Hi everyone.
It's hard to believe I have now been here for 2 months. I have become quickly attached to this place, as there's so much to do and see here. My work has taken a change in direction and I am now responsible for assisting in setting up a central web-based GIS data-warehouse, which will service all levels of government, NGO's, academic institutions and nonprofit organisations in the Eastern Cape Province. This is a real challenge for someone just coming out of University, but one which I am very happy to accept. We are also using GIS here to prioritise Capital Expenditure for the Eastern Cape Province.
Anyway life exists here outside of work so here is a bit of what I have been up to:
About a month ago I went with other NZ volunteers to a farm about an hour out of East London. The farmer had set up a museum about rock-art of the San or bushmen - art originating 1000's of years ago. The symbolism behind the art is fascinating. These people would go into a trance through dancing and rhythmic music and then possessed healing powers. Often their noses would start bleeding while in this state and this is depicted in some of the paintings. While in this state the San also believed they were another animal and images of part human-part animal are depicted in most of the art-work. For more information about the rock art, check out http://caleb.smith.tripod.com/rock_art.htm. After this the farmer took us across his farm including down a canal by boat. We went through a tunnel by boat that went for about 1km, and this had bats flying everywhere around our heads. It would have been a great place to shoot a movie scene from. Click here for farm photo's.
The following weekend I went to a Xhosa Funeral (my workmates brother had died & I was asked to attend). Unfortunately we arrived late so I stood at the back of the church with other people as there weren't enough seats. However once they saw a white person in the congregation they took me to the front of the church to have a seat. I felt really embarrassed that I had been given a seat when others were standing. Apparently though whites are highly respected for attending such an occasion - usually whites don't attend Xhosa funerals. Being the only white person at the funeral though meant lots of people stared at me … this took some getting use to.
Even though this was a Christian funeral, it was still very different to NZ funerals. There was lots of clapping and lively gospel music - a celebration of the persons' life. In some respects I think it was more appropriate than the morbid pipe-organ music we often hear at funerals. My readers are free to differ in opinion! As I was leaving to go home after lunch I was really taken, when one guy kissed my hand and said `I love you bhuti (brother)'. I was respected and loved by these people simply because I had gone to a Xhosa funeral. Usually a Xhosa funeral happens about 2 weeks after the person's death. This gives relatives time to come to the funeral and each day up to the funeral there may be mourning & preaching. Click here for pictures of the funeral.
Several weeks ago I went with some workmate's and a Swedish friend to a traditional Xhosa village. We didn't realise that we had come during a `cow slaughtering' ceremony! The people were very warm and welcoming and allowed me to take lots of photos. They took us into one of their round huts, where they performed an ancestral dance with lots of singing and clapping. This dance is to communicate with their ancestors prior to slaughtering a cow. A cow may be slaughtered for various reasons - one is when one of the family members dreams about his or her grandparent ancestors asking for food or water. The rest of the family must be then informed about this. The elder people will then tell the person who had the dream to make a traditional beer (if the ancestors asked for water) or slaughter a cow/s if the ancestors have asked for food. The whole family and village then has to be informed of the date of the function.
Following the dance they all proceeded outside and then speeches were made in Xhosa to ancestors. After this 2 cows were killed (for 2 ancestors - call me a woose … but this animal-lover couldn't enjoy this part!). When the cows bellowed this indicated to the Xhosa people that their ancestors approved and they would become more prosperous and have more cows. One of the village guys had his eye on one of my workmates and asked her to marry him …. She quickly told him that she was already married to me!!! After we left the village we went back to my Swedish friends' mansion (literally) …. Here we sat by the swimming pool eating Kaviar and Swedish bread …. A huge contrast to the village where we had been previously. Click here to see some photos of the village.
A fortnight ago I went with Camille (another VSA volunteer) to Addo Elephant National Park. This was a great weekend and we saw heaps of elephants among other animals such as buffalo, ostrich, meercats and red hartebeasts. We took a guided hike around the park on Saturday morning and came within metres of a bull elephant. In the afternoon we drove around the park and again saw lots of elephants. Some were on the side of the road and Camille drove up a bit closer to get a good view & then one of the Bull elephant's stepped out on the road & started walking towards us ….'well we did want to get close to elephants!'. Although a bit scary, this made a great photo. Check out the photo's of Addo Elephant National Park.
Xhosa language learning is going ok here - my Xhosa workmates are very keen to help me learn and love it when I speak Xhosa - especially Molo sana! (Hello babe). I intend taking a Xhosa language night class when it again starts soon in East London. It is useful learning this language as I spend a lot of time with Xhosa people and also occasionally attend meetings, functions & parties, where only Xhosa is spoken. Learning this language will also help me to understand the culture & people better.
Living here does help you to appreciate the small things you take forgranted in NZ. For example at present I am washing my clothes in a bath. I could use the local laundry, but it's just as quick to wash clothes by hand. I will be getting a free washing machine in December, so I haven't bothered to buy one. However it is common for people to wash clothes here in the bath. I am constantly amazed about life being so cheap. People have been killed because of aids, political reasons, colour and sometime for no apparent reason and it's just accepted as a part of everyday life. However people (especially Xhosa people) are amazingly friendly and becoming a friend of these people almost means becoming part of the family, and I have developed strong bonds with some of them. Something which has taken a bit of getting use to is Xhosa guys will hold your hand … and keep holding your hand! You may end up walking down the street or somewhere else holding a Xhosa guy's hand. This doesn't mean they are gay, but that you are a friend or respected colleague.
Well folks I hope this hasn't bored you too much. You can check out photo's on my web by going to http://caleb.smith.tripod.com - I will try to update this often. Don't forget to sign my guestbook.
Bye for now & God Bless.
Caleb.
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