Expressing Grief

“Lekso bets” is the Amharic term for funeral ceremonies and they are a very important part of Ethiopian culture.  On the third day after someone passes away, most people in town walk to the church in the morning for a “crying ceremony.”  I attended one for the first time last week, and it was truly one of the most, if not the most, powerful experiences I have had here in Ethiopia.

Last week a 16-year-old boy tragically passed away in Mezezo, due to an accident at a very dangerous river nearby.  It was and continues to be heartbreaking for the Mezezo community.

Along with about 200 other women, all dressed in white cultural scarves (net’elas), with the colored, patterned edges framing our faces, as is done for funeral ceremonies, I walked along the dirt road in Mezezo.  As we walked, the mother of the young boy who passed away was near the front, emotionally saying and yelling “Lije,” which means “my child”.  After about 15 minutes we made it up the hill to the Church.  We all gathered around the place where the grave would be, and then the “crying ceremony” began.  In a matter of seconds after we arrived, the boy’s family (mother and siblings) began to scream, wail, cry, and shout “My brother, my son,” in Amharic.  Each family member had two people holding their arms as they flailed and expressed their grief in a very physically way, making sure they didn’t hurt themselves.  The surrounding 200 people began crying loudly as well, also wailing

and expressing sorrow.

Notice all the people in white filling the streets near the back of the picture.  They are leaving the church after a "lekso bet."

This is a net'ela, and the blue patterned side is worn around your face for funeral ceremonies.  For all other times (daily wearing, going to church, holidays), net'elas are worn with the plain white around your face and the pattern at the bottom, toward your legs.

After about 10 minutes, the large crowd formed a circle, with the boy’s mother and a few other women in the center.  There was some call and response chanting between those in the center and those in the surrounding circle, involving hitting your chest with your hands after what seemed to be each “chorus”.  I couldn’t understand all of what was being sung and chanted, but after a woman in the center would chant a few lines, the crowd would loudly say what sounded like “Why, why, why.”  There was much loud weeping and wailing, and it was extremely powerful and emotional; an experience that I will absolutely never forget.  I couldn’t help but weep as my heart was breaking for this family, and as it made me think of my family far away and how much they mean to me.

The entire “crying ceremony” lasted approximately 30 minutes, and then everyone solemnly and silently walked away from the church.  Over the following days, community members went to the family’s home to show their support, give money, and in a somber way, grieve.  At the family’s home people might stay for 10-30 minutes and visit, and eat k’olo (a roasted barley and chick pea mix).

This powerful experience has really made me think about grief and how different cultures express grief, especially in the context of the death of a community or family member.  I am still processing this experience and I have a lot more to learn about grief and funeral ceremonies in the Ethiopian cultural context, but it seems that the “crying ceremony” allows the family members and the community to really express their grief in a physical way, before they continue solemnly grieving, and it seems that this physical and powerful expression of grief may help the family and community to mourn.

This experience reminded me truly how short and precious life is, and that I must truly embrace it; it is so easy to take it for granted.

Christening

I had the opportunity to attend a Christening ceremony, in Molale, which is a 2-hour bus ride past my town, up a mountain.  From my understanding, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Religion, Christening Celebrations occur 80 days after birth for a female and 40 days after birth for a male.  The child is not given a name until the time of the Christening.  The ceremony had some similarities to baptisms I have attended in Loveland, but in many ways it was very unique.

Along with 10 other women, dressed in our finest cultural white dresses and net’elas (cultural white thin scarves with colored, patterned edges), we walked to the church in town.  I walked alongside the beautiful mother, Meskerem, who was glowing in her white and ivory dress and cultural scarf, with bright colored accents.  We linked arms as we walked and I supported her slightly, because she had not really left the house in the past 8 weeks, which is common in Ethiopian culture for the first several weeks after a birth.

Part of the group walking along the road on a beautiful day in Molale!

Once we reached the church, we entered a room nearby, where four religious (male) leaders began chanting and singing.  The mother and the baby sat in front of the other women, nearby to the religious leaders.  They also surrounded her as they continued to speak and chant.  After about 15 minutes, the baby was handed to one of the religious leaders and then was completely undressed. In a corner of the room, water from a metal tea pot was poured all over her, before she was wrapped in beautiful white blankets.

