We were treated to an amazing gift today. It was planned that we would visit the Duswa Village Center, where people from three local villages (where GAIA has just this year begun working since early this year) have gathered for a celebration in our honor. The Village coordinators worked with the members of these communities and planned a presentation especially for us.
It began with the traditional Malawi welcome, I call it "singing us in." As our vehicles arrive and park, a large cadre of (mostly) women come swaying and clapping and singing a joyous call-and-respond song about GAIA. They are followed by many, many children. We are, quite literally, mobbed as we pile out of the cars. Handshakes and Malawi "hugs" (cheek to cheek, first right side then left) and smiles upon smiles upon laughter and smiles. It is eminently clear - they are genuinely happy to see us, and to welcome us to Malawi.
There is a large open area where many people have already gathered and sat, along with several rows of chairs that have been set up, leaving the center empty to serve as a stage. We go down a sort of reception line of 15 Village Chiefs (one of whom is a woman), and then are seated in the row in front of them. All around us, nearly as far as we can see, there is a sea of people gathered to be a part of this day. (We later estimated we thought between 400-500 people, and 2/3 of those were children.) The first item on the agenda is the Malawi national anthem being sung by a group of some 20 high school students, boys and girls. It is a lovely song about peace and freedom, raised in the rich harmony of Malawi voices. Next came a skit, written and performed by some teenagers.
Then came the members of an HIV AIDS community support group (all of whom are HIV+) who did a song and dance. Then another skit. And then the Community Care Givers from the 15 Villages came out for a song and dance. It looks so simple and so elegant when these women in their colorful chitenje’s are stepping and swaying to the beat of the single drum, again voices raised is triumphant and jubilant harmony. There is a loose, rhythmical groove, some more subtle than others, shoulders and hips, arms and feet all moving to the cadence of the Malawi song. They dance in a double circle in the center of the crowd. And then, - to the utter joy and amusement of the surrounding crowd - we Azungu joined in. Now that must have been a sight to behold. I was busy trying to get the steps right, along with just enough hip action, and arms going in the right direction - carefully trying to follow the women on both sides of me. Just when I thought I had the pattern down, it all shifted to a new cadence, a new song, a new rhythm and entirely different footwork. Luckily, this step came more easily, so I was able to concentrate more on what the rest of my body was supposed to be doing - concentrating, yes; succeeding, doubtful. Looking down the circle to my fellow US delegates, we were all laughing and bobbing around some of us mostly in step, a few of us, not so much. I am happy to report not one of us was doing "the white man overbite" (I know you all know what that is). It was so much fun, and, apparently, quite the crowd pleaser.
The ceremony ended after some brief speeches, and then we slowly made our way back to our vehicles. Again - mobbed with children, all wanting to shake hands, to have their picture taken, to try their English, to hear our Chichewa... to be noticed.
It was a soul quenching affirmation of the reason we are here.
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