Dear Family and Friends,
Our time at Makumira is quickly winding down, but fortunately we were able to experience more of the unique culture once again before we return home. Makumira is hosting a Glomus Seminar (an international consortium for music education) and we are housing some of the participants. Yesterday, along with the seminar participants, we attended a Maasai lunch out in the bush at the Oldonyou Sambu bomas. Hard to believe that people today in 2013 actually live in these structures made out of sticks, mud, and cow dung. They hang their clothes to dry on the nearby bush, and cook over stones. Their bathroom is the great outdoors, and they share their space with the livestock they care for daily. They are one with the land and nature in every sense of the word. It's easy to romaticize the Maasai, but in truth, their way of life that they struggle to maintain still practices male and female circumcision, polygamy, limited education for most of the children, high rates of infant mortality, ancestor worship, and the list goes on. Having said that, the Maasai still have a culture rich in traditions of looking to nature for healing remedies, a rich and creative oral passing on of their history, a oneness with Nature that we can all learn from, and a deep respect for the elderly and for God as they know Him thru nature.
I've included pictures that Tim took,as well as a short video of a Maasai choir (Loruvani Choir) from a Maasai Lutheran Church. They help to maintain their culture and share that culture with others through their singing and dancing. Our delightful houseguest, Inhwa So from South Korea, took the video.
Enjoy!
Tim & Diane
Monday, January 14
Pictures of the Maasai Boma
Maasai Boma--You can see the structure made from tree limbs, and the thatched roof. The women build the bomas (each wife has her own), and does all the repairs when the heavy rains reek havoc!
Goats are used for their milk and meat.Children who call this boma " home".
A Maasai in his daily clothes.
This is a typical Maasai "kitchen."
Just to give you a perspective of the size--I fit, but Tim wouldn't!
The setting is breath-taking!
Tim and his new BFF's
The graceful acacia trees give shade to the bomas
Wednesday, January 2
Furaha Mwaka Mypa--a.k.a. Happy New Years!
Happy New Years, 2013!
Like with everything else, New Years Eve in Tanzania was unique! Since the students are still on vacation, the campus was very quiet and it was actually a boring day as we thought about the football games and parades that we were missing! (Not very "missionary-like" thoughts, but, doggone it, we really miss some things and football is one of them!!!)
But the evening made up for the day as we went to worship on campus at 10 pm. The service of course was in Swahili (which we still don't usually understand ), but at 11:55 pm when the church sang "How Great Thou Art"---it was very, very touching. Suddenly, the Swahili words seemed to express my heart's feelings exactly and the disconnect of the language seemed to be insignificant. This was followed by the traditional ringing of the chapel bells at midnight (and accompanied by a whole lot of hootin' and hollerin' from some very happy Tanzanians!). At this point, Tim and I were back at home and in bed. Our house is only a couple of houses away from the chapel and our windows are open 24/7 because of the mild temperatures, so we are in earshot of most everything. It amazed me as we laid in bed and listened to all the simple celebrations--no firecrackers or sirens or loud explosions--just the jubilation of peoples' voices--people from the villages surrounding the campus--people who live in shanties, on rutted, dirt roads, lined with trash, wandering chickens, tethered goats, and kids in filthy clothes rolling a bicycle tire for their entertainment, and women selling their papayas, tomatoes, and bananas for meager Tz. shillings. These people, whose only focus is to get through the day---to scrape together enough money, to get enough milk from their goat and eggs from their chicken to be able to feed their kids---the ones running around without shoes, and with snotty noses and flies at their eyes. These are the very people, happily, excitedly celebrating the beginning of another year. How can it be, I wondered, as I laid in a bed (not on the floor) with clean sheets, and a mosquito net, having taken a shower, and with a full stomach...How can it be?
Well, we've been here 12 weeks---and I think I have more questions than before I came. I don't know how these very poor, very basic people could muster so much enthusiasm and joy---but I know it touched my heart---and I suspect, it touched God's too.
So, on that note, Tim and I wish each of you a most Blessed 2013. And I suspect it can be for each of us, as we grow to realize that our happiness is obviously not found in our possessions.
With much love for each of you,
Tim & Diane
Like with everything else, New Years Eve in Tanzania was unique! Since the students are still on vacation, the campus was very quiet and it was actually a boring day as we thought about the football games and parades that we were missing! (Not very "missionary-like" thoughts, but, doggone it, we really miss some things and football is one of them!!!)
But the evening made up for the day as we went to worship on campus at 10 pm. The service of course was in Swahili (which we still don't usually understand ), but at 11:55 pm when the church sang "How Great Thou Art"---it was very, very touching. Suddenly, the Swahili words seemed to express my heart's feelings exactly and the disconnect of the language seemed to be insignificant. This was followed by the traditional ringing of the chapel bells at midnight (and accompanied by a whole lot of hootin' and hollerin' from some very happy Tanzanians!). At this point, Tim and I were back at home and in bed. Our house is only a couple of houses away from the chapel and our windows are open 24/7 because of the mild temperatures, so we are in earshot of most everything. It amazed me as we laid in bed and listened to all the simple celebrations--no firecrackers or sirens or loud explosions--just the jubilation of peoples' voices--people from the villages surrounding the campus--people who live in shanties, on rutted, dirt roads, lined with trash, wandering chickens, tethered goats, and kids in filthy clothes rolling a bicycle tire for their entertainment, and women selling their papayas, tomatoes, and bananas for meager Tz. shillings. These people, whose only focus is to get through the day---to scrape together enough money, to get enough milk from their goat and eggs from their chicken to be able to feed their kids---the ones running around without shoes, and with snotty noses and flies at their eyes. These are the very people, happily, excitedly celebrating the beginning of another year. How can it be, I wondered, as I laid in a bed (not on the floor) with clean sheets, and a mosquito net, having taken a shower, and with a full stomach...How can it be?
Well, we've been here 12 weeks---and I think I have more questions than before I came. I don't know how these very poor, very basic people could muster so much enthusiasm and joy---but I know it touched my heart---and I suspect, it touched God's too.
So, on that note, Tim and I wish each of you a most Blessed 2013. And I suspect it can be for each of us, as we grow to realize that our happiness is obviously not found in our possessions.
With much love for each of you,
Tim & Diane
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)