The church, where people are gathered to pray for several hours during the day.

Two of the four religious leaders read and chant, as the mother and baby sit in between them.

After two hours spent at the church, listening to chanting and singing, we all ate a piece of the traditional bread before heading back home for the celebration.  As we began the 15-minute walk home along the dirt road, the rain came (and truly here when it rains it POURS).  All dressed in white, the group of us, two people with babies strapped to their backs, ran for cover amidst large amounts of puddles and mud! It was certainly a memorable exit from the church!  After a combination of waiting under a shop awning and catching a ride on a bus for the last portion of the walk, we arrived back home.

It is a huge celebration, with a lot of preparation involved. Hundreds of people came over the course of two days for a meal (injera with various types of fasting- no animal products- wots- Ethiopian Orthodox Christians are in the midst of 15 days of fasting currently) and t’ela (a local beer made from barley).  The different wots included lentils, beets, potatoes, cabbage, and carrots.  The pots that were used were about a foot deep and 2 feet in diameter, cooked over massive charcoal stoves.

This cultural experience of a very important religious ceremony was very memorable and I feel lucky to have been a part of it!! I’ll never forget the evenings spent sitting around a charcoal fire laughing and talking in Amharic with the other women, or the Christening Ceremony itself!

Laying the Ground Work: Finally off the Ground

Laying the Ground Work: Finally off the Ground!

“If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together.” – African Proverb

For the past 3+ months in Mezezo I have been laying the groundwork, so to speak, for future projects and for the rest of my time here. The past months included a lot of studying and practicing Amharic, and much time spent in the community meeting people and listening to needs and opinions of others. The African Proverb above really resonates the philosophy of Peace Corps and the work that I will do alongside the people of Mezezo.    I’m thrilled to say the hard work and patience paid off and due to a lot of great help from the people of Mezezo, I have started projects and work in Mezezo. 

First up: A Health & English Club at the Primary School.  We meet two days a week, for an hour each time.  There are between 25-50 students depending on the day, and we have discussed hand-washing, nutrition, and also English topics such as gerunds and adjectives.  As in Ethiopian culture, when I walk in the room for class, I say “Good Morning, Students” all the students stand up and in unison say “Good Morning, Teacher.”  Only when I say, “You may sit down, thank you,” do they find their seats and class begins.  Many students are shy to speak English, but gradually many are coming out of their shells and we are enjoying games and activities together during these summer months when there is not a regular school schedule.  It truly makes my day when students from the class run up to greet me in the road and ask to double check when we have class next!

English Tutoring/Lessons: For many people in town who are eager to learn English, having a “ferenji” or native speaker in town is an opportunity to practice and perfect their pronunciation.  Many have shown interest and have been eager to learn via lessons and tutoring.  I have four regular students: grades 3, 6, 8 and 9.  This is my first experience teaching English and it definitely is quite an experience!  As is the case with Amharic for me, pronunciation of some English words can be challenging for the students, and therefore I repeat words several times so they can hear the pronunciation before they try.  Turns out repeating a word about 10 times makes it sound like a jumble of letters and not a word at all, and makes me question if I’m even pronouncing it correctly! For example: try saying the word “vegetable” 10 times slowly with good pronunciation.  Also, you know the saying “I say potato, you say patato?”  While I was teaching the names for different food items last week, I myself struggled with how to correctly say both potato and tomato, especially since it’s a lot of pressure knowing these students are learning their pronunciation from me!  Just something to ponder while you’re out and about speaking English this week!  Especially the word “water,” which turns out I pronounce (along with many Americans I do believe): wu-der…  Seeing the students make progress, like when they shout, “This is delicious” while eating lunch or “Don’t mention it” in response to when I say “Thank You,” is priceless!

Additionally, I made my first full coffee ceremony at my home and had 3 wonderful women from Mezezo attend.  It was an incredible experience to from start to finish, washing, roasting, and grinding the beans, and hosting a coffee ceremony for others. I definitely still have a lot to learn to perfect the ceremony and technique, but it was a step in the right direction!  Visiting with the three women, as they graciously gave me tips and helped me was a wonderful experienceJ Not to mention the aroma when I came back to my home in the evening; freshly roasted and ground coffee, there is nothing like it!

