mtanga

mtanga?

Mtanga is a Swahili word principally meaning wanderer (though also one of several words used to refer either to a vagabond, or a tourist). After having considered many, and I do mean many alternatives in a variety of languages, I chose mtanga as the name of my site for the following reasons.

When one wanders, the emphasis is on the journey, as opposed to the destination, and while that is admittedly a variation of a well known spiritual theme, it also happens to accurately reflect a very important aspect of my own approach to living.

I should add that I also like the sound, cadence and simplicity of the word (it is pronounced muh-tanga, not em-tanga). It has a distinctive African feel to it, and I have long felt a deep connection to African rhythms.

Oh, and as an aside...

Not all those who wander are lost.

– J.R.R. Tolkein