Tuesday, July 31, 2007
The Passport Reassurance
One final *final* note -- though we haven't heard from Sam K. directly yet, we presume that all is well with the getting of an emergency passport from the Canadian consulate, as we would have heard if it wasn't. We expect to see Sam at the airport tonight when we check in for our Windhoek to London flight! All Sam's bank cards and credit cards were cancelled within an hour of the theft and nothing was charged to her cards. All in all, a fairly good outcome for a bad situation!
The End!
Our last day! It’s hard to believe it’s over -- long tours like this seem like they’ll last an eternity near the beginning, start to feel endless as the mid-tour sickness sets in, and then -- zoom. The last week flies by and we find ourselves searching helplessly for words to describe the myriad experiences we’ve had in one short month.
I have to admit, I read this in a fashion magazine today -- but though it may not come from the most elevated of sources, it really resonated with our time here in Africa. The quotation was from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and was something to the effect that no one can be human in isolation; that humanity can only exist in our relationships with others. Africa has shown us great sorrows and great joys -- joys in the bonds we’ve had in shared song, in laughter and long bus rides and thrilling sights, and sorrows in the division we’ve witnessed, the scars of apartheid, the stunning poverty -- but these sorrows and joys have only really existed for us in our encounters with other people. There is nothing so vivid as spending twenty minutes hugging African schoolchildren and then reading a painted sign on their school fence, alongside other colourful childish drawings: ‘Do Not Rape Children’. It makes tragedy real, much in the same way that singing ‘It Takes a Village’ with all of Mascato, or singing ‘Sanctuary’ with Siyacula, makes our experience one of true connection through music.
As Tutu says, our chance to connect face to face with people in the countries we’ve visited has taken those sorrows and joys out of a purely intellectual arena into an indelible and visceral sense of resonance, of sameness. We tend to use the phrase ‘life-changing’ a lot when we talk about Africa, but the real life changes, we’re forced to admit, are those that will happen when we return to our comfortable familiar North American lives. The world’s circumference has shrunk for all of us, and though we are happy to feel closer to our African brothers and sisters, it’s not enough to vaguely understand the troubles of Africa anymore -- we must start living our far away lives with a new consciousness of how small our planet is, and how interconnected we are, all people. One of our tour songs sums it up more concisely than I could:
Let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King
And recognize that there are ties between us,
All men and women living on the earth,
Ties of hope and love, of sister and brotherhood.
And we are bound together by the path that stands before us
And the road that lies ahead.
We are bound, and we are bound.
I have to admit, I read this in a fashion magazine today -- but though it may not come from the most elevated of sources, it really resonated with our time here in Africa. The quotation was from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and was something to the effect that no one can be human in isolation; that humanity can only exist in our relationships with others. Africa has shown us great sorrows and great joys -- joys in the bonds we’ve had in shared song, in laughter and long bus rides and thrilling sights, and sorrows in the division we’ve witnessed, the scars of apartheid, the stunning poverty -- but these sorrows and joys have only really existed for us in our encounters with other people. There is nothing so vivid as spending twenty minutes hugging African schoolchildren and then reading a painted sign on their school fence, alongside other colourful childish drawings: ‘Do Not Rape Children’. It makes tragedy real, much in the same way that singing ‘It Takes a Village’ with all of Mascato, or singing ‘Sanctuary’ with Siyacula, makes our experience one of true connection through music.
As Tutu says, our chance to connect face to face with people in the countries we’ve visited has taken those sorrows and joys out of a purely intellectual arena into an indelible and visceral sense of resonance, of sameness. We tend to use the phrase ‘life-changing’ a lot when we talk about Africa, but the real life changes, we’re forced to admit, are those that will happen when we return to our comfortable familiar North American lives. The world’s circumference has shrunk for all of us, and though we are happy to feel closer to our African brothers and sisters, it’s not enough to vaguely understand the troubles of Africa anymore -- we must start living our far away lives with a new consciousness of how small our planet is, and how interconnected we are, all people. One of our tour songs sums it up more concisely than I could:
Let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King
And recognize that there are ties between us,
All men and women living on the earth,
Ties of hope and love, of sister and brotherhood.
And we are bound together by the path that stands before us
And the road that lies ahead.
We are bound, and we are bound.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Messages from assorted Kokos
From Kyla:
It is now the day before we fly home. I don’t want to leave! It doesn’t feel like we’ve been gone for a month mostly because I am still very happy with everyone here and should be annoyed with everyone by the end of a trip. I wish we could stay for at least another nine and a half days.
It has been an amazing couple of weeks. I should start by saying that South Africa was incredible. Kokopelli’s connection with Siyacula is very strong, and it was wonderful to finally meet the choir that introduced us to Thulani and so much of the African music we sing. Visiting places like the District 6 museum has introduced me to more of South Africa’s history, and provided a lot of insight into what the kids from Siyacula have grown up with. I think that the highlight of my trip was definitely singing in a circle with some of the members Siyacula, learning their songs, and providing further proof that Canadian kids can’t dance (well…some Canadian kids can dance, I’m just not one of them!).
My most traumatic part of the trip was losing my thumbnail. I have to say that private South African hospitals are incredible, and the doctors tease you for doing stupid things like slamming your hand in a door. Let’s just say that I found Ka Hia Manu very hard to perform for several days… and my thumb was bandaged like a cartoon character. Everything with the thumb is okay now, and my last performance of Ka Hia Manu was painless.
I guess I should write about the last couple of days. Our goodbye to Mascato was much happier this time- I think its because we’re all convinced we’ll see each other again soon! Our last concert was typical Maskoko magic and we all had a blast. Singing with friends from last year, the new Mascatos, and the Nedbank Singers was great. We learned new music, attempted some clicks, and just had fun. The energy was crazy! Our picnic on the parliament grounds wasn’t sad- I think we were just having fun sharing music, and MacDonald gave some of us a tour of the important landmarks and political areas. I almost got arrested for trying to take a picture of the state house (well, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the security card did yell, “eh eh eh eh” at me…).
To summarize, this trip has been incredible, I’ve had a blast and don’t want to go home! I’ve had many adventures ranging from dancing with school kids, getting stalked by lions, and learning about the historical stuff geeks like me love. I hope to come home full of new ideas, and I think I’ve got a new outlook on life from my adventures here. See you all soon!