Sinis (small cups used to drink buna), sitting upon a "rockabot"- a small stand found in everyone's homes!

 my first three guests for buna!

Washing the coffee beans!

Garden update: The kale is growing nicely and is getting to the point where it very soon will be ready to be picked!!  The squash and pumpkin plants are also doing well; the HUGE amounts of overnight rain are very helpful; I haven’t had to hand water in 3 weeks!

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Chawata: Games!

Resourcefulness Creativity. Endless Energy.  These are traits describing the children in Mezezo.  Living in a very rural and small town means they do not have access to some resources but they have unlimited creative ideas and ways to enjoy together and entertain themselves! They can be seen playing alongside the dirt road with homemade toys, often some type of wheel of circular object or objects attached to the edge of a long stick.  Groups of boys play soccer on the dirt road, with a homemade ball made from cloth, plastic bags and other materials sewn together.  Smaller children often play a game involving bottle caps or small rocks, which includes many variations of throwing one in the air and picking one up from the ground before the other one lands on the ground; it is much harder than it sounds!

  

An example of one of the many homemade balls in Mezezo!

Look closely and see if you can make out the stick with the four or more white cylinder wheels!

One aspect of many of life in Mezezo that I love is the special memories and moments that happen without planning; serendipitous.  For instance when I went to visit a Health Extension Worker last week, I happened to meet an adorable 8-year-old girl named Besalot who was playing a “chawata,” which is the Amharic word for “game.”  She had 5 metal bottle caps and I sat down with her and for 30 minutes she showed me the game and we laughed and enjoyed together.  It is moments like these that remind me of the importance of not rushing through each day, but allowing these moments to occur: due to my very hectic schedule prior to Peace Corps, these continual reminders are quite valuable, helpful and necessary!  Other moments such as a morning run that spontaneously ends with a volleyball game with a young boy using a homemade ball and homemade net are truly priceless!

Besilot is all smiles as we stopped for a photoshoot during the game!

Besilot focused on the game!

Some kids playing on the homemade volleyball net!

The resourcefulness and creativity of the children in Mezezo has also shifted my perspective of what truly is trash.  The saying goes that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and the children here certainly have made many treasures out of what many people (including myself) would consider trash!  They inspire me each day as I walk down the dirt road in Mezezo, greeting children as they play and as many run up to me to greet me; an unforgettable experience that I will always remember and cherish.

Buna 101: So Much More Than Coffee

During the past few weeks, as I’ve been working on the garden that I started at the Health Center (planted kale, pumpkin, potatoes and squash) and brainstorming ideas and planning for the elementary school English and Health Club that I will be helping with starting next week, I’ve enjoyed numerous coffee ceremonies with the people of Mezezo.  The Ethiopian coffee ceremony is a very integral part of the culture and it is about so much more than simply coffee.

Starting the garden with the health center staff!

The finished product! |A permagarden!

First, it is important to be familiar with the different items needed for a coffee ceremony:

1.      Kasel mandeja: charcoal stove

2.      Burret mit’at: small metal pan/disc that is used to roast the coffee beans

3.      Muk’echa and zina zina: mortal and pestle used to grind the freshly roasted coffee beans by hand

4.      Rokaboat: this is a sort of small tray/table that holds the cups (sinis), plates and spoons used for the coffee ceremony

5.      Sini: the small cups used to drink coffee

6.      Jebena: a unique coffee “pot” where the coffee and water is placed and boiled on the charcoal fire.  It sits upon a circular stand to keep it off of the floor

7.      Ya buna k’urs: a small snack, usually bread, k’olo (a roasted barley and chick pea mixture), or fandisha (popcorn), that is served with the coffee

8.      It’an: incense

9.      Raw coffee beans (they can be bought at any small suk/shop in town)

10.  Sugar to sweeten the strong coffee!

Raw coffee beans ready to be roasted on a charcoal stove.

Roasting the coffee beans using a metal spoon/stick!

