Check out page ten ;) The Hill News Feb 14th
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Monday, February 24, 2014
Hunting and Gathering/ Singing and Laughing
On one of days with the Hadza, we were split up into groups of three wazungu and two Hadza to go out hunting. We woke up at 6 and were out hunting by 6:30, trekking over hills and through the bush to find wild game. Our guide introduced himself as "General" and he was very excited to have us hunting with him. We walked for about an hour and then all of a sudden veered off the path (okay there really wasn't much of a path but we took a turn up a rocky incline) General pointed and said, "Asali hapo" (Honey there). We were off again on a honey hunt, I still can't believe how they know where it is. He and his friend lit a fire under the tree and then smoked out the bees, climbing into a neighboring sapling and balancing on a branch the size of my arm while blowing smoke into the hive. After a few minutes he reached his entire arm into the hole, probably getting stung hundreds of times, and pulled out a comb that was over a foot long, dripping with sticky-sweet amber honey.
General broke off a few pieces and handed us the comb to snack on. Honey from the comb is now one of my favorite things, it was the sweetest freshest honey I have ever had. After our snack we continued to hike looking for game, occasionally climbing an outcrop to scout, usually with no luck.
After seeing nothing for a few more hours we took a water break while General went to scout some more. When he came back I told him in broken Swahili (I was the only one in the group who knew enough) that we were getting tired and were wondering when we were going back. He responded by asking if we wanted to go see a cave nearby... reluctantly we went with him but I am so happy we did. The cave was on the side of
a cliff, hidden from the sun and had paintings on the walls which was pretty sweet. We sat there for
about half an hour in the cool shade and were asking General questions and apologizing for being loud and scaring away the animals. He responded in near perfect English. WHAT? It was hilarious all of a sudden realizing our guide knew what we were saying all along. (AKA he knows we all thought he was real handsome). It was great.After our rest, we began our walk back to the camp. Within ten minutes we saw a dik-dik in a clearing maybe 60 yards away. General waved his hand to tell us to stop and get quiet as he was slipping off his shoes to sneak up on the mini-deer. The three of us were so excited to finally see something at the end of our trip. We waited for what seemed like forever, with the dik-dik in our sights as General creeped around the brush to get a closer shot. The deer's instinct kicked in however and it trotted away before our guide could get a shot off. Slightly bummed to not bring home the biggest prize, we continued walking home at that point not even caring we sounded like a herd of elephants walking around in the bush.
When we returned at around 2pm a few other groups were already there and we learned that one had shot a hyrax. The group named it Stephen. The Hadza were very excited to cook him up for us when the last group returned from their hunt. We quickly discovered Stephen was a girl! Better yet, a pregnant girl! With twins! *WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT, NOT FOR THE EATERS OF RABBIT FOOD* So, as the Hadza believe that the group should benefit and share all the goods of the day the hyrax was cooked to perfection over the fire, and so were
the fetuses and the rumen. Thankfully, we were only offered to try the liver and a piece of the thigh. I did not try the liver (still can't get over that one) but I did have a piece of the meat which tasted like I could survive off of it if I needed to. Slightly "gamey" but much like a lamb chop. The cultural differences were just so funny! I loved it! Nothin brings two cultures together like some bush meat.....
...Oorrrrrrr dancing! That night we all gathered around a fire and were asking the Hadza questions about land, education, culture and government. They also had their fair share of questions, especially General and the younger Hadza. They asked about the climate differences, our education system and government and healthcare. Very smart people. When the conversation was dwindling, an old woman stood up and began to sing in a powerful grandmother-willow-like voice and to bounce along with her song. Then all the other people joined her, singing and forming a circle to dance. Their feet kept the beat, stomping loud every third step. The singing and beat of pounding feet was absolutely intoxicating, I couldn't help but get up and dance. Soon everyone was dancing around the fire, stirring up dust and smoke, pounding our feet to the beat and moving faster and faster, laughing and singing along, following the lead of the mzee. After awhile, they asked us to sing a song for them, so naturally we sang "Build me up Buttercup". Then we thought we should teach them a dance.. but what dance? I suggested "Cotton-Eyed Joe" and we went with it. So, we clapped and sang along and taught the Hadzabe "Cotton-Eyed Joe". Some picked it up very fast and others did not get what we were doing bouncing around but everyone was laughing and was eager to learn our wacky dance around the light of the fire. I was so happy! I AM so happy. That was definitely in my top 5 best nights ever, I didn't want it to end!