Love,
Kyla
From Nathalie Dugo:
The end of the tour is fast approaching and it’s definitely a bittersweet feeling. Like Kyla, I also think that we’re absolutely not sick of each other enough and could keep doing this for another month or two! *hint hint to my parents: send more money so I can stay! Please!!!!*
The time we spent with Mascato and Siyacula was awesome. We had so much fun just sharing music and joking around. It was actually really great to reunite with the members we knew and meeting those we didn’t know. I especially loved hanging out with the members from Siyacula in South Africa! They even made me do a solo during our little circle-sharing session that Kyla mentioned already. Sheesh. Way to make you feel incorporated RIGHT AWAY! haha! Awesome. I think the bond with them is much stronger now that I’ve met them! We sang Fare Thee Well for them and it was pretty heartbreaking. I have already promised many of them that I have to return someday... soon hopefully!
Seeing Mascato was also a big highlight. I was originally really scared that the connection we had last year would have somehow changed, but I was very wrong. It’s been crazy-fun reconnecting, reliving memories from last year and, of course, partying. For future reference: Maskokos + clubbing in Africa = insanely fun.
Anyways, I should wrap this up. This tour has been amazing! Of all of the places I’ve been to, South Africa and Namibia have definitely taken a piece of my heart. Josh and I are considering moving here… yes, we are!
Love,
Naty
From Tessa:
I’ve been completely dreading this week because this tour has been so amazing! Every day has been a gift and all of our experiences have been wonderful. Siyacula (the choir I sing in) benefited so much from Kokopelli’s visit and they all had tons of fun! This tour introduced me to Mascato and now I understand even more what all of the fuss is about. They really are an inspiring group and their spirit was so contagious.
This tour has been one month full of fun and many crazy obstacles, but it’s meant so much to me and I can’t wait to come back to Edmonton!!! I love all of these Kokos and I’m going to miss them SO much! Thank you!
Tessa
From Lauren:
Oh man, I can’t believe the tour is almost over! I’ve had so many great moments that I couldn’t possibly write them all. I loved singing our last concert with Mascato. It definitely was a blast and then we shared music with each other yesterday. They gave a little performance just for us on the parliament grounds and then we returned the favour with some songs of our own. Some were really rusty and quite terrible. Oh well! Saying goodbye to Mascato was the hardest thing to do for me, because I’ll probably never see them again. Ah!
There were other amazing moments like waking up early to see the African sunrise at 6:30 in the morning. The animals in Etosha, the spiders in Mahangu Lodge (the biggest suckers we’d seen yet), the puking in Zambia, getting completely soaked in the mist of Victoria Falls, the rush of falling 53 metres at the gorge swing, (breathe) and learning tons of new songs from Siyacula as we sang together in a circle. I’ll have many many memories to keep for the rest of my life. Don’t worry, people at home! I’m tempted, but I won’t stay here for the rest of the summer. Miss you guys!
It is now the day before we fly home. I don’t want to leave! It doesn’t feel like we’ve been gone for a month mostly because I am still very happy with everyone here and should be annoyed with everyone by the end of a trip. I wish we could stay for at least another nine and a half days.
It has been an amazing couple of weeks. I should start by saying that South Africa was incredible. Kokopelli’s connection with Siyacula is very strong, and it was wonderful to finally meet the choir that introduced us to Thulani and so much of the African music we sing. Visiting places like the District 6 museum has introduced me to more of South Africa’s history, and provided a lot of insight into what the kids from Siyacula have grown up with. I think that the highlight of my trip was definitely singing in a circle with some of the members Siyacula, learning their songs, and providing further proof that Canadian kids can’t dance (well…some Canadian kids can dance, I’m just not one of them!).
My most traumatic part of the trip was losing my thumbnail. I have to say that private South African hospitals are incredible, and the doctors tease you for doing stupid things like slamming your hand in a door. Let’s just say that I found Ka Hia Manu very hard to perform for several days… and my thumb was bandaged like a cartoon character. Everything with the thumb is okay now, and my last performance of Ka Hia Manu was painless.
I guess I should write about the last couple of days. Our goodbye to Mascato was much happier this time- I think its because we’re all convinced we’ll see each other again soon! Our last concert was typical Maskoko magic and we all had a blast. Singing with friends from last year, the new Mascatos, and the Nedbank Singers was great. We learned new music, attempted some clicks, and just had fun. The energy was crazy! Our picnic on the parliament grounds wasn’t sad- I think we were just having fun sharing music, and MacDonald gave some of us a tour of the important landmarks and political areas. I almost got arrested for trying to take a picture of the state house (well, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the security card did yell, “eh eh eh eh” at me…).
To summarize, this trip has been incredible, I’ve had a blast and don’t want to go home! I’ve had many adventures ranging from dancing with school kids, getting stalked by lions, and learning about the historical stuff geeks like me love. I hope to come home full of new ideas, and I think I’ve got a new outlook on life from my adventures here. See you all soon!
Love,
Kyla
From Nathalie Dugo:
The end of the tour is fast approaching and it’s definitely a bittersweet feeling. Like Kyla, I also think that we’re absolutely not sick of each other enough and could keep doing this for another month or two! *hint hint to my parents: send more money so I can stay! Please!!!!*
The time we spent with Mascato and Siyacula was awesome. We had so much fun just sharing music and joking around. It was actually really great to reunite with the members we knew and meeting those we didn’t know. I especially loved hanging out with the members from Siyacula in South Africa! They even made me do a solo during our little circle-sharing session that Kyla mentioned already. Sheesh. Way to make you feel incorporated RIGHT AWAY! haha! Awesome. I think the bond with them is much stronger now that I’ve met them! We sang Fare Thee Well for them and it was pretty heartbreaking. I have already promised many of them that I have to return someday... soon hopefully!
Seeing Mascato was also a big highlight. I was originally really scared that the connection we had last year would have somehow changed, but I was very wrong. It’s been crazy-fun reconnecting, reliving memories from last year and, of course, partying. For future reference: Maskokos + clubbing in Africa = insanely fun.