Grinding the coffee beans by hand using a wooden mortar and pestle! 

Each of the 3 sinis (small cups) of coffee has a specific name: the first is abol, the second is tona, and the final sini is called baraka.  Each sini of coffee gets gradually less strong, as hot water is added to the jebena and then placed back on the charcoal to boil.

Coffee ceremonies are generally done at 3 points during the day, although families may not do ceremonies at each of this times: morning with breakfast, after lunch, and in the evening after dinner.  Each coffee ceremony lasts between 45 minutes and 2 hours, and they are a time for social interaction, telling stories, and spending time with family, friends, and other community members.  During the numerous coffee ceremonies over the past 6 months that I have taken part of in Ethiopia, I have been able to gradually participate more in the conversation, and better appreciate just how important the coffee ceremony is to the culture of Ethiopia and to the lives of the people here.

For those of you who have not heard; Ethiopia was ranked as the top tourist destination in the world for 2015! If you decide to make the trek here, rest assured that there will be many coffee ceremonies waiting! J  I officially have all the required materials for a coffee ceremony and so at my humble abode I am looking forward to inviting people for coffee, switching roles from the guest to the host!

Pouring coffee: notice the tea kettle to boil water, the incense placed in the front of the picture, the jebena I am holding, and the sinis, small plates and rockaboat! Also notice the grass which is often placed on the ground surrounding the coffee ceremony area.

An adorable little girl making pretend coffee!

Reconnect: 150 days

 It is hard to believe I have passed the 150-day mark in Ethiopia.  This milestone happened to fall during a weeklong “Reconnect” training in Addis, where all of the G12 volunteers came together.  We hadn’t seen each in 9 weeks, and therefore we were thrilled to reunite!

Among the many health-related topics that we learned about during Reconnect, there are two I would like to highlight:

1.      The extent of the challenge of open defecation (OD) and the implications of it.  There is lack of infrastructure in some places and there also is a need for behavior change.  Diseases related to OD lead to a child dying every 2.5 minutes globally. 

a.       I hope to work in the area of OD by increasing education about the issue and by promoting positive behavior change.

2.      Salve (skin ointment) making: On a charcoal stove, we used beeswax, and spices (cinnamon, ginger, rosemary and chamomile) ground with a mortar and pestle to make salve.  The properties of these particular herbs/spices that we chose are incredible!

a.       Cinnamon: stimulates circulation

b.      Ginger root: relieves joint pain

c.       Rosemary: anti-bacterial, anti-microbial

d.      Chamomile: soothing and relaxing

The completed salve is shown on the right, with the preceding steps on the left!

Reconnecting with the other G12 volunteers allowed us to share stories (like the time I drank 12 sinis-a small cup that is used for coffee-of buna in one day because of so many invitations, ask questions (what kind of food is everyone making?? Who has a funny story involving a mix-up in language? ), and brainstorm solutions to challenges (like how to cook on a charcoal stove or how to adapt to a different definition of time).  Sharing stories and questions together allowed us to discover that we have each faced many similar challenges, helping us to realize that while at times in our small and rural towns it may seem like we are alone, we really all are in this together, although we each have our own unique Peace Corps path shaped by the people and experiences specific to our sites.

Some of my wonderful fellow G12 volunteers!

Addis Ababa was certainly bustling with cars and people, a slight shock to the system after spending 9 weeks in Mezezo, a town of 2,200 people! My friends and I were able to explore the city; including a very powerful, extremely moving and eye-opening visit to the Red Terror Museum (which was created in 2010 by victims and survivors of the Red Terror- a time in which people were persecuted to the extreme and many, many died.) We navigated the city both on foot and by line taxi (a van with about 12 seats- but may or may not fit about 24 people-, where you “hop on”/”squeeze in” and yell “warajallah” when you’re ready to get off).  Rides are between 2-5 birr depending on the distance.  For reference, 20 birr=1 USD.