At the end of our trip we gave group presentations and were able to be joined by Daudi Peterson, the founder of Dorobo. It was really neat to have him there to contribute to our discussion, with his deep history with the Hadzabe. We also were able to but his book about the Hadza, so I am now the owner of a signed copy of "Hadabe; By the light of a Million Fires" (It's not even on Amazon *nerdalert*) which really tells you so much about the Hadza culture and comes with a CD so be prepared when I come home to learn some groovy campfire dance moves/songs!! In all seriousness though what this NGO does for these people is incredible and credible. There are many out there that get funding for a project they know won't work but go through with it anyways because they got money from a sentimental sponsor who doesn't know the difference. Like I mentioned before Dorobo is educating people on their land rights as well as helping them maintain cultural integrity which is what the Hadzabe want. And to be able to sit and talk with the founder was awesome, we got to see his passion for what he does and get a better understanding of the people and goals.
On one of our car rides with Mama Maggie, one of the girls asked, "when was the last time you were honestly this happy?" Truly happy. Being around these people, happiness is contagious and for me, being here is absolutely incredible as it is. The beauty of simple living and being content with what you have... celebrating by sharing a meal with new friends and dancing around a campfire. Meeting powerful people who have so much to say and so much to give, seeing the wildlife and having the opportunity to LIVE it instead of tour it. Nimefurahi.
Ishi sasa. Live now.
Hadzabe
So I just got back from a week in Tanzania where our group went on a safari with Dorobo Safaris 
(Click the link!!) which was started by Daudi Peterson and his family in the 70s. Daudi was slowly able to get to know the Hadzabe, only after they stopped hiding from him and running away. The Hadza are one of the last hunter-gatherer groups left in the world and now they only have about 10% of their original land left as other ethnic groups are moving into the area and pushing the non-confrontational Hadza off their land. The two main principles of Dorobo is helping the Hadza through land loss and to maintain cultural integrity (both objectives that the Hadza themselves want to accomplish). 
My experience with Dorobo was absolutely incredible. We had three guides Killerai, Zenan, and Maggie who are all incredible people and they are so good at what they do! On the first night there we stayed at an incredible camp site with lots of trees to rest under and a gorgeous waterfall! The next morning, we woke up and hiked over into the Yaeda Valley.
We were picked up at the top by the Dorobo staff and wisked away into the bush to our first Hadza camp in Morongo (I think I'm spelling it right). This is where we met some of our Hadza guides who were just as excited to meet us as we were to meet them. We stayed here two nights and we were able to visit the Hadza camp with their thatched houses, fireplaces and grinding stones. The women invited us into the houses and told us all about them.They told us that they are able to make them in one day when they arrive at a camp and no snakes go inside because of the type of materials they use.
We then went and collected tubers and honey (unexpectedly found honey, that is). As we were walking through the bush the men would whistle for Honeyguide birds. The birds whistle back and actually lead the men to where the honey is and is rewarded with the leftover wax and honey. It is so cool to see! Then the men will just reach their hands into the hive and pull out the honeycomb, Asali!! The comb was passed around for everyone to taste and it was the sweetest honey I've ever had! Digging tubers is done with pointed sticks to till up the earth and
then collect the underground food source. Once all the tubers are collected, they're carried in khangas and roasted right out in the field. They taste like a sweet stringy starch, you chew on them to get all the juices out.
Later, we sat with the men and made arrows! They can make one in five minutes, burning the wood then using their teeth to straighten the stick and carving the tip into a point. Antelope tendon is used to tie the falcon feathers on and after the basic arrow is finished, individuals add their own personal design that they carve into the arrow and use charcoal from the fire to color in. Some arrows have metal tips that have been soaked in desert rose poison for larger game.
After two nights at the first Hadza camp we packed up our things and made our way across the Great Rift Valley to the next camp. Yes, I hiked across the GREAT RIFT VALLEY. Ahhhhhhhh. It was a long muddy walk guided by a few Hadza men and by the end our feet were caked in mud and the Hadza had shot a small bird. The whole situation was hilarious and although we were walking all day in the sun, everyone was in good moods, excited to be here or just laughing at the what seemed like a never ending mud bog.
