Or, Agriculture Party...
In the late 1980s, my village started
an irrigated agricultural scheme. Instead of each villager working
alone to grow crops to feed their families and then maybe a bit extra
to sell, they combined their efforts. Not only do they share the work
and successes, but they now buy their seed in bulk, sell in bulk to
shopkeepers as far away as Maseru and Mokhotlong, and as a group own
a few pieces of farm machinery making their efforts more efficient.
While much of the money goes back into
the scheme and to the families owning and working the fields, some is
also used to support school fees and supplies for orphans and
vulnerable children in the community. Recently, Letseng Diamond
Mines agreed to give greenhouses and fencing to the scheme to help it
continue to grow. These are currently being erected at the scheme's
farm building.
This agricultural scheme and our
current maize (corn) crop is so successful, that the local Ministry
of Agriculture sponsored a mokete or party to both celebrate their
accomplishments and record their activities to share with other
communities.
Blending in with the maize in my Seshoeshoe. |
As a result, I found myself donning my
Seshoeshoe (se-shway-shway) dress and prepping for a party early one
Wednesday morning. I was being blessed with a ride from the village
to the fields where their party was to happen; thanks to the Ministry
of Agriculture and the women who were responsible for cooking the
food for the party being my neighbors. I had been told we would leave
at 8 since the ceremony would begin at 9.
By 9:30, I began to worry that maybe I
had been forgotten despite knowing the Basotho propensity for
lateness and having not heard a car in my area (We are really far
removed from the main village roads so car sounds are noticeable). I
grabbed my stuff and headed over to my neighbors, relieved to find
they were still cooking.
We hung out, snacked, sang, and chatted
for two hours while they finished cooking. Finally it was late enough
even they wondered where the car was. A few phone calls later and
the Ministry truck was on its way. We piled in and as we drove out of
the village with a truck full of excited women, they shrieked and blew
whistles so everyone would know we were headed to party.
The ceremony started almost as soon as
we arrived, because I was special enough to arrive with the fifteen
women that were the party. We opened
the traditional way; with a song and prayer. Then, we were brought on
a tour of some of the fields with stops to discuss the seeds used,
planting and weeding times, and other aspects to the growth of the
crops. Throughout, a man from the Ministry videotaped the speeches,
questions, and answers.
When we returned to the tent, we sat through over an hour of speeches celebrating the work of various individuals, the group as a whole, and the like. Much of it I understood, although bits were in terminology far exceeding my vocabulary. There were breaks for song, as they are a critical part of any celebration.
After the ceremony,
we enjoyed nyekoe and motoho. Nyekoe (Ni-eck-way) is a local dish made of beans
and sorghum. Extras that can be included are meat, vegetables, and
various seasonings. I love it! Motoho is like the sourdough bread of
sorghum porridge. It is another local favorite of mine.
It was a lovely party. I enjoyed being with so many of the energetic people from my village throughout the day.
Follow up to this is available at Mokete ea Temo: Celebrity Style.
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