Anyways, I should wrap this up. This tour has been amazing! Of all of the places I’ve been to, South Africa and Namibia have definitely taken a piece of my heart. Josh and I are considering moving here… yes, we are!
Love,
Naty
From Tessa:
I’ve been completely dreading this week because this tour has been so amazing! Every day has been a gift and all of our experiences have been wonderful. Siyacula (the choir I sing in) benefited so much from Kokopelli’s visit and they all had tons of fun! This tour introduced me to Mascato and now I understand even more what all of the fuss is about. They really are an inspiring group and their spirit was so contagious.
This tour has been one month full of fun and many crazy obstacles, but it’s meant so much to me and I can’t wait to come back to Edmonton!!! I love all of these Kokos and I’m going to miss them SO much! Thank you!
Tessa
From Lauren:
Oh man, I can’t believe the tour is almost over! I’ve had so many great moments that I couldn’t possibly write them all. I loved singing our last concert with Mascato. It definitely was a blast and then we shared music with each other yesterday. They gave a little performance just for us on the parliament grounds and then we returned the favour with some songs of our own. Some were really rusty and quite terrible. Oh well! Saying goodbye to Mascato was the hardest thing to do for me, because I’ll probably never see them again. Ah!
There were other amazing moments like waking up early to see the African sunrise at 6:30 in the morning. The animals in Etosha, the spiders in Mahangu Lodge (the biggest suckers we’d seen yet), the puking in Zambia, getting completely soaked in the mist of Victoria Falls, the rush of falling 53 metres at the gorge swing, (breathe) and learning tons of new songs from Siyacula as we sang together in a circle. I’ll have many many memories to keep for the rest of my life. Don’t worry, people at home! I’m tempted, but I won’t stay here for the rest of the summer. Miss you guys!
The Pictures!
The tour group at Boulder Beach
Adam, Andrew, and Andrew's friend Gigi
One of the more saddening artifacts on display at the District Six Museum in Cape Town.
Bobby from Mascato.
Mervyn, doing what Mervyn does best!
Maskoko love at its best
Koko and Mascato tenors
Our wonderful Marcellino showing off his Lluvia moves!
Maskoko
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Big Concert!
Today is the day of our biggest concert of the tour -- our performance at the National Theatre in Windhoek with Mascato and the Nedbank Singers. It’s been a crazy few days leading up to this performance, but we’re excited to see Mascato and meet the other choir, and to have a chance to sing all together one last time before the end of the tour.
There have been more than a few crises since our last post -- everything from lost (presumed stolen) passports, to hospital visits, to missed flights -- but suffice it to say for now that everyone is well, safe, exactly where they should be, and in good spirits. We’ll save the harrowing details for a day when we’re all back at home and no parents can be overcome with anxiety. I’ll have a few Kokos write about their experiences -- good and bad -- in Cape Town, so you can hear a bit about what we’ve been up to. It’s going to be busy today -- rehearsal with Mascato, followed by a mass choir rehearsal, then a quick lunch before a recording session with Mascato, then dinner before our big concert!
There have been more than a few crises since our last post -- everything from lost (presumed stolen) passports, to hospital visits, to missed flights -- but suffice it to say for now that everyone is well, safe, exactly where they should be, and in good spirits. We’ll save the harrowing details for a day when we’re all back at home and no parents can be overcome with anxiety. I’ll have a few Kokos write about their experiences -- good and bad -- in Cape Town, so you can hear a bit about what we’ve been up to. It’s going to be busy today -- rehearsal with Mascato, followed by a mass choir rehearsal, then a quick lunch before a recording session with Mascato, then dinner before our big concert!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
It’s our fourth day in the beautiful Cape and we’ve just gotten back to our hotel after an evening at the V&A Waterfront. We did an informal performance this afternoon at the waterfront amphitheatre and gathered a good-sized audience who seemed to appreciate our performance. It was a good ending to a day that also started in a great way, with a drumming workshop at Somerset College. Today we also said farewell to Somerset and our lovely host families in Somerset West, as we packed up the buses again and headed off to Cape Town. We stopped along the way, first in Simon’s Town and then at Boulders Beach, site of an African penguin colony. After getting to know the penguins a bit, we sang for the site staff and then headed along the gorgeous drive along the Cape. It’s a bit like the Okanagan here, mixed in with the coastal mountains of Vancouver -- many vineyards as well as gorgeous ocean views. There’s also the fascinating and at times dark history of this place too, relatively recently emerging from the apartheid regime. We drove past one of the many Cape region townships today, each housing two to three million people in these immense informal settlements.
South Africa has been a bit of a change of pace from our busy traveling schedule last week, but a welcome one. The first two nights we stayed at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West, about 40 minutes outside Cape Town. This beautiful posh hotel pampered us, which felt wonderful after more than a few days of roughing it. Leigh called the concierge on Saturday morning to ask if there was a nearby bookstore where she could pick up the new Harry Potter book and was surprised to have it delivered to her door within half an hour!
We attended an inspiring performance on Friday night -- the World Youth Choir just happens to be touring South Africa this summer and we managed to get tickets to one of their concerts! What a great experience, to see a choir of that caliber. We were especially proud of our two Canadian delegates -- Emily Cheung (a former schoolmate of mine from UBC), and Edmonton’s own Dawn Bailey (another former schoolmate, this time from U of A, and also a member of the Cantilon choirs). The choir sang most of the second half without music and with movement, with a program of African traditional music that had us dancing in our seats.
The hotel is a sponsor for Marijke Roos’s fabulous choir Siyacula, which is Kokopelli’s other African twin choir. The group is a bit newer than either Kokopelli or Mascato, but has a great vitality and enthusiasm which is inspiring. On the night of our fundraiser performance at the hotel, many Kokos spent about an hour singing with Siyacula members, learning new pieces and laughing at our attempts at the languages and movement. Our second concert with the group took place on Monday night at Somerset College, singing to a packed chapel that included a rugby team from Eton College England! It was a great concert and we had a good time talking with Siyacula afterwards, offering mutual encouragement and just enjoying each other.
