I had the incredible opportunity to visit a Tonga village in the Southern Province of Zambia with a friend who spent his childhood there. Singani village has not been exposed to missionaries or aid workers, so it was quite a culturally enriching experience.
I purchased a traditional chitenge to wear out of respect for their way of life. Chitenges are often worn in Lusaka, as well. I slept in a mud hut and participated in the rigorous daily tasks of the Tonga women, including fetching water from the well for cooking and bathing and carrying it on my head, attempting (and failing) to hold firewood on my head, selecting a live chicken and preparing it, sweeping around the huts in the morning amongst the guinea fowl, and preparing dinner around fires we built in the evening.
I learned a great deal about herbal remedies and even spoke to a local healer. One of the grandmothers and I were able to communicate through my friend's translation. She explained that slavery continued long after the government and historical texts reported its end. White tobacco farmers started a hybrid language called Chilungu Boy to speak to their workers, and she remarked that she wished I knew it. It was surreal to have someone imagine that I might speak a "language" born out of slavery. She also described the annihilation of game populations after rampant poaching, among other fascinating tales of Colonization's effect on village life.
I packed a book from the Lubuto collection with me. I was breaking the rules by removing a book from the library, but books simply do not exist in villages, and I couldn't resist the once in a lifetime chance to share a story with the children there. On the long, late, uncomfortable bus ride (a given in Africa), I had my friend translate the story to Tonga and help me with pronunciation. I made sure to select a story without Western references or aspects of modernity they wouldn't recognize.
The children loved the book, lingering on every word. There is a strong possibility their acute attention was due in part to my presence in general, but it was a Lubuto success nonetheless.
It was an honor to be welcomed in Singani village. I distributed much needed and seldom affordable products: bars of soap, Mealie Meal to make nshima, cooking oil, sugar...and some much appreciated Cadbury products, as well! I was presented with a pineapple from the gardens as a parting gift.
Below are two photos of the children's story time and two for the sake of cuteness.
I purchased a traditional chitenge to wear out of respect for their way of life. Chitenges are often worn in Lusaka, as well. I slept in a mud hut and participated in the rigorous daily tasks of the Tonga women, including fetching water from the well for cooking and bathing and carrying it on my head, attempting (and failing) to hold firewood on my head, selecting a live chicken and preparing it, sweeping around the huts in the morning amongst the guinea fowl, and preparing dinner around fires we built in the evening.
I learned a great deal about herbal remedies and even spoke to a local healer. One of the grandmothers and I were able to communicate through my friend's translation. She explained that slavery continued long after the government and historical texts reported its end. White tobacco farmers started a hybrid language called Chilungu Boy to speak to their workers, and she remarked that she wished I knew it. It was surreal to have someone imagine that I might speak a "language" born out of slavery. She also described the annihilation of game populations after rampant poaching, among other fascinating tales of Colonization's effect on village life.
I packed a book from the Lubuto collection with me. I was breaking the rules by removing a book from the library, but books simply do not exist in villages, and I couldn't resist the once in a lifetime chance to share a story with the children there. On the long, late, uncomfortable bus ride (a given in Africa), I had my friend translate the story to Tonga and help me with pronunciation. I made sure to select a story without Western references or aspects of modernity they wouldn't recognize.
The children loved the book, lingering on every word. There is a strong possibility their acute attention was due in part to my presence in general, but it was a Lubuto success nonetheless.
It was an honor to be welcomed in Singani village. I distributed much needed and seldom affordable products: bars of soap, Mealie Meal to make nshima, cooking oil, sugar...and some much appreciated Cadbury products, as well! I was presented with a pineapple from the gardens as a parting gift.
Below are two photos of the children's story time and two for the sake of cuteness.
1 comment:
Holly...what book did you end up reading?
I am enjoying your blog and hope that when you come back to the states, you can do a program at my library!
~samantha
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