May 2012
Terms such as winter and summer mean very little in a tropical country. Tanzania however, has two pronounced rain seasons: the ‘short rains’ fall around November, the ‘long rains’ are around March, April and May. This great rainy season is called ‘masika’ in Kiswahili.
These rains are very welcome, but also incredibly beautiful. The dust settles, the incredible plains turn lush and green, the smell is refreshing, the cloud formations are amazing. Rain also means grass and fresh grazing, in other words: rain means game.
The rains this year were late but abundant. We are now coming to the end of the masika, but when a short shower still falls people say “the rains are saying goodbye”.
Comments