Magdaline was amazing, as usual, and had met two Kikuyu traditional dancers last Wednesday, the day I was late. They invited her to come to the traditional Kikuyu ceremonial performance that they always do about noon at the Outspan Hotel in Nyeri, and then gave a tour of the traditional village. Magdaline is Kikuyu, and they didn't ask her to pay. She exchanged phone numbers with the woman you see in the photo below, still in her traditional dress from the performance this morning. We ran into them after we'd eaten.
From left: me, Charles, the director of the performance group (who also get invited to perform at Kikuyu weddings and other ceremonies); Magdaline; Mary; Magdaline's son Paul; and my friend Patrick Anyembe.
Charles and Mary invited Paul, Anyembe and me down for a (free) personal tour of the village.
Husband's hut.
Not sure what's back left, but in the center is the youngest wife's hut (in order to be closer to the husband - lucky her!), and then the first wife's hut.
Bed and seats, which are actually arranged around the fire.
Interior wood fire.
Traditional three-stone fire (which most farm women still cook over).
My camera died for the interior of the first wife's home. It was actually nicer than the others, with a sleeping cubby for her, one for the children, and a wind break just inside the door so the fire didn't get blown out.
Magdaline and Ayembe and I have known each other and worked together since 2004. Anyembe was the principal of Lavenda Springs Academy when I first started volunteering there. I met Magdaline's son Paul in about 2007.
Magdaline and Mary. I always feel a bit embarassed to be too touristy, but Magdaline was totally game for anything.
Charles and Mary were so impressed with the topics that Magdaline trains groups on - making solar funnel cookers, sex ed, how to form and run a group, and now menstruation and sanitary-pad-making - that they are going back to their respective groups (the performance group and Mary's women's groups) to schedule some trainings by Magdaline. I promised her I'd get business cards made up!
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