After our stay at the Lord Charles, we were billeted out to host families from Somerset College -- many beautiful homes and warm hosts! (Some of our lucky choristers were even given the use of a car while they stayed with the families! Incredible!) It was nice, as always, to get to know some locals and to spend some time in a homelike environment -- especially with laundry facilities.
We spent all of Monday morning in school performances. First we sang for the Somerset assembly, which was an interesting view into private school decorum and conduct -- what an amazingly well behaved group of high school students! -- then for a primary school in the township of Lewandle, which was an interesting view into total chaos! We headed over to a nearby Lewandle preschool next, where many a heart was overwhelmed with the amount of cuteness we encountered. I had to order a bus check as we headed back to Somerset to make sure no one had stowed a toddler under their seat.
Yesterday was a free day for the choir and we all went in different directions. One bus traveled to Cape Town and the other to Stellenbosch (a small bohemian university town in the Somerset area). I was in with the Stellenbosch crew, spending a somewhat rainy but pleasant day exploring this beautiful town and enjoying its shops.
We were pleasantly surprised to meet up with Katelyn Jensen here in Somerset West, too! Katelyn is a Kokopelli member who’s been on school exchange at Marijke’s school, Somerset College, and we expected that she would be back in Canada by now, but she extended her stay in order to see Kokopelli in Cape Town, which is great.
As well as getting to know our twin choir here, we’ve been busy with recreational pursuits -- everything from exploring the local wine farms, to getting out to see a bit of the nightlife with billet families, to shopping at Somerset Mall. We spent Monday afternoon at Spier, a local wine farm that includes a delicious restaurant (with traditional African face painting!), picnic opportunities, beautiful scenery, and a cheetah and falcon sanctuary. Tomorrow is another free day with as many destinations and plans as there are choir buddies! Sadly, the shark diving expedition (yes, there was a shark diving expedition) has been cancelled due to imminent bad weather, but there will be a wine tour instead. Others are hoping to climb Table Mountain, scale Signal Hill, visit the District 6 Museum, explore the Waterfront area…or just sleep off whatever sickness is hitting at this point in the tour.
And now, finally, a few pics, because this internet is FAST, if expensive:
Alex on our Zambezi River cruise, back in Zambia
The Zambezi Swing! (Parents, avert your eyes!)
Victoria Falls
Siyacula sings for us
Cool face painting at Moyo, the great restaurant at Spier
A very happy Jenica finally gets to pet cheetahs
Some Kokos at Boulder Beach checking out the penguins
Our performance at the Waterfront today
Last but not least, I've just gotten the e-mail nod to share some non-African Kokopelli news that I've been dying to share all tour. From my brother Alan and his wife Kelly, both members of Òran:
Hello,
I thought I'd like to let you all know that Kelly has been feeling a little under the weather lately. She's experiencing mild nausea, aches, and fatigue. We went to the doctor, who told us that she has developed a growth in her abdomen, which she apparently caught from me about 10 weeks ago. The doctor said we shouldn't worry too much, and that it should clear itself up sometime around February 18th. I did a little research, though, and apparently the after-effects of this condition are prolonged, and typically last at least two decades. We thought you guys would like to know.
Our parents are very excited about it, too. Love, Alan & Kelly
South Africa has been a bit of a change of pace from our busy traveling schedule last week, but a welcome one. The first two nights we stayed at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West, about 40 minutes outside Cape Town. This beautiful posh hotel pampered us, which felt wonderful after more than a few days of roughing it. Leigh called the concierge on Saturday morning to ask if there was a nearby bookstore where she could pick up the new Harry Potter book and was surprised to have it delivered to her door within half an hour!
We attended an inspiring performance on Friday night -- the World Youth Choir just happens to be touring South Africa this summer and we managed to get tickets to one of their concerts! What a great experience, to see a choir of that caliber. We were especially proud of our two Canadian delegates -- Emily Cheung (a former schoolmate of mine from UBC), and Edmonton’s own Dawn Bailey (another former schoolmate, this time from U of A, and also a member of the Cantilon choirs). The choir sang most of the second half without music and with movement, with a program of African traditional music that had us dancing in our seats.
The hotel is a sponsor for Marijke Roos’s fabulous choir Siyacula, which is Kokopelli’s other African twin choir. The group is a bit newer than either Kokopelli or Mascato, but has a great vitality and enthusiasm which is inspiring. On the night of our fundraiser performance at the hotel, many Kokos spent about an hour singing with Siyacula members, learning new pieces and laughing at our attempts at the languages and movement. Our second concert with the group took place on Monday night at Somerset College, singing to a packed chapel that included a rugby team from Eton College England! It was a great concert and we had a good time talking with Siyacula afterwards, offering mutual encouragement and just enjoying each other.
After our stay at the Lord Charles, we were billeted out to host families from Somerset College -- many beautiful homes and warm hosts! (Some of our lucky choristers were even given the use of a car while they stayed with the families! Incredible!) It was nice, as always, to get to know some locals and to spend some time in a homelike environment -- especially with laundry facilities.
We spent all of Monday morning in school performances. First we sang for the Somerset assembly, which was an interesting view into private school decorum and conduct -- what an amazingly well behaved group of high school students! -- then for a primary school in the township of Lewandle, which was an interesting view into total chaos! We headed over to a nearby Lewandle preschool next, where many a heart was overwhelmed with the amount of cuteness we encountered. I had to order a bus check as we headed back to Somerset to make sure no one had stowed a toddler under their seat.
Yesterday was a free day for the choir and we all went in different directions. One bus traveled to Cape Town and the other to Stellenbosch (a small bohemian university town in the Somerset area). I was in with the Stellenbosch crew, spending a somewhat rainy but pleasant day exploring this beautiful town and enjoying its shops.
We were pleasantly surprised to meet up with Katelyn Jensen here in Somerset West, too! Katelyn is a Kokopelli member who’s been on school exchange at Marijke’s school, Somerset College, and we expected that she would be back in Canada by now, but she extended her stay in order to see Kokopelli in Cape Town, which is great.
