Jipe Moyo Part 3 - Graduation Day

(I am  trying to upload this from Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda.  I may not be able to get many pictures posted). 

As the trend goes, the day started poorly and then improved greatly.  It was kindergarten graduation day at Jipe Moyo.  Apparently this is a big deal.  Anke, Alina and I were heading out early.  We had to pick up some of the teachers from Kencada on the way.  We booked a van pick up for 6:30am.  Guess who arrived?  Raz.  I happened to read a quote last night and kept it because it is so apt:

 "When you just see somebody on the street, they can really have an aura. But then when they open their mouth, there goes the aura."

That’s Raz.  White Masai life averted. 

(a day later – it is 4am and I am in Mombasa airport waiting for my 5:30 flight to Nairobi then onto Entebbe, Uganda).

Back to Thursday.  Raz showed up but not with his van.  Instead he had his own car and another guy in his car.  We were taking the back route, it was too late to take the port route but those two cars were not going to make it over those bad roads.  So, on our way to Kencada, Anke found another driver with a van to pick us up at Kencada.  I am starting to realize why she keeps a corral of contacts with good will.  Always have a back up. 

Once we finally got going, the drive was uneventful.  We arrived a bit late but I have come to realize that Kenyans have infinite patience, at least the ones in the ones who live around Jipe Moyo. 

I had no idea what to expect.  This was a kindergarten graduation so I didn’t expect much.  I was wrong.  This was a full community party.  We arrived at 10, about when the activities were scheduled to start.  People were already there, waiting.  No one seemed to bat an eye that the 10am start was wildly inaccurate.  Canada time is not Kenya time.  Or maybe I didn’t understand the schedule, that is very likely as well. 

These ladies were already
waiting at 10am

This was about 10:30

There was a tent and chairs set up.  The kitchen was busy at work.  They were making Pilou.  This is a rice dish with spices and meat.  I have never seen such a big pot.  I think someone said 40 gallons.  No one was going hungry today.  They even had a special cook.  We watched the Pilou proceedings.  Remember, they are cooking 40 gallons of food for a couple of hundred people over a fire!  First, the fire was lit.  Then the spices were roasted over the fire.  Then the spices were ground by hand in a huge mortar and pestle.  All the while, oil heating in the huge pot.  Add onions, then meat. Then spices.  This all took about 45 minutes.  I missed them adding the rice but I wandered by to see it cooking, with everyone taking a turn at stirring.

Huge pot over open fire.

Getting the spices ready

Cooking the spices under the pot
They used leaves as oven gloves to get it out.

Grinding the spices.
Note the matching dresses.  It was a big day.

Ready to go into the pot

Stirring the meat and onions

Everyone took turns

When we had arrived all of the teachers were already there, dressed in what I thought was the nines.  But while I was watching the cooks, the teachers all changed into matching outfits.  And their hair!  I don’t know how they did it in a classroom with no mirror but they had all transformed their hair into Oscar Night Hair.  Full makeup and long dresses.  I should mention that the kitchen staff, working in a mud hut, also had matching outfits, just not as spectacular as the teachers’ gowns. The kids even got all gussied up.  Many of the girls had had their hair braided or beaded.  Some had yarn extensions.  Did I mention that graduation day is a big deal.

Matching gowns.

Coloured elastics

Eventually, the festivities started around 11:30 or so (I didn’t have my watch so I never quite know what time it is).  Everyone found a seat under the open tent.  Front row reserved for special guests, including me. I’m not sure who people thought I was.  The word was that I was a representative of Sam’s family.  I didn’t feel this was accurate as I don’t know them that well and I certainly didn’t want to misrepresent myself but it was just too difficult to explain the connections so there I was, special guest. 

Each class had prepared a poem or a sketch or a song (or all of them).  We got through the first couple.  The kids are adorable of course.  Each part was prefaced with “We stand before you, class of (grade) to present to you a poem/song/drama.  Welcome”.

Baby class (pre-school) does a dance

Welcome

Organizing before the poem

Singing
Notice those black clouds on the horizon

A traditional Kenyan dance

As they performed, the audience had a nice view of a huge black cloud forming on the horizon.   It started to rain on the third act.  The kids tried to keep going.  But the rain got harder.  By the way, front row special guest stopped being special at that point.  We were getting soaked.  But then it got to be to much.  As if by telepathy, everyone in the audience just picked up their chairs and crammed into the centre of the tent.  The kids (those who were mid-act) joined us under there.  The rest of them were safely in the schoolhouse. Then we all sat there, getting progressively wetter, to wait it out.

Everyone move to the centre

The kids watching from the porch

Those left behind after I ran for the school

It got worse before it got better

Eventually, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, it became obvious that this was not going to let up quickly, so those who could made a run for the classrooms.  For a while, teachers shuttled back and forth with umbellas to ‘rescue’ those less mobile.  Alina and I kept an eye on the Pilou from the window.  We were already hungry and the fire was out!

