Langa

5/9/09
This morning we participated in a connect event. The project was to paint the inside of a newly built living space at a disability residence for adults in the Township of Langa, the oldest Township in Cape Town. The townships are the poorest communities in Cape Town. They are neighborhoods made up mainly of huts and government buildings. Many of our patients at RCCH live in the townships. Fires are common because of the lack of ventilation in the huts. Also, food is cooked and water is boiled in open fire pits then used for a number of chores and purposes.

There were 10 of us to tackle a small 5 room building. We had two large vats of white paint, 8 rollers and a handful of various-sized brushes. The building walls were cement, the rooms pretty small, and the ceilings low: an entirely attainable task. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. We painted in shorts and tank tops with all the doors and windows open. The walls (along with our clothes, arms, hair, and feet) were coated and speckled with white paint by lunchtime. We were then given a tour of the neighborhood. The colors and culture surrounding us was remarkable. The children were lively…and also clingy. At first they were just asking for things, reaching for our bags and putting their hands in our pockets. Jamie turned to me at one point and said, “I just hate that I can’t trust them.” The truth in that! The pain of having your wits about you when you are surrounded by children is a pain all its own.

One little boy came up to me with his hands clasped speaking xhosa. Another boy about 2 or 3 years older instructed him, “speeeak Ennnnglish.” The younger boy looked back to me, hands still clasped, and repeated, “Speeeak Ennnnglish.” The older boy and I laughed. Once they realized we didn’t have anything to offer, they became children again and were content just holding our hands and walking along with us. We all took their picture and they delighted in seeing themselves on the screens. We would snap a pic and then they would all huddle around the camera to see.

The tour included a stop at a local Shebeen. A Shebeen is a place where beer is brewed. The one we visited was small and dark. We ducked in through the (doorless) entryway and sat on the benches lining the walls. On the floor in front of us were various approximately 1 gallon tins. We learned that beer is a traditional beverage often drank during ceremonies. It is a way for the people in the townships to connect with their ancestors. We took turns passing the tin around in a ceremonial fashion. Not being a big drinker (or a fan of beer) my first decision was to pass the tin along to my neighbor. However, I wanted to embrace the experience and when the connect staff participated openly, I was converted. The beer was surprisingly cold, and entirely tolerable. I don’t know beer enough to make a proper judgment, but I thought it tasted fine.

FYE: While touring Langa, we learned about "smileys". Smileys are sheep heads, eaten as a delicacy. When a sheep is sacrificed, the feet and heads are usually discarded. Someone (a very strange someone) decided it would be beneficial to save these parts and "snack" on them. Much like you would peanuts at a bar (that was the metaphor we were given). Walking up to the row of heads, the tour guide asked me, "Are you a vegetarian?" I told him I wasn't, but considering. He laughed and said the look on my face told him that I was. I jokingly retorted that you don't have to be a vegetarian to find a row of sheep heads basking in the sun and swarming with fies disturbing....but that's just me.