The next few days were jam packed with target practice, a question-answer session around a fire with the Hadza, hunting, and dancing and singing around a campfire. All that excitement is just way too much for one post (aaaaand my internet here wont let me load more pictures...) so keep checking in and ill have the next post soon!
(Click the link!!) which was started by Daudi Peterson and his family in the 70s. Daudi was slowly able to get to know the Hadzabe, only after they stopped hiding from him and running away. The Hadza are one of the last hunter-gatherer groups left in the world and now they only have about 10% of their original land left as other ethnic groups are moving into the area and pushing the non-confrontational Hadza off their land. The two main principles of Dorobo is helping the Hadza through land loss and to maintain cultural integrity (both objectives that the Hadza themselves want to accomplish). My experience with Dorobo was absolutely incredible. We had three guides Killerai, Zenan, and Maggie who are all incredible people and they are so good at what they do! On the first night there we stayed at an incredible camp site with lots of trees to rest under and a gorgeous waterfall! The next morning, we woke up and hiked over into the Yaeda Valley.
We were picked up at the top by the Dorobo staff and wisked away into the bush to our first Hadza camp in Morongo (I think I'm spelling it right). This is where we met some of our Hadza guides who were just as excited to meet us as we were to meet them. We stayed here two nights and we were able to visit the Hadza camp with their thatched houses, fireplaces and grinding stones. The women invited us into the houses and told us all about them.They told us that they are able to make them in one day when they arrive at a camp and no snakes go inside because of the type of materials they use.
We then went and collected tubers and honey (unexpectedly found honey, that is). As we were walking through the bush the men would whistle for Honeyguide birds. The birds whistle back and actually lead the men to where the honey is and is rewarded with the leftover wax and honey. It is so cool to see! Then the men will just reach their hands into the hive and pull out the honeycomb, Asali!! The comb was passed around for everyone to taste and it was the sweetest honey I've ever had! Digging tubers is done with pointed sticks to till up the earth and
then collect the underground food source. Once all the tubers are collected, they're carried in khangas and roasted right out in the field. They taste like a sweet stringy starch, you chew on them to get all the juices out.Later, we sat with the men and made arrows! They can make one in five minutes, burning the wood then using their teeth to straighten the stick and carving the tip into a point. Antelope tendon is used to tie the falcon feathers on and after the basic arrow is finished, individuals add their own personal design that they carve into the arrow and use charcoal from the fire to color in. Some arrows have metal tips that have been soaked in desert rose poison for larger game.
After two nights at the first Hadza camp we packed up our things and made our way across the Great Rift Valley to the next camp. Yes, I hiked across the GREAT RIFT VALLEY. Ahhhhhhhh. It was a long muddy walk guided by a few Hadza men and by the end our feet were caked in mud and the Hadza had shot a small bird. The whole situation was hilarious and although we were walking all day in the sun, everyone was in good moods, excited to be here or just laughing at the what seemed like a never ending mud bog.
The next few days were jam packed with target practice, a question-answer session around a fire with the Hadza, hunting, and dancing and singing around a campfire. All that excitement is just way too much for one post (aaaaand my internet here wont let me load more pictures...) so keep checking in and ill have the next post soon!
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Twiga Twiga!
So I have some catching up to do on my posts and I realized I never posted for Valentine's Day! It turns out I thought I would have a boring uneventful Valentines day... but then I met my Valentine!
.jpg)
We went to the Giraffe center in Karen and got to hang out with some of the coolest animals ever! It was so cool! I got Giraffe Kisses!
This series of pictures is me trying to woo the Giraffe.... At first he was reluctant for some lovin'.. but eventually my charm got em ;)
We went to the Giraffe center in Karen and got to hang out with some of the coolest animals ever! It was so cool! I got Giraffe Kisses!
This series of pictures is me trying to woo the Giraffe.... At first he was reluctant for some lovin'.. but eventually my charm got em ;)
Mimi akambusu twiga.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Oh just Monkey-ing around
Okay so while catching up on homework from the weekend, I met up with this little fella!
.jpg)
He is a Vervet monkey. and he brought his curiosity and a friend...
