Week 5- Cultural

No matter how some may think themselves accomplished, when they set out to experience a new culture they have entered a new realm as if they were a child newly born into the world. (Willard, F. 2013)

Our tailored African dresses

Wearing our Chitengas

Since we have been attempting to fit in with the African culture as the weeks progress, we decided to buy ourselves some Chitengas which is basically a piece of African material which the women wrap around them as skirts. These are worn by many African women and so we thought not only would they be ideal to pull on and wear to school but we would also be embracing the Zambian culture even more so. What’s even better is that we also got dresses made and the locals have been telling us how we look very Zambian. It’s amazing how fast the tailors can piece together four dresses of great quality and were perfectly happy to alter them free of charge whenever we tried on the finished product- something which would probably have a cost          

                                       attached back home in Northern Ireland.

We have made friends with some of the locals who invited us to their house to try some ‘nshima’ which seems to be the staple diet of nearly every Zambian. From what I can tell this food is made from powdered maize and with the addition of boiling water makes a substance which looks exactly like mashed potatoes. It didn’t take us long to master the technique of rolling it in your hands and using it like a fork to pick up some bean stew or chicken. The meal was very enjoyable and it’s safe to say that we’ll definitely be encountering more nshima throughout the rest of our time here.

Eating 'nshima' with our hands

During the week we got a bit of a fright when we came across tear gas being set off on one of the main streets in the town. When at first we saw a mass of people running with their hands covering their heads, we immediately thought there was a shooting taking place but thankfully someone explained to us that tear gas had been set off in the run up to the elections which were taking place a few days later. Due to these elections occurring it meant that there was a bit of trouble happening around the town but this was nothing worth getting worried about since Belfast has seen itself in many a similar situation.

 On a brighter note, our Zambian friends Leonard and Gordon allowed us to experience Mukuni village found on the outskirts of Livingstone which is where they grew up and gave us our own private tour. It was so interesting to see and note how it is a world away from life back in Livingstone. The village is one of the largest in the area and has a male and female chief. Unfortunately they were not around the day we were visiting but hopefully we’ll be able to return again and meet them. The housing in the village is very basic and most take the form of straw huts. There is also a primary and high school where all the children in the area attend as well as some small grocery shops and market stalls.  Even though everything in the village is very basic, the people seem to have everything they could ever need and are rather content with the way of life in their village. I’ve noticed how here in Zambia everything and everyone seems so laid back and relaxed which I am easily getting used to and the stress and hustle and bustle of being back at home seems a distant memory.

Meeting some children in the village