Nane Nane

The sights and sounds of Nane Nane:  As I mentioned last time, this day is set aside to honor farmers and peasants, and is always held at the very large fairgrounds just on the outskirts of Dodoma.  Since the day has to do with farming, there are lots and lots of exhibits showing different crops, gardens, animals, including bee keeping (honey production is a big industry here in Dodoma region), sunflower oil making, etc.  We saw demonstrations on solar power and energy efficient wood-burning stoves.  And a lot of government offices had places where they announced and taught the services that they provide.  There was used clothing galore, shoes (new and used), lots of household good being sold along the roads and in other places being auctioned.  The Wildlife and Tourism Ministry brings in a few exotic animals (lion, hyena, boa constrictor, etc) and that’s always a popular place for people who have never seen the wildlife of their own country.

I made a beeline to the place that I remembered from previous years, the place that Tanzanian craft is sold.  There wasn’t as much displayed this year as last year, but some of the craft was of new designs and very nice.  We didn’t go all around the whole fairgrounds because of the sun and dust but saw lots of interesting things.  Before we left, we had our meal, in a tent with a couple of small tables and the cooking being done in the back of the tent by a woman who had set up her kitchen there for the duration of the fair.   It was tasty (spiced rice) and some vegetables.  This is a great time of the year to do business, and everyone with anything at all to sell was there at Nane Nane grounds, hawking their wares.  We also noticed a lot of extra traffic on the main road, as well as people walking back and forth, and motorcycles galore.  A good time was had by all.

It seems like our season is finally changing.  Everyone has been remarking that our cool season is exceptionally long this year but now I think it's finally finished.  It's been nice while it lasted but now my blanket has been put away and the time has come again to begin sweating.

And tomorrow will start the final week of school for me for almost a month.  I’ve been preparing lessons for the classes to do while I’m away and I think that’s ready.  The students will have a week of mid-term break during that time as well so we’ll all have a time away from each other.  I’m looking forward to seeing friends and doing the work we need to do as Maryknoll Sisters to prepare ourselves for the future.  My motto during these months of preparation leading up to our General Assembly has been:  Trust in the slow work of God.  And so I do.

WILD WEEK

3 August 2014

I guess some weeks are like this last one – lots of extra-ordinary events – and dealing with them is tiring.  It started out on Monday with the whole afternoon (4+ hours) spent at a meeting with the discipline committee, that is the committee made up of teachers whose responsibility it is to keep ahead of the students on discipline matters.  The background to our long meeting was a surprise inspection of the dormitories that had been carried out the previous week.  School rules prohibit certain things from the dormitories, and during the inspection a LOT of contraband was found.  Mostly the first and second year students were alright, but the third and fourth year students showed us that they have the knack of sneaking things in down to a science.

 

And so on Monday we began the task of interviewing some of the biggest offenders, and then realized that we needed parents’ help, and so arranged that parents come for a meeting on Friday.  Not all the parents of the students concerned were able to come so our job isn't finished, but a number did manage to come and we spent all Friday afternoon meeting with parents and students, with parents admonishing their daughters and daughters crying and asking for forgiveness.  And not only students asked for forgiveness but mothers as well.  One mother threw herself down on her knees and begged that her daughter be spared punishment!  I guess we must have hard hearts so all offenders are being given something to remember that, like it or not, some rules are made to be followed.  Some are suspended for two weeks, some will do outside work during class time, all of the offenders are barred from going out to the Nane Nane fair, and all have to write statements admitting their wrongdoing.

 

These exercises are very tiring and time consuming and not fun to be involved in at all.  And yet it seems like rules need to be in place so that more than 350 girls living together can do so fairly peaceably and well with some order.  I wish I knew the answer as to why living outside the rules is so enticing!

Going to Nane Nane is one of the highlights of this time of year so staying home while others go hurts quite a bit.  Nane Nane is the eighth day of the eighth month and is designated as Farmer’s/Peasant’s Day here in Tanzania.   Here at the Nane Nane fairground in Dodoma there is always a good time to be had, with many demonstrations, exhibits, sales, food, music, dancing  – everything under the sun.  I always go for a couple hours just to breathe in the excitement of the crowd and, even though the bright sun and harsh wind aren't very conducive to strolling around, it’s worth it for a short time.   And it’s on my schedule for this afternoon!