if we took a holiday… doo doo doo doo doo doo… took some time to celebrate… doo wee ooo… just one day out of life… (ho-li-daaaay)… it would be, it would be so nice…
Oh sorry, I’ve had that song in my head for about a week now…
So, in the last month, there’s been a lot of celebration going on around here. First, Independence Day, then Halloween (which was apparently only being celebrated in our flat), Karla’s birthday, Annie’s going-away (though I guess that doesn’t count as celebrating since none of us wanted her to leave), and Thanksgiving. The celebrations were nice breaks from my current routine of sleep, work, go home and watch old episodes of The Office or a movie we’ve already seen, start over again. Is it possible to be in a rut after only six weeks? Anyway, when it comes to holidays, this is how we roll…
INDEPENDENCE DAY
***WARNING – Reading this part of my entry may result in learning something.***
Zambia celebrates its Independence Day on 24 October – this year was number 43. For those of you who don’t know, the British claimed and occupied the area now known as Zambia, naming it the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia in the late 1800s. On 24 October 1964, the protectorate gained independence, through largely peaceful internal pressure, and took the name Zambia from the Zambezi River that flows through the country. And one other random fact: the period right before independence was called “ChaChaCha” – I haven’t been able to find out why yet, but I do know there is a road and a backpackers hostel in Lusaka that now bear that name. (And I think that name has also been applied to Beth and Bogie’s kids…)
As far as I could tell, Zambia celebrates its independence pretty much like a lot of other countries – take the day off work, wear the nation’s colors (though I did not see one shirt that said “These colors don’t run”), maybe have a ceremony or speeches by the nation’s leaders, and have a picnic. I joined in most of these activities this year, though I did unfortunately sleep through the speeches, and I didn’t have much in the way of Zambian colors to wear.
We went out to Dream Valley, which despite its name, does not appear to be in much of a valley, though, after two weeks in dusty, brown, quiet Lusaka, all the grass, trees, and people made it somewhat like a dream. DV is really just a park with a couple swimming pools, owned by a lodge. On Independence Day, though, it seemed like most of Lusaka was there. Music pumped through the air, teenagers danced, kids splashed, and bra’ais (bbqs) cooked. It was nice just to be part of all the excitement.
THANKSGIVING
Another holiday not celebrated in Zambia, though there’s no diatribe for this one. We didn’t have turkey – there’s a funny story about that, but I promised someone I wouldn’t share it here. Instead, we roasted a chicken, which I originally thought still included its feet and head, but, thankfully, those were actually in a plastic bag, so I didn’t have to touch them and could toss them with minimum fuss. It was sad to be away from family for the holiday, since I’m used to a big get-together, but much like when I celebrated Thanksgiving in New Zealand, it was wonderful to share these traditions with people from another culture, as I am learning at the same time from them. And I think Kondwani may have called this the third time we Americans have judged correctly!
Oh sorry, I’ve had that song in my head for about a week now…
So, in the last month, there’s been a lot of celebration going on around here. First, Independence Day, then Halloween (which was apparently only being celebrated in our flat), Karla’s birthday, Annie’s going-away (though I guess that doesn’t count as celebrating since none of us wanted her to leave), and Thanksgiving. The celebrations were nice breaks from my current routine of sleep, work, go home and watch old episodes of The Office or a movie we’ve already seen, start over again. Is it possible to be in a rut after only six weeks? Anyway, when it comes to holidays, this is how we roll…
INDEPENDENCE DAY
***WARNING – Reading this part of my entry may result in learning something.***
Zambia celebrates its Independence Day on 24 October – this year was number 43. For those of you who don’t know, the British claimed and occupied the area now known as Zambia, naming it the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia in the late 1800s. On 24 October 1964, the protectorate gained independence, through largely peaceful internal pressure, and took the name Zambia from the Zambezi River that flows through the country. And one other random fact: the period right before independence was called “ChaChaCha” – I haven’t been able to find out why yet, but I do know there is a road and a backpackers hostel in Lusaka that now bear that name. (And I think that name has also been applied to Beth and Bogie’s kids…)
As far as I could tell, Zambia celebrates its independence pretty much like a lot of other countries – take the day off work, wear the nation’s colors (though I did not see one shirt that said “These colors don’t run”), maybe have a ceremony or speeches by the nation’s leaders, and have a picnic. I joined in most of these activities this year, though I did unfortunately sleep through the speeches, and I didn’t have much in the way of Zambian colors to wear.
We went out to Dream Valley, which despite its name, does not appear to be in much of a valley, though, after two weeks in dusty, brown, quiet Lusaka, all the grass, trees, and people made it somewhat like a dream. DV is really just a park with a couple swimming pools, owned by a lodge. On Independence Day, though, it seemed like most of Lusaka was there. Music pumped through the air, teenagers danced, kids splashed, and bra’ais (bbqs) cooked. It was nice just to be part of all the excitement.
HALLOWEEN
So Zambians don’t really celebrate Halloween. (I originally included something here about American vs. Zambian thoughts on this subject, but it was starting to sound like a diatribe, so I’ve decided to cut it… but if you really want to know, e-mail me and I’ll send you my thoughts.)
Anyway, despite the lack of costumed trick-or-treaters, orange pumpkins, and wax-paper-wrapped peanut butter toffees, Mason and Annie decided we still had to make the most of the day. We dressed in silly costumes (Annie came up with my costume as a bottle of Castle beer, since I really did not want to think creatively… yes, I was being a spoil-sport.), carved pumpkins (or watermelons and small green gourds, but whatever), ate roasted pumpkin seeds (real pumpkin seeds!) and candy corn (smuggled into the country by Mason), drank green witch’s brew (don’t ask), and bewildered our Zambian guests (though I think Kondwani decided this may have been the second time in our whole lives that Americans had judged correctly on something).
So Zambians don’t really celebrate Halloween. (I originally included something here about American vs. Zambian thoughts on this subject, but it was starting to sound like a diatribe, so I’ve decided to cut it… but if you really want to know, e-mail me and I’ll send you my thoughts.)
Anyway, despite the lack of costumed trick-or-treaters, orange pumpkins, and wax-paper-wrapped peanut butter toffees, Mason and Annie decided we still had to make the most of the day. We dressed in silly costumes (Annie came up with my costume as a bottle of Castle beer, since I really did not want to think creatively… yes, I was being a spoil-sport.), carved pumpkins (or watermelons and small green gourds, but whatever), ate roasted pumpkin seeds (real pumpkin seeds!) and candy corn (smuggled into the country by Mason), drank green witch’s brew (don’t ask), and bewildered our Zambian guests (though I think Kondwani decided this may have been the second time in our whole lives that Americans had judged correctly on something).
ANNIE’S GOING AWAY
I’m not going to write much here because Annie’s leaving was very sad. *sniff sniff* But I did want to share a picture.
I’m not going to write much here because Annie’s leaving was very sad. *sniff sniff* But I did want to share a picture.
THANKSGIVING
Another holiday not celebrated in Zambia, though there’s no diatribe for this one. We didn’t have turkey – there’s a funny story about that, but I promised someone I wouldn’t share it here. Instead, we roasted a chicken, which I originally thought still included its feet and head, but, thankfully, those were actually in a plastic bag, so I didn’t have to touch them and could toss them with minimum fuss. It was sad to be away from family for the holiday, since I’m used to a big get-together, but much like when I celebrated Thanksgiving in New Zealand, it was wonderful to share these traditions with people from another culture, as I am learning at the same time from them. And I think Kondwani may have called this the third time we Americans have judged correctly!