As well as getting to know our twin choir here, we’ve been busy with recreational pursuits -- everything from exploring the local wine farms, to getting out to see a bit of the nightlife with billet families, to shopping at Somerset Mall. We spent Monday afternoon at Spier, a local wine farm that includes a delicious restaurant (with traditional African face painting!), picnic opportunities, beautiful scenery, and a cheetah and falcon sanctuary. Tomorrow is another free day with as many destinations and plans as there are choir buddies! Sadly, the shark diving expedition (yes, there was a shark diving expedition) has been cancelled due to imminent bad weather, but there will be a wine tour instead. Others are hoping to climb Table Mountain, scale Signal Hill, visit the District 6 Museum, explore the Waterfront area…or just sleep off whatever sickness is hitting at this point in the tour.
And now, finally, a few pics, because this internet is FAST, if expensive:
Alex on our Zambezi River cruise, back in Zambia
The Zambezi Swing! (Parents, avert your eyes!)
Victoria Falls
Siyacula sings for us
Cool face painting at Moyo, the great restaurant at Spier
A very happy Jenica finally gets to pet cheetahs
Some Kokos at Boulder Beach checking out the penguins
Our performance at the Waterfront today
Last but not least, I've just gotten the e-mail nod to share some non-African Kokopelli news that I've been dying to share all tour. From my brother Alan and his wife Kelly, both members of Òran:
Hello,
I thought I'd like to let you all know that Kelly has been feeling a little under the weather lately. She's experiencing mild nausea, aches, and fatigue. We went to the doctor, who told us that she has developed a growth in her abdomen, which she apparently caught from me about 10 weeks ago. The doctor said we shouldn't worry too much, and that it should clear itself up sometime around February 18th. I did a little research, though, and apparently the after-effects of this condition are prolonged, and typically last at least two decades. We thought you guys would like to know.
Our parents are very excited about it, too. Love, Alan & Kelly
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
A post from Scoot!
I think Katy is sans internet so here is a daily update:
Yesterday was amazing with several concerts in the area. I was really proud of Kokopelli. They performed so well and we received numerous standing ovations throughout the day. Everyone enjoyed performances at a very proper Somerset College Assembly, a primary school in Lwandle and a preschool there as well (I'll post pictures soon) as well as at a packed evening concert at Somerset College once again.
Today was a free day and one bus took numerous people to the gorgeous village of Stellenbosch while the other took people to the markets in Cape Town. In addition a number of us simply remained in Somerset to relax, do laundry, or do a few local activities (I had an amazing lunch with my parents and Anne McIntyre at a beautiful winery).
It's cold and rainy here and promises to remain this way until we leave but everyone still remains happy and they are appearing to have a good time. The people who were sick seem to finally be back in their normal state over the past few days. Laura Forster was in the hospital here last night with stomach issues but she was fine today - infact she was up hitting the stores. We are very grateful for Susan Chan, our nurse, she has been busy and wonderful with everyone on this tour! We love you Susan!!
Tomorrow AM we have a drumming workshop at the college. Following that we will be heading to Bolders Beach to see the penguins. There is a renowned children's choir from the USA touring the area at the moment too and we hope to meet up with them tomorrow on our way to Cape Town.
Unfortunatly we heard that much of Robben Island is currently under construction and the tram up Table Mountain is currently closed for 2 weeks - DRAT!!
Oh well, there will be lots to do in Cape Town. I'll post some pics soon! Much love!
Yesterday was amazing with several concerts in the area. I was really proud of Kokopelli. They performed so well and we received numerous standing ovations throughout the day. Everyone enjoyed performances at a very proper Somerset College Assembly, a primary school in Lwandle and a preschool there as well (I'll post pictures soon) as well as at a packed evening concert at Somerset College once again.
Today was a free day and one bus took numerous people to the gorgeous village of Stellenbosch while the other took people to the markets in Cape Town. In addition a number of us simply remained in Somerset to relax, do laundry, or do a few local activities (I had an amazing lunch with my parents and Anne McIntyre at a beautiful winery).
It's cold and rainy here and promises to remain this way until we leave but everyone still remains happy and they are appearing to have a good time. The people who were sick seem to finally be back in their normal state over the past few days. Laura Forster was in the hospital here last night with stomach issues but she was fine today - infact she was up hitting the stores. We are very grateful for Susan Chan, our nurse, she has been busy and wonderful with everyone on this tour! We love you Susan!!
Tomorrow AM we have a drumming workshop at the college. Following that we will be heading to Bolders Beach to see the penguins. There is a renowned children's choir from the USA touring the area at the moment too and we hope to meet up with them tomorrow on our way to Cape Town.
Unfortunatly we heard that much of Robben Island is currently under construction and the tram up Table Mountain is currently closed for 2 weeks - DRAT!!
Oh well, there will be lots to do in Cape Town. I'll post some pics soon! Much love!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Hello from Scott!
Hi to everyone back home! We have had a couple of wonderful days here in South Africa. The weather and activities have been superb. Last night's Gala Event went very well and the choirs were well received. I think for many the highlight was sharing music with Siyacula. The hotel that has sponsored us is way beyond luxury! It has gorgeous gardens, 2 pools, gourmet restaurants and event 2 helicopters. To give you an idea how great it is, Leigh Yang went to the front desk to ask how she could get a copy of the latest Harry Potter book and within 15 minutes, someone from the hotel had gone out to buy it for her!! (and it didn't cost much at all!)
Today was wonderful - we all spent a little bit of time at the huge Somerset Mall buying everything from coffee to young designer clothes to gifts for those back home. After that it was off Speir - a fantastic wine farm that is so much more than a vineyard. People spent the time either at a picnic or eating in the amazing African experience restaurant. The food was once again incredible - most people have put on lbs+ on this tour. Also at Speir you can pet cheetahs, hold eagles and watch many animal demonstrations! SO MUCH FUN!
Tonight everyone is home with their host families - I can't wait to hear more stories tomorrow.
Katy has been feeling a little ill over the last week and I am certainly that is why her blog updates have been a little less frequent. I am sure you will hear from her again soon.
Today was wonderful - we all spent a little bit of time at the huge Somerset Mall buying everything from coffee to young designer clothes to gifts for those back home. After that it was off Speir - a fantastic wine farm that is so much more than a vineyard. People spent the time either at a picnic or eating in the amazing African experience restaurant. The food was once again incredible - most people have put on lbs+ on this tour. Also at Speir you can pet cheetahs, hold eagles and watch many animal demonstrations! SO MUCH FUN!
