Okay so maybe I watched the movie "UP" last weekend! =)
Anyway, life has been busy. I am finally settling into a routine. Things are picking up work wise. I go to Nairobi about once a week.
I spent last Thursday in Embu meeting a 12 year-old patient, Jacob, being fitted with the LIMBS knee for the first time. He is very shy and dos not speak a lot of English. This was my first experience being on my own (without much of a translator) and interviewing someone whose language and culture were different than mine. After a lot of work and frustration on both sides I got most of the information I wanted to know and with the help of another adult (who wasn’t around earlier) I got a picture of me and Jacob and some video of him walking. Now to formulate a story for the home office.
This Saturday I went to Gatamaiyu, the hometown of my neighbor, Nancy, for her bride "sendoff". This is a special celebration and ceremony for her family and the people in the village announcing that Nancy is getting married. I felt honored to be there. I was the only mazungu (white person) there.
The celebration included a lot of meat eating (they called it goat but it was probably sheep). There were other foods as well, such as, rice with carrots, Irio (mixture of beans, maize, potatoes, and pumpkin leaves), something made from black beans and bananas, and mixed vegetables. Lots of food! I found out Nancy is actually shy around large groups, so we stayed in the background until the actual ceremony. I stuck close to her as much as possible for 2 reasons:
I don’t speak Kikuyu
I didn’t know what was going to happen next and did not want to miss anything.
The AIC Church Nancy went to growing up
As we walked to the village, Nancy pointed out different landmarks from her childhood. I enjoyed seeing the scenery and different places around the village. Once we got there, she introduced me to her grandmothers (her grandfather had two wives) and some other immediate and extended relatives. She has a very large family.
Maize husks for the cows
Nancy's step sister
She showed me where her grandmother lives and also where her grandfather’s other wife lives. Each wife has her own house and kitchen. Most of her family live on the same compound. Each family is separated by a low hedge. Her grandfather’s two wives are in one area, the next area is where her father and his family live, then the farthest area is where her father’s brother and his family lives.
Nancy's Grandfather's other Wife's house and kitchen
Nancy's Grandmother's house and kitchen
Nancy and Joanne in the doorway of their grandmother's house
One interesting thing about Kikuyu culture is that once a boy finishes primary school (8th grade) he is considered a man and moves out of his father’s house. His father makes him a “cube” (basically a small house) to live in until the son finishes secondary school and makes enough to build his own house. His mother still cooks for him until he has a wife. The cube is passed down from brother to brother as each gets married. Currently, Nancy’s youngest brother, Dan, lives in this “cube”.
The "cube" can be seen in the background
Nancy (left) peeks out the door as Moses and his family arrive
Moses and his family arrived late. Once they arrived, his family all went into Nancy’s Father’s house to eat a special piece of meat. I don’t know what this was because I was not in the house. The ceremony began soon after.
The ceremony:
Nancy was called from her father’s compound area to the mic and then I think she was asked to get her fiancé. (I’m not sure but she went over and got Moses from where he was sitting with his family.) Then there was a speech by the MC, then by Nancy, and last by Moses. After the speeches, Nancy went back and sat with Moses and greeted all of his family. There was another speech by the MC, then Moses got back up and told everyone when and where the wedding would be. Nancy’s uncle (also my neighbor) got up and prayed to close the ceremony.
Nancy coming forward
"Choosing" Moses
The special meat presented by Nancy's "uncle"
After the ceremony, I was privileged to witness another ritual between Nancy and Moses. One of Nancy's "uncles" presented them with a special piece of meat which they both cut up and ate.
Nancy with the chopped up meat
Additional meat was then divided among the family as they were leaving. They even gave me a large chunk!
Since I have a digital camera, Nancy asked me to take pictures. Poor thing. When someone asks me to take lots of pictures of an event I do, over 150 pictures in fact. What I think she enjoyed most though was that I was able to record most of the ceremony between her and Moses.
The whole event was an enjoyable and educational experience. I ate a lot of meat and also found out certain parts of the meat that I don’t like. Mainly, anything with large amounts of cooked sheep blood, these are apparently delicacies for the Kikuyu, but not for me.
Anyway, those are my main adventures recently. Day to day life is more mundane, yet challenging. I am not much of a writer or videographer, yet in the last week I’ve been both. I now have to figure out how to edit and cut video.
Also, the annual LIMBS International board meeting is coming up and I have to prepare slides for it. I am not presenting them but I still need to put them together for whichever teammate does. Please pray I do a good job. They are due by Wednesday.
No comments:
Post a Comment