The hotel that we stayed at was conveniently across the street from Meskel Square, where dozens and dozens of people exercise each morning.  People run, play soccer, do pushups and squats on the steps (for CO folks think along the lines of Red Rocks- but dirt and longer rows), and others are participate in group workout classes.  I joined a group of about 25 people on Wednesday morning at 6:30 AM (12:30 local time to add to confusion/aid in cultural exchange!) for the “Wednesday Project,” which is inspired by the “November Project” (free group workouts in big cities across the US, such as DC).  It was exhilarating to be with this energized group, meeting people from all over the world who are living and working in Addis, and who share a common passion for health!  I suppose it might be a bit of a stretch to commute to Addis every Wednesday morning from Mezezo for the Wednesday project workout.  Luckily my morning running routine has continued in Mezezoand now often involves a few young kids and another participant who leads a high intensity karate/plyometric workout after we run together in the morning (we are the only two participants for now but stay tuned…).

I have many ideas for programs/projects to possibly implement in Mezezo, such as nutrition lessons for mothers, making a permagarden and planting locally available foods, and helping with an English Club at the High School.   It felt really good to return to Mezezo, where people greet me by name on the street, and where the sense of community is very strong!

The Wednesday Project workout crew!

I also enjoyed Reconnecting with family and friends across the globe when I was in Addis- it is always so wonderful to catch up and see familiar faces (thank you FaceTime and Skype) and hear familiar voices.  Know that I miss you all every day and you are in my thoughts and prayers!

The Reconnect training in Addis was a great reminder for me about the importance of connecting with people in life, no matter how near or far they are.  I challenge you to send an email or text, write a letter, or make a phone call this week to someone you have perhaps not connected with recently, and see where the reconnect takes you!

Thank you for reading:

            For now and until next time: Selam naw! (It is peace!)

Wearing White

At 6 am I heard a boy say “Hannah? Nay!” A teenage boy was outside my door, explaining that I needed to come quickly.  After locking my door, I navigated down slippery rocks and mud (wearing Toms with zero traction) to the main road, where a bus was driving past, a cloud of dust trailing behind.  The boy I was with ran ahead of me and managed to flag down the bus, and I soon followed and got on the bus; I barely could fit, as it was literally packed with people, dressed in white from head to toe, ready to celebrate Saint Mary together.  I managed to squeeze through the crowd and sat on a makeshift seat, trying not to worry about getting my completely white dress and net’ela (traditional white scarf) dirty.  I saw several familiar faces on the bus, and after greeting them I settled in/held on for the ride ahead.  As the sun rose, the bus navigated and maneuvered along the winding road, which was filled with new potholes and mud, due to the torrential rain the night before.  The 50+ people on the bus swayed and moved with the bumps and turns, as the morning fog surrounded both sides of the winding road.

After a 90-minute ride, we began to get close to our destination.  I knew this because I saw hundreds of busses and cars lining the road, and people, dressed in white, walking alongside the road.  

The road lined with busses and people, surrounded by a beautiful blue sky!

As we exited the bus, the celebration certainly had begun; velvet and colorful umbrellas were being used and others were being sold; families, men, women, and children of all ages were walking through the extremely muddy road, as others sat in small restaurants lining the road, eating bread and tea for breakfast.  With the six other women from Mezezo that I was with, I ate breakfast and then we proceeded toward the church. 

A religious leader leading a call and response 

    

There were thousands and thousands of people, and as we approached the church, I saw the massive portrait/picture of Saint Mary, bordered by red, green, and yellow (Ethiopian flag colors) balloons, and the mesmur (religious singing/chanting) began.  As I am learning more Amharic, I was able to pick out some words from the singing and chanting and was able to participate; it was so powerful! Everyone was extremely passionate and happy, as they did a call and response like religious chant, complete with drumming and clapping. 

The famous church, with decorations to celebrate Saint Mary.
You can see the reconstruction that is being done, at the rear of the church.

This celebration of Saint Mary was held at a church that was build more than 4 centuries ago! There is so much history behind it and it was incredible to be a part of this celebration.  My all-white dress certainly was a bit tinted with a shade of brown by the time I returned to Mezezo in the afternoon, but more importantly I felt full from this experience that I was able to share with some women from my community and also thousands of people from the larger Ethiopian community.  You know the saying “Don’t wear white after labor day?”  Well that doesn’t hold true here…

Enjoying the celebration together, wearing white!