Tonight everyone is home with their host families - I can't wait to hear more stories tomorrow.
Katy has been feeling a little ill over the last week and I am certainly that is why her blog updates have been a little less frequent. I am sure you will hear from her again soon.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Leaving Namibia
July 20, 2007, 8:26 a.m.
We’re leaving Namibia! We said goodbye to most of the Mascato members this morning as we headed off to the airport and they headed for Swakop, though Marcelino is still with us. We will see everyone again in about a week and a half for our concert in Windhoek, but it’s still the end of our time together so it was a bit sad. We also said goodbye to the Chuck Norris of Namibia, Carlos the bus driver, who Chuck Norris’ed us across the Zambia-Botswana border against all odds.
Shortly after the last blog entry, a number of us came down with food poisoning and spent our last night in Zambia getting to know the hostel bathrooms a little too well. It was spectacularly bad timing as it struck right before our two days of 12-hour drives, but everyone struggled through and there was only one minor on-bus incident of sickness. The sick few (most of whom seem to have stayed together at Popa Falls our last night in Namibia last week) are slowly getting back to normal, though we’re still a bit leery of food in general. It’s that point in the tour when everyone seems to be coming down with something, but everyone’s been very brave and cheerful in spite of the unpleasantness of being sick while away from home.
If we thought getting into Zambia was a circus, it was nothing compared to the fiasco of getting back out! The border crossing from Zambia into Botswana was crazy -- huge numbers of trucks and people and cars, just a big mess of confusion with no apparent way of knowing how to get onto the ferry which would take us to Botswana. Thanks to Carlos, we got through somehow, got onto the ferry ahead of the dozens and dozens of trucks -- only to have to go through it all again on the Botswanan side! Botswana is trying to control the spread of hoof and mouth disease so there was this surreal procedure of having to walk across a slightly sticky sopping mat which disinfected our shoes, getting back on the bus, then being told that our shoes in our luggage needed to go through the same thing. We did the same dance (this time only for the shoes on our feet, thankfully) at another checkpoint partway through Botswana.
Botswana was beautiful -- much like Namibia in terms of the landscape, full of friendly people. We wished we could have had more time there, though we did enjoy our one night. Our morning concert in Maun was cancelled due to some mix-ups but it was just as well given the amount of driving we needed to do yesterday. We crossed back into Namibia uneventfully -- encountering a wandering Canadian at the border who accepted our offer of a lift back to Windhoek -- and arrived late yesterday evening back at our favorite Windhoek hostel, the Roof of Africa Inn.
Now we’re sitting in the Windhoek airport as we wait for our 9:30 flight out to Cape Town. It’s always exciting to be embarking on a new phase of the tour and great to be heading off to meet our other twin choir, Siyacula.
No pics still as I’m stealing time from Scott’s wifi voucher and I don’t want to use it all uploading pictures!
We’re leaving Namibia! We said goodbye to most of the Mascato members this morning as we headed off to the airport and they headed for Swakop, though Marcelino is still with us. We will see everyone again in about a week and a half for our concert in Windhoek, but it’s still the end of our time together so it was a bit sad. We also said goodbye to the Chuck Norris of Namibia, Carlos the bus driver, who Chuck Norris’ed us across the Zambia-Botswana border against all odds.
Shortly after the last blog entry, a number of us came down with food poisoning and spent our last night in Zambia getting to know the hostel bathrooms a little too well. It was spectacularly bad timing as it struck right before our two days of 12-hour drives, but everyone struggled through and there was only one minor on-bus incident of sickness. The sick few (most of whom seem to have stayed together at Popa Falls our last night in Namibia last week) are slowly getting back to normal, though we’re still a bit leery of food in general. It’s that point in the tour when everyone seems to be coming down with something, but everyone’s been very brave and cheerful in spite of the unpleasantness of being sick while away from home.
If we thought getting into Zambia was a circus, it was nothing compared to the fiasco of getting back out! The border crossing from Zambia into Botswana was crazy -- huge numbers of trucks and people and cars, just a big mess of confusion with no apparent way of knowing how to get onto the ferry which would take us to Botswana. Thanks to Carlos, we got through somehow, got onto the ferry ahead of the dozens and dozens of trucks -- only to have to go through it all again on the Botswanan side! Botswana is trying to control the spread of hoof and mouth disease so there was this surreal procedure of having to walk across a slightly sticky sopping mat which disinfected our shoes, getting back on the bus, then being told that our shoes in our luggage needed to go through the same thing. We did the same dance (this time only for the shoes on our feet, thankfully) at another checkpoint partway through Botswana.
Botswana was beautiful -- much like Namibia in terms of the landscape, full of friendly people. We wished we could have had more time there, though we did enjoy our one night. Our morning concert in Maun was cancelled due to some mix-ups but it was just as well given the amount of driving we needed to do yesterday. We crossed back into Namibia uneventfully -- encountering a wandering Canadian at the border who accepted our offer of a lift back to Windhoek -- and arrived late yesterday evening back at our favorite Windhoek hostel, the Roof of Africa Inn.
Now we’re sitting in the Windhoek airport as we wait for our 9:30 flight out to Cape Town. It’s always exciting to be embarking on a new phase of the tour and great to be heading off to meet our other twin choir, Siyacula.
No pics still as I’m stealing time from Scott’s wifi voucher and I don’t want to use it all uploading pictures!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
A Day in Zambia
What an adventure, crossing the Zambian border! After officially leaving Namibia, we got back on the buses and headed for the Zambian immigration office near the bridge over the Zambezi River. Unfortunately, Scott misread the sign pointing the way and led two buses across the bridge before we were stopped by a very nice border guard carrying an AK-47! We turned around with smiles and apologies, though given the hassles we encountered next, we almost wished we’d kept going.
