Thursday, July 14, 2005

Uganda #11: Arriving at my Grandparents' Home

Before we arrive at my grandparents' home, my mother gives in & buys a wrap skirt on the way there, which she wears over her jeans. I wear my jeans, knowing I won't be scorned as much for being the lady in pants.



When we arrive our relatives, family from from my grandmaother's side are already there. Some family groups are already building huts on the property, a tradition. Imagine 30 family groups of 25- 60 arriving at your house & putting up tents on your property to stay during your grandmother's funerla rites. All in all, we expect 800-1000 people to come & my step-grandfather has had 3 more latrine pits built to accommodate the incoming people. My step-grandfather already had a hut built for us out of clay, straw & tin. It's a very small room & with all our stuff, the room seems very small, room to stretch my arms & touch the walls at each end & that's it/ We'll be sharing it with my aunt & cousin Pius & my mother.

My nickname at UVA was Kodak because I'm trigger-happy. I love beautiful photos & am always trying to capture the essence of a moment. In the village, I take pics of everyone & everything. I am fascinated by the traditions & ambience. I also want my American friends to appreciate the wonders I'm experiencing. Some people joke & ask for money, since they believe their picture may appear somewhere in an American newspaper or television. Others are fascinated by my fascination to capture their everyday "normal" lives. I'm just tkaing it all in & loving that I'm meeting all my relatives from my mother, father, aunt, uncle, step-grandfather, grandfather & grandmother's side & trying to keep in straight in my head who's from what side.

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