Where T-shirts go to die...

I am stealing this headline from the Congo Bradt Travel Guide, because
it is so true that tshirts come here to die in Africa. They are
usually made cheaply in developing countries in Asia or Central/South
America, sent to US for its maximum purchasing power, then sent to
Africa when they've been outgrown or are just not wanted....they go
there to die.

In the US, we are so conscious about the words on our t-shirts or
which emblem is on our hat. It goes so far as for me to not bother
striking up conversation with most people who are rocking a Yankees
hat, unless its to tell them that their team sucks...

In Congo, Africa, and maybe most of the world...emblems have little to
no importance. That is not to stay style does not matter because I
think most people, especially women, take more pride in their
appearance here. No offense to women anywhere else, but first of all,
African women always wear dresses. Dresses are always more elegant
than even designer pantsuits in my opinion. The dresses are usually
fabricated from bright primary-colored pagnes, and pedestrians often
shade themselves from afternoon sunshine with umbrella parasols! The
essence of elegance.

Also, try to keep up with women who are re-braided twice a week or
more...plates, weaves, wigs, and the classic Congolese all-direction
braids. Lots of effort!

But sometimes the women wear tshirts with their dresses, and then the
styling priorities become very clear. No one here has allegiance to
Wright State University...but if its got nice colors, then consider
them a fan. Charlotte Hornets had some of the best colors ever - teal
and purple - even causing me to go color blind & conflict my
allegiance to the Celtics, by chosing to don a Hornets winter jacket.
The team is now in New Orleans and has slightly different colors, but
that doesn't really matter to my Mama and her husband Stanley, who
I've both seen wearing a nice warm Charlotte Hornets jacket, similar
to the one I used to have.

Guys here also have a bit of style. On Sundays or even serious
workdays, men will make me look downright slovenly in comparison.
Ties with brightly colored checked shirts, silk golden shirts, or
well-sewn button-down shirts made from pagnes which show their
allegiance to their home Catholic Parish, favorite (or only....cringe)
politician, etc.

Some people are just a little more casual or maybe can't afford these
niceties, so that brings out the ridiculous t-shirts that charity
groups love to dump into African markets, the likes of which have led
to:

Lots of dudes wearing shirts like "Girls Soccer Camp", "Too Hot to Handle"
A lady wearing an official Pub tshirt - "Taking it to the house since 1863"
Tambo, my favorite forest guide who is probably 50+ years old,
frequently wears his "I Love Soccer Moms" t-shirt, an emblem idea
which probably came from a drunken frat dude somewhere.
Little Mbuti pygmy girl wearing a tshirt "Bitchie" in the font and
colors of "Barbie"
Mbuti chief wearing a "Weezer: Punk @$$ tour" or something like that

a) who makes these shirts? b) who sends these shirts to markets in
Africa? are we really this capitalistic? charitable? or is it an
ethic of not letting anything go to waste? Well they certainly don't
go to waste here, they're worne thread-bare and continue to be worn
until one day they just fall off. I've been many kilometers deep in
the forest and seen some of the dingiest looking flip-flops ever -
which were left there because they finally gave up and broke.

Also, there might be some pretty valuable vintage or rare t-shirts or
jerseys around. I've seen a guy with a #33 Celtics jersey before.
For years, I coveted a throwback Larry Bird jersey, but couldn't
handle the $100+ price tag. Maybe next time I must spring quickly to
make an offer! Also, my alternate mama Marceline has a little boy
named Serge who wears a vintage #16 San Francisco 49ers Joe Montana
t-shirt. Try finding one of those in the mall - its a special-order
item, bank on it...

One day, I'll find that favorite tshirt of mine from a former time....