In spite of our best organizational efforts and the efforts of the staff at the hostel where we’re staying, we were short one page on our manifest for the visa waiver requests at the Namibia/Zambia border crossing. That meant 8 people had their passports confiscated (temporarily! they’re back now!) as we waited for the elusive missing page. Scott sped ahead in the rental car kindly provided by Andrew’s friend Gigi, determined to hold the boat for our Zambezi river cruise, but with a 2-hour drive to Livingstone ahead it was a lost cause. (Our wonderful contact in Livingstone managed to reschedule the cruise for this morning as well as organize dinner to replace the one that was supposed to be part of the evening cruise.) Sadly, the missing page of the visa manifest never appeared and we had to shell out more than $400 US to get everyone over the border!
In any case, we eventually did get into Livingstone (with zero bathroom stops, go us) and our hostel, ate dinner in three different restaurants, and enjoyed the wonderful free wi-fi. This morning we were up bright and early on our way to the rescheduled Zambezi cruise, where we saw both crocs and hippos.
Zambia is very different from the other countries we’ve visited before. The line between the poor and the wealthy is even more sharply drawn than elsewhere. The cost of living is very high in Zambia -- comparable to London England, actually -- but obviously the vast majority cannot come close to being able to afford the basics of housing and food. The local currency, the kwatcha, used to be about on par with the Canadian dollar but is now extremely inflated, with an exchange rate of about K3900 for one Canadian dollar. We’re all trying to do the complicated math when we keep getting huge wads of bills for change.
After the boat cruise, we headed to Victoria Falls. Even though we had another Zambian fiasco at the park gate (no credit cards! cash only!) we got through all right and managed to get completely soaked. These amazing falls are the highest in the world and go on for a whole kilometer. We got to walk all the way along the opposite side of the falls, right in the crazy mist rising up from below. When the breeze changed just slightly, we got soaked like we were in the middle of a full-blown rainstorm. There was a bridge over a gorge where no one avoided the downpour, though some savvy people rented rain ponchos before heading down the path. Still, it’s a beautiful sunny day in Livingstone and we were almost dry by the time we got back to the hostel. We had a chance to do some monkey and baboon spotting as we loaded back onto the bus.
On the drive back to the hostel, we pulled over to watch a herd of elephants grazing by the side of the road. Amazing!
This afternoon, the Kokos dispersed to a number of activities -- everything from helicopter rides over the falls, to gorge swinging, to bungee jumping, to washing our underwear in the sink (that’d be me). Traveling in such a large group, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of social activity, especially for the introverts among us. It’s good to have some time in smaller groups or alone in the hostel and decompress a little. After all, the next two days are going to be almost entirely spent on the bus, going first to Maun, Botswana, and then all the way back to Windhoek.
We’ve just returned from our Zambian concert, which took place in an open-air venue that’s actually destined to become a clay pigeon shooting range, weirdly enough. We had a lovely view of the lands of Chief Mukuni (the local chief) as we sang through the sunset and watched the stars come out. It was a small but appreciative audience, patient through our technical difficulties with rigged power, including a great local church choir who sang a set at the beginning of the program. There was also a great drumming duo who came and played a brand new instrument that sort of looked like two woks soldered together -- like an inverted steel drum, called a ‘hang’ (pronounced ‘hung’). Afterwards, there was a delicious braai. Tomorrow’s an early morning so after our quick internet sessions, we’re off to bed. Today was a day full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, no question about it.
Though it’s exciting to be in such a different place, we’re beginning to look forward to the end of the week -- Windhoek, then Cape Town. Civilization! Toilets that flush! Laundry facilities and fewer long bus rides! And, most of all, the chance to see Marijke and Siyacula, our other twin choir.
I have some pics to share but there's a line-up for the internet time so I'll save them for another day!
In spite of our best organizational efforts and the efforts of the staff at the hostel where we’re staying, we were short one page on our manifest for the visa waiver requests at the Namibia/Zambia border crossing. That meant 8 people had their passports confiscated (temporarily! they’re back now!) as we waited for the elusive missing page. Scott sped ahead in the rental car kindly provided by Andrew’s friend Gigi, determined to hold the boat for our Zambezi river cruise, but with a 2-hour drive to Livingstone ahead it was a lost cause. (Our wonderful contact in Livingstone managed to reschedule the cruise for this morning as well as organize dinner to replace the one that was supposed to be part of the evening cruise.) Sadly, the missing page of the visa manifest never appeared and we had to shell out more than $400 US to get everyone over the border!
In any case, we eventually did get into Livingstone (with zero bathroom stops, go us) and our hostel, ate dinner in three different restaurants, and enjoyed the wonderful free wi-fi. This morning we were up bright and early on our way to the rescheduled Zambezi cruise, where we saw both crocs and hippos.
Zambia is very different from the other countries we’ve visited before. The line between the poor and the wealthy is even more sharply drawn than elsewhere. The cost of living is very high in Zambia -- comparable to London England, actually -- but obviously the vast majority cannot come close to being able to afford the basics of housing and food. The local currency, the kwatcha, used to be about on par with the Canadian dollar but is now extremely inflated, with an exchange rate of about K3900 for one Canadian dollar. We’re all trying to do the complicated math when we keep getting huge wads of bills for change.
After the boat cruise, we headed to Victoria Falls. Even though we had another Zambian fiasco at the park gate (no credit cards! cash only!) we got through all right and managed to get completely soaked. These amazing falls are the highest in the world and go on for a whole kilometer. We got to walk all the way along the opposite side of the falls, right in the crazy mist rising up from below. When the breeze changed just slightly, we got soaked like we were in the middle of a full-blown rainstorm. There was a bridge over a gorge where no one avoided the downpour, though some savvy people rented rain ponchos before heading down the path. Still, it’s a beautiful sunny day in Livingstone and we were almost dry by the time we got back to the hostel. We had a chance to do some monkey and baboon spotting as we loaded back onto the bus.
On the drive back to the hostel, we pulled over to watch a herd of elephants grazing by the side of the road. Amazing!
This afternoon, the Kokos dispersed to a number of activities -- everything from helicopter rides over the falls, to gorge swinging, to bungee jumping, to washing our underwear in the sink (that’d be me). Traveling in such a large group, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of social activity, especially for the introverts among us. It’s good to have some time in smaller groups or alone in the hostel and decompress a little. After all, the next two days are going to be almost entirely spent on the bus, going first to Maun, Botswana, and then all the way back to Windhoek.