They were literally hanging out on our doorstep.
And they were the perfect study break.
They were literally hanging out on our doorstep.
Mt. Longonot: is it long, or not?
Yesterday we hopped on the bus at 7:30am and ventured to Longonot National Park! The park is in Naivasha, Rift Valley Province and consists of 52km2 for wildlife like buffaloes, elands, lions, leopards, Bushbucks, common zebra, giraffe, grant gazelles, Thomson gazelles and antelopes. The big attraction however, is the one and only Mt. Longonot, a stratovolcano which rises 2,776 meters above sea-level. The name comes from the Maasai word oloonong'ot, meaning "mountains of many spurs".
.jpg)
So we started around 9:30 and we were at the summit by 11:00. Although it's not as long of a hike as some in the Adirondacks, it was straight up and very dusty and slippery at times. We had an awesome guide (shoutout to George, who hiked in his converse). He pointed out the "Maasai perfume" (
Tarchonanthus camphoratus L.) which they can also use the cotton like flowers to literally carry fire with them. You can light the flower and carry it in your pocket, have the embers burning and not get burned yourself. He also showed us the areas where lemongrass grew, which smells amazing. On our walk up we also saw antelopes grazing in the fields below and giraffes in the hills!
.jpg)
So we reached the top and you could walk around the crater which would take 3 hours, but I didn't go around. We hung out at the top and one of the program leaders/ professors Sinnary took a nap and the rest of us just enjoyed some gorgeous views!
.jpg)
Overall it was an awesome day and so nice to be out in the fresh air, even if today my glutes are killing me!
Tarchonanthus camphoratus L.) which they can also use the cotton like flowers to literally carry fire with them. You can light the flower and carry it in your pocket, have the embers burning and not get burned yourself. He also showed us the areas where lemongrass grew, which smells amazing. On our walk up we also saw antelopes grazing in the fields below and giraffes in the hills!
So we reached the top and you could walk around the crater which would take 3 hours, but I didn't go around. We hung out at the top and one of the program leaders/ professors Sinnary took a nap and the rest of us just enjoyed some gorgeous views!
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Rural Homestay
This is the part of the trip where Sam lives in a rural home with no running water or electricity!
But first, we had an overnight at Sandai Farm (Sandai Farm)which was absolutely gorgeous! We had a delicious meal (and except for the giant spiders) a very relaxing night and morning walk.
Morning walk and sunrise over Mt.Kenya!
Then we went and visited a Green Belt Movement Farm in Tumutumu. The GBM is a program started by Wangari Maathai to establish community empowerment and education as well as tree planting to help farmers not only create a better environment but to have the ability to sustain themselves. Check it out! The Green Belt Movement also I highly recommend you read Wangari Maathai's book Unbowed which is just an incredible book that also helped her become not only the first African to win a Nobel Peace prize, but the first environmentalist to win one. It will also give a better insight to my experience (as far as what I saw and how Gikuyu's live) to my rural homestay. Seriously read it!
The rural homestay component was the part of the trip that really grabbed my attention to this program initially. What better way to get to learn about a culture than to EXPERIENCE it? I stayed with the Waweru family in Nyeri county, Tetu East, Aguthi location and Ithekahuno sublocation. People here value specific locations and names as well. The naming system is very complex and your name is very important, as well as what clan you come from and your location. So this is my family tree:
Joseph and Penninah Wawera
Bernard > Jane
Thomas
Isaak
Dorcas
My family was incredible. My baba, Joseph and mama Penninah were so welcoming and just as excited to have me there as I was to be there. I had 7 siblings, but only my 19 year old sister Dorcas lived there still. I also had two nephews that were always around Kelvin (17) and Joe (4) who I grew to know very well.
I love my Kenyan family! They really took me in but I got closest with my sister Dorcas who I followed around and did what she would do in a typical day. This included cooking over a traditional Kikuyu fire, washing dishes (bent over in other pots) and keeping the compound clean. We had a lot of really great conversations about my life back home and also about Kikuyu traditions and values. I got a lot of questions about snow like, "how do you get water when it's all frozen like that" and, "does the power still work if it sticks to the electricity lines, water and electric don't mix" (that one I promised to find the answer and write to the cousin that asked me). But I also had plenty of in depth conversations about politics, coming of age for boys, homosexuality (it's illegal in Kenya) and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
It was overall a very informational visit, I also learned a ton from my baba about farming. Although he was a former police officer the family farms coffee now. When you think farm in America you think of John Deere and wide land filled with one or two crops. Here the situation is much much different. There are no tractors, no machines to tend the land, everything is done by hand and it is all hills.
