehhehe…
When I start hearing portuguese words bumping out of
the sound system loudspeakers! “Puxa la, Puxa la…
Puxa la, Puxa la…” latest tune by Cool Hiponoise!
Stand up, ran to the DJs, and i find out they are
from Mozambique! One girl working at the bar is as well!
There are “maningue” around here, they would say in Mozambique!
The only pair of shoes I have is a hiking boots
(i offered my sneakers to a bro in Senegal!)
and are absolutley unconfortable to dance, so
I took them off, and ask a russian girl bartending at
the party to keep them. Her name was Maria,
and the day after, I remember that I asked
a russian girl from couch surfing, called Maria
to host me in Durban. Next morning i received an sms
message e find out that was her the other night!
It’s a small world we’re living in, bro!
Next friday I’m heading to the peaks of South Africa
- Drakensberg! It’s going to be beatiful, i promise!
See you soon bro!
BIG HUG!
Yours,
Joao Aguiar