We’ve just returned from our Zambian concert, which took place in an open-air venue that’s actually destined to become a clay pigeon shooting range, weirdly enough. We had a lovely view of the lands of Chief Mukuni (the local chief) as we sang through the sunset and watched the stars come out. It was a small but appreciative audience, patient through our technical difficulties with rigged power, including a great local church choir who sang a set at the beginning of the program. There was also a great drumming duo who came and played a brand new instrument that sort of looked like two woks soldered together -- like an inverted steel drum, called a ‘hang’ (pronounced ‘hung’). Afterwards, there was a delicious braai. Tomorrow’s an early morning so after our quick internet sessions, we’re off to bed. Today was a day full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, no question about it.
Though it’s exciting to be in such a different place, we’re beginning to look forward to the end of the week -- Windhoek, then Cape Town. Civilization! Toilets that flush! Laundry facilities and fewer long bus rides! And, most of all, the chance to see Marijke and Siyacula, our other twin choir.
I have some pics to share but there's a line-up for the internet time so I'll save them for another day!
Monday, July 16, 2007
The Big Huge Update
First of all, apologies for the long bloggish silence. We were supposed to have internet service in Okaukuejo, but as the sign said on the door of the café: “Internet Closed Due to Technical Difficulties.” The good news is that I’ve stored up a backlog of entries, mostly from other people on the tour, and if you scroll down you’ll be able to enjoy some of the stories of other Kokos in Africa. I’ve also got quite a nice storehouse of pictures built up and I’ll try to sprinkle them throughout the entries. I’m not keeping careful track of everyone in the pictures, but I’m trying for a variety of faces. If there’s a face in particular that you’re missing, comment and I’ll do my best to find a picture of your chorister for next time!
We’re now striking out into unknown territory, beyond the route we took on our first tour. Today we’re driving through the Caprivi panhandle of Namibia and crossing the border into Zambia to spend two nights at Victoria Falls. Last night we were scattered throughout the Popa Falls region. I can only speak for my group (20 of us) but our accommodations were quite nice -- considerably more rustic than some of the newly-renovated luxury suites we’ve been occupying in the Etosha Game Reserve, but clean and homey and in a beautiful setting. Our dinner (which took two hours for our single server and cook to prepare) was a great time, waiting aside -- chatting and telling stories and enjoying the power outages in the dining room whenever our cook used all the kitchen appliances at once! We slept in four-bed cabins with mosquito nets. No heat but plenty of lights and electrical outlets. There was a shared bathroom for each gender and we all enjoyed our Girl Guide Camp flashbacks as we brushed our teeth together last night and this morning. (My parents will be proud to know that I did not, in fact, get monstrously homesick at two in the morning and make the counselor stay up with me all night while I cried! Go me!)
The Rainbow Lodge group arrived this morning with tales of an encounter between an attractive young Dutch tourist named Bart and a certain member of our artistic staff whose name rhymes with ‘Jimberley’. Alas, no e-mail addresses were exchanged, but there is talk of making a new Facebook group dedicated to reuniting the pair.
Crossing the border means that we need to have our passports close at hand, and in order to help our bus remember this, Jenica composed a song:
Passports, passports, prove who you are --
That you’re not a terrorist with a bomb in your car!
This is accompanied by holding your passport aloft so that I can see it, waving it back and forth as we sing along. We’ve learned a lot from observing the grade one class back at Hanganeni Primary!
Since we left Swakopmund, there’s been a lot more travelling and a lot more wildlife viewing! We started off the week with an overnight stay at the stunningly beautiful Waterberg Plateau National Park. The red rock faces of the tall plateau dominate this gorgeous area, which is smaller than Etosha. Many of us climbed up the plateau -- a steep and very rocky trail -- the evening we arrived, while others got up at six in the morning and caught the sunset from the top. The park was full of Damara dik-diks, a very tiny deer-like creature with big eyes and ears. The highlight of the stay was our delicious and beautiful group dinner, during which we had our second engagement announcement! Congrats to Erin and Kier, who, as Erin put it, “felt the African magic”
during our dinner in the dunes back in Swakop. That makes two happy couples, one per week. We can’t wait to see who will be next… likely front runners:
- Bruce and Kim
- Adam and Gibb
- Kim and Bart (Bruce is heartbroken -- leave her alone for one night and see what she does!)
- Carlos (the bus driver known as “the Chuck Norris of Namibia”) and Amanda Coulter (who calls him Chuck)
Next, we spent two nights at the first rest camp inside Etosha, called Okaukuejo. All three rest camps in the park are undergoing renovation in celebration of the park’s one hundredth anniversary, which means that the accommodations we experienced varied a lot -- even for the same roomies! Jen and John spent the first night in an unrenovated chalet with holes in the wall, lion-shredded towels, and a sink hanging on by a thread, bravely suffering through the inconvenience while some of us luxuriated in our slate-floored, track-light-illuminated double rooms. The next day, when they lost power, water, and watched the bungalow next door being demolished, John decided to mention their situation to the front desk, who upgraded them -- to the two-story luxury cabin with a view of the watering hole from their bedroom upstairs! Needless to say, they’d barely gotten through the front door before Jen’s mom Elaine and her roomie Susan Chan showed up with suitcases in hand, claiming the double bedroom downstairs. Ostensibly they were there to chaperone, but we all knew that they wanted to enjoy the sweet life too!
The first night in Okaukuejo, we were pleasantly surprised to be entertained at dinner by a group from the Okaukuejo Primary School. This happened to be the primary school we visited on our way through Etosha in 2004, and we sang for them again the next morning! They have a fantastic music program, dancing and singing alike. We discovered that we knew a few of the same pieces and sang Avulengila and Singaba Yo Singaba together. They loved Afro Shine’s piece Ti Mama. They came and sang at the rest camp again on our last night there. They are a great group of kids and we were so excited to meet them and sing with them. We were able to leave them with a few small tokens as well -- Canadian souvenirs, some school supplies, and a half dozen soccer balls.
We’ve been very lucky with wildlife viewing this time -- tons of zebra, wildebeest, springbok, oryx, kudu, giraffes! We’ve even had great viewings of elephants, who mostly eluded us last time. On our second afternoon at Okaukuejo, we were visited by 45 or more