Ms. Goma 2010

The anticipation built with every step we took up the stairs toward the runway. The place was completely packed. Loran, Tella and I managed to snag three VIP-like seats right up against the runway. Awesome. There were a few acts before the main event got underway. Inappropriately loud music sounded over the blown out speaker system and from out behind a curtain 11 hopeful young ladies danced their way onto the stage. They all wore the same outfit, Congolese cotton beach wear, and sported the same snazzy hairdo. The flashes of cameras and the hooting and hollering of the excited crowd was incredible. After their intro the girls came out to strut their stuff one at a time. The MC tried to compete with the blaring music as he read out their measurements, favourite foods, allergies, medical difficulties and shoe size aloud to the audience. The term “meat market” was taken to a new level.

At the intermission Goma’s elite was treated to a modern dance and a surprise wedding proposal.

As the night progressed the crowd grew in size and rowdiness. The Minister of Tourism of North Kivu saw the large crowd combined with the copious amounts of Primus and diminishing attention span as the ideal audience for her big announcement. She launched into a long-winded, multi page proposal of how tourism was going to grow and benefit North Kivu. The spectators, hungry for more Ms. Goma, attempted to cheer the Minister off the stage. This took several failed attempts before it prompted a local radio show owner to lecture on the importance of listening to the proposal.

We took our own boredom as a sign to take our leave. Another night on the town in Goma is in the books.