Everyone quickly adapted to the new circumstances.  The classroom was transformed into the new ‘performance venue’ with chairs and space for the kids to do their entertainment magic.  Eventually, we made it through all of the poems and songs and dramas.  Then the actual graduation ceremony.  There were about 10 kids graduating.  Parents of each one came up in turn as they received their cerfiticate. Photos and handshakes.   Those kids would have had to move into the public school normally.  But with Sam’s classroom coming, Anke is going to keep them at Jipe Moyo so that they can continue through grade school which is going to be possible because of Sam’s project.  For next year, they will be in the sandbox.

Moved into our new venue.  Waiting again

Aren't the colours beautiful

On with the show

They watched so intently.
Notice the men on one side, the women on the other

The cutest baby 

More poetry reciting

Poetry is boring

But not as boring as this guy
who went on forever

Special guests - slightly damp

One example of grad and
parent receiving their
certificate.  The parents smiled
the kids stayed stoney-faced

Yay!  Graduation class of 2014

Then we finished up with some speechifying. One official, I have no idea who, went on forever.  Then a quick wrap up by Anke.  And the rain stopped.  Time for lunch.      

(sorry, two day break.  I have been in Uganda for two days and just got back from my Gorilla Tracking.  Next blog, I promise.  But my pictures are awful – and I’m not just saying that to fish for future compliments).

It is hard to concentrate on what happened days ago after today but the Graduation was so much fun, I have to finish. 

Once the speechifying was done and the certificates handed out, the rain had stopped.  Now it was time to eat our Pilou.

ready to go
enough for everyone

Our plates with hot chili sauce

Who needs a fork

I guess they got the fire started again.  All of the community men and the special guests (anyone who wasn’t  a community woman or child) sat in one room with the women and children in another.  I don’t know where the students were, I think outside or under the tent.  The men got served first.

Each had a plate and got a pop.  We got the same.  But no cutlery.  Alina and I waited a bit for our forks to arrive but since none were forthcoming and everyone else had started to eat with their hands, so did we.  We also were not provided with a bottle opener.  The men were opening their pop with their teeth.  That wasn’t going to happen at our table.  I learned a new skill that day, opening a bottle cap with a table edge and my flat palm.  I impressed everyone including myself.  Orange Fanta, the perfect accompaniment with Pilou!

Once the men and special guests ate, the women and children, who sat quietly and patiently, were provided with platters to share.  No individual plates.  No pop.  It sucks to be a woman in rural Kenya.  But no one complained.  Everyone looked so serious.  I wondered if they were just there for the food because no one looked like they were having fun.  But then lunch ended and everyone moved outside and that all changed.

There was a sound system with very loud music.  The kids started dancing.  Then the teachers.  Then the adults.  Then me.  The kids were all trying to hold our hands.  It was a competition to see who could hold my hand and be next to me before some other kid would break in.  I held a lot of hands. At some point, the women tied kikois around my and Anke’s bums so we could look like we were properly dancing.  I haven’t had a chance to look at my pictures yet but I think Anke had my camera for a while so there may be photos.

Everyone steamed out of the school
now that it was sunny again

Relax and have some
community chitchat

Dancing

Joanne dancing!

Before we left, we had the ground breaking for Sam’s classroom.  As presumed representative of Sam’s family (Anke told me to just go with it), I dug the first shovel full.  Then someone handed me a hoe.  So I took a huge whack of dirt.  And then handed it to the next ‘official’.  This is when I learned that the ground breaking is less symbolic and more actual work.  The next few people really moved some earth. I must have looked like such a wimp with my one shovel and one hoe full.

The first act of building Sam's classroom

Switched to the hoe (insert inappropriate joke here)

Let's show that wimpy Mzungu how it is done

Anke's turn

I am probably forgetting something but I will be reminded when I look at my pictures and hopefully post this one day.

Goodbye Jipe Moyo.  Until next time!

That was on Thursday.  Then on Saturday, the Kencada kids had their graduation ceremony.  As I have mentioned, Jipe Moyo is poor and rural.  Kencada is urban and middle class.  The differences really showed in their graduations.  The Kencada kids are also older so their songs, poems and dramas were much more elaborate.  Plus, oddly, they had a fashion show. Then the teachers and parents walked the catwalk.  I cannot see this happening in Canada.

Once the ceremony was over, Alina and I manned the Kencada swag ‘for sale’ booth.  We sold an umbrella and some backpacks.  We were quite proud of ourselves.   Clean up and home.  I was so tired, I couldn’t join Anke, Alina and the teachers for a Yul’s celebratory dinner.  I went home and had a long nap.

(I was going to post some Kencada grad photos but I am out of time.  Night safari starts soon,
Update:  Photos posted a day later.)

There were some pretty elaborate costumes
I think this was Army or Police?

Baby class signs a song

An incredibly elaborate 'doctor' sketch

The kindergarten grad class 

Fashion show
She was dressed as a 'Nubian'

Much sparser attendance than Jipe Moyo

Need an umbrella?  How about a mug?

The next day, I was off to Uganda.