Ngoma Viringu (Drum Circle)

Each village here in Kongwa District is unique. They way the villagers work together, the existing water and sanitation conditions, the environment, and of course the preferred leisure activity. In Njoge, for the women it was drumming, and for the men it was visiting the community hut where women cooking a mean batch of corn brew. The individuality of each village also reinforces the fact that the solutions for improving water, maintaining health, increasing the quality of education must be unique. This is certainly not any easy task.

In Njoge again we conducted household surveys, inspected the water points, gather GPS coordinates for the database and carried on with the fly trapping and identification. The photo here is of me explaining the fly traps and why we are using them. The water problem in Njoge, of course there was one, was that there is not enough. Women may wait 5 hours in line only to find that by the time they reach the pipe the water is gone. However, no one has considered controlling the growth of the local brick-making operation which consumes over a 6,000 liters of day in water to make bricks from the local mud. Sadly, you cannot drink bricks. The photo below shows the brickmakers waiting with 200 liter barrels to fill with water.

The assistants are becoming quite adept at discerning the difference between a M. Sorbens and a M. Domestica. Meanwhile, I still have the tendency to drop them on the floor, my shirt, etc while examining them and then quickly call for their help. They are such little buggers.

Last week I also had the opportunity to go to a Kitchen Party. It is only for women and is hosted the week before the wedding for the bride. It was quite an event with over 90 women from Kongwa and the area dressed in their brightest African clothes with braided hair so intricate that could be considered artwork. It was great not having any men there as I, nor the other women, had to worry about anyone’s hands or any other body part for that matter getting to close while we shook our behinds on the dance floor. The Tanzanian women have this amazing ability to really move their hips. Meanwhile I look like some stiff, uncoordinated white girl who grew up dancing to bad 90s music sung by folks like Vanilla Ice. My lack of rhythm usually solicited laughter, which made me laugh, which of course makes any situation that much more enjoyable. The Kitchen Party also included many, many speeches where use at least 10 sentences to say what could be said in one. Luckily the drinks had been served before the speeches. The women gave some very touching advice to the bride about how to maintain her faith, her strength, and her love during marriage. As always there is much meaning in life here.

Just Two Things

In an attempt to simplify my life
I have begun asking for just two things;
to arrive safely,
and to have something good to eat.
Anything extra, god decides to offer
especially those kisses,
floating on a soft breeze,
are simply added sweetness
to an already a blessed day.