I have such a deeper respect and appreciation for the people that live here and cultivate the land. I take so many things for granted back home. For instance my sister used old newspapers and cardboard as potholders and I don't even think about the drawer of potholders I have at home. One of the hardest moments I had was when my 4 year old nephew wanted to play catch with me and he went and crumpled up trash to make a ball. In moments like that you realize how much you have.
But I also realized how important family is, not only to this community but it should be to everyone. I had brothers and sisters calling and saying hi from across the country. Each member has their own role in the family and they truly care about each other. I have so many stories that I could write about (and since this post is already wayyyy too long) but I think the biggest thing I took away from the rural home stay was just no matter how differently we live in traditions, religion, customs and even our standard of living we all have needs and we all have a place. Therefore we have an opportunity to reach out and really make a difference in the livelihoods of other people and maybe, just maybe make the world a little better.
But first, we had an overnight at Sandai Farm (Sandai Farm)which was absolutely gorgeous! We had a delicious meal (and except for the giant spiders) a very relaxing night and morning walk.
Morning walk and sunrise over Mt.Kenya!
Then we went and visited a Green Belt Movement Farm in Tumutumu. The GBM is a program started by Wangari Maathai to establish community empowerment and education as well as tree planting to help farmers not only create a better environment but to have the ability to sustain themselves. Check it out! The Green Belt Movement also I highly recommend you read Wangari Maathai's book Unbowed which is just an incredible book that also helped her become not only the first African to win a Nobel Peace prize, but the first environmentalist to win one. It will also give a better insight to my experience (as far as what I saw and how Gikuyu's live) to my rural homestay. Seriously read it!
The rural homestay component was the part of the trip that really grabbed my attention to this program initially. What better way to get to learn about a culture than to EXPERIENCE it? I stayed with the Waweru family in Nyeri county, Tetu East, Aguthi location and Ithekahuno sublocation. People here value specific locations and names as well. The naming system is very complex and your name is very important, as well as what clan you come from and your location. So this is my family tree:
Joseph and Penninah Wawera
Bernard > Jane
- Kelvin & Joe
- Loreen
- Agatha, Triza & Charles
- Yvone
Thomas
Isaak
Dorcas
My family was incredible. My baba, Joseph and mama Penninah were so welcoming and just as excited to have me there as I was to be there. I had 7 siblings, but only my 19 year old sister Dorcas lived there still. I also had two nephews that were always around Kelvin (17) and Joe (4) who I grew to know very well.
I love my Kenyan family! They really took me in but I got closest with my sister Dorcas who I followed around and did what she would do in a typical day. This included cooking over a traditional Kikuyu fire, washing dishes (bent over in other pots) and keeping the compound clean. We had a lot of really great conversations about my life back home and also about Kikuyu traditions and values. I got a lot of questions about snow like, "how do you get water when it's all frozen like that" and, "does the power still work if it sticks to the electricity lines, water and electric don't mix" (that one I promised to find the answer and write to the cousin that asked me). But I also had plenty of in depth conversations about politics, coming of age for boys, homosexuality (it's illegal in Kenya) and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
It was overall a very informational visit, I also learned a ton from my baba about farming. Although he was a former police officer the family farms coffee now. When you think farm in America you think of John Deere and wide land filled with one or two crops. Here the situation is much much different. There are no tractors, no machines to tend the land, everything is done by hand and it is all hills.
But I also realized how important family is, not only to this community but it should be to everyone. I had brothers and sisters calling and saying hi from across the country. Each member has their own role in the family and they truly care about each other. I have so many stories that I could write about (and since this post is already wayyyy too long) but I think the biggest thing I took away from the rural home stay was just no matter how differently we live in traditions, religion, customs and even our standard of living we all have needs and we all have a place. Therefore we have an opportunity to reach out and really make a difference in the livelihoods of other people and maybe, just maybe make the world a little better.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)