The village of Mkange supports the development of the Kihembe Environmental Learning Centre. They have dedicated land for its development and have now conducted a traditional dedication ceremony on the land preparing the way for facility development. Our staff member, Peter Millanga, was able to attend part of the ceremony on behalf of the Kesho Trust and SANA. He sends this brief description:
_____________________
I would like to share with you some updates regarding the traditional ceremony which happened yesterday (Nov 24). The ceremony started on Saturday evening with the making of a small banda, made of wood and thatches on top leaving an opening space underneath. It is where very early in the morning of Monday the wazee [elders] slaughtered the black sheep. In front of the banda they made a small hole where the head and skin of the sheep was buried. The rest of the meat was cooked on site and all the people who were in the site ate it with ugali meal made from the sorghum flour. The women cooked the meat and ugali. Approximately 60 people attended the ceremony on the Kihembe site (about 15 women, 30 men and 15 young men aging between 10-16).
After the wazee finished their activities on site, we then moved to the village to a house near the office for other people in the village to gather for lunch. Four women prepared a nice meal, rice and goat meat and over 200 people attended.
The event went well and we are now free to begin working on the site.
Peter Millanga
Project Coordinator
Kesho Trust
the banda built on the Kihembe site as part of the traditional ceremony
the lead elder and the black sheep used in the ceremony
Peter and the lead elder at the ceremony site
elder participating in the ceremony
leaders of the ceremony
villagers gathered at the site
villagers gathered at the site