It’s Saturday 4th July, we were told the night before that we would be going to a cluster meeting the following day at 11am. We all made sure we were outside and ready to go, we didn’t want to be the cause of having to pay a penalty for being late. But in true African form, we actually left at 11:30 after our host mum, Mildred, had made bread and beans. Eventually we walk up the steep hill from her house and got in a taxi which is essentially a minivan and what I would call a TroTro because of Ghana. After about ten minutes we get out of the taxi, I recognised the blue container and knew we were close to Ma’ Thule’s house (we had met her on our first day). Ma’ Mildred announces that it is too far a walk and so we sat at the edge of the road, for 30 minutes. Assured a car was coming we began to walk, but managed about 100 yards in 15 minutes and our host mum sat down on a log as we all stood around. We asked again where we were going and she said to a ceremony for the women of Zimele – there would be Zulu dancing and other people from saving’s groups and clusters. But we had been told we needed to be there at 12:00 and it was now 13:00. We eventually walked down with another women and were met by Ma’ Thule. Thankful to have recognised her! She walked us into a marquee, straight away I removed my cap. Everyone here seemed to be dressed in their best clothes. I had just walked in wearing a baseball cap, a t-shirt which said ‘let the good times roll’, jeans and trainers (tennis shoes). After being shown to a table, Ma’ Thule took us out to see the tombstone, sorry WHAT?! Yup, we had just turned up to a tombstone unveiling (they usually happen a year after the person has passed away). They asked if we would like to take a photograph, but we declined, politely.
Reality struck – I had just turned up to an unveiling ceremony in the most inappropriate clothes!
No one had told us what we were actually attending.
Everyone seemed pleased to see us, everyone wanted their photo taken with us! Then the food started coming, a plate full of beef stew, rice, stomp, coleslaw, salad, pumpkin, beetroot and beans. I was stuffed! But then they came out with muffins, snowballs, cakes! Ok dessert, thats good! Oh there was more, ice cream and custard anyone? Yes please! Another course followed this time it was jeqe (steam bread) and braai (essentially steak). I CANNOT EAT ANYMORE OR I WILL EXPLODE!
Heather and I then watched as bottles of drink were distributed, longingly looking at the coke that everyone else rejected, it never came our way though!
After watching some Zulu dancing outside, we headed back inside and we found some slightly drunk guys deciding they wanted to be our friends. Ma Thule wasn’t having any of it and told them they couldn’t even have photographs with us and when it came time to leave we were escorted out of the tent!
It is a day that I will remember for a long time!
*lesson learnt, two weeks later we went to another unveiling, this time we were told and I wore a dress!
