Abantwana

My maternal instincts were switched on heavily as entered Kwazakele, a township just east of my residence, and danced into a birthday party of two girls, one 10 year old and the other 1. It was another escapade of Alexis and I but this time we gathered four other American girls to join us as we found ourselves surrounded once more by the soulful beauty of Xhosa women singing. Losa and Sino were the lovelies of honor that Bantu’s Granny’s house was decked out for. Confetti covered the ground, cakes sat patiently in front of the even more patient children with birthday hats cocked over braids and mini afros. Mothers, Aunts and Grannies sat with babies strapped to their backs as the prayers were sung to praise the two young girls and make every hair on my body raise salute to the beauty of their song. Gifts were given, poppers popped and champagne shared before we were all released to the outdoors to toss play catch with home made balls and dance to house music for hours. Immediately I was covered in dirt, the sweet sweat that accompanies children and the humidity of the evening. I swayed under the weight of jiving girls upon my shoulders and slipped in to the splits to “sika icake”, just about the only move I could perform that impressed these little booty shakers. The street was covered in the chaos of joyful screams and laughter as us American women got down and learned how to jive and thetha in Xhosa from afternoon until the moon was high overhead. These children were so incredible and welcoming, only a few spoke English but that was no barrier in our playful communication. They taught us their multiple syllabic names that took complete concentration of the tongue and we had them singing super calafragalistic expialadocious. It was a cheek aching day that left me sore and blissful.
Considering that I am studying abroad, I thought I should mention the fact that I am preparing myself for exams that will be occupying the next three weeks of my life before I welcome my family to my life here in PE.