[For those who have been reading my emails for a while, you will already know the term 'tubab'. It's a slang term for 'white person', pronounced 'TOO-baab'. It's used extensively in The Gambia, as in children see me and shout "Tubab! Tubab! Tubab!" The Congolese know it as well, so maybe it's a common word in Africa?]
A taxi driver told me the story of where the word 'tubab' comes from. He said that a small amount of money in the UK used to be two bob. This is true. So, when people saw a white person, they would say 'give me [in local language] two bob'. Over time, this has changed to just shouting 'twobob, twobob, twobob' with an accent. Tubab.
I guess now I should be called "Five pound! fivepound! ...fiepown! fiepown! fiepown!"
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2 comments:
I wanted to make a comment regarding your discection of the word tubab. I remember that when I was in West Africa all the kids would yell 'tubaboo' at me. It seemed to me that tubab was a shortened version of tubaboo.
Also, I wanted to comment that though I like your humourous little ditties on life for Tara I really enjoy reading your information updates. You provide me, the quintessential stay-at-home mom, an alternative life I can vicariously live.
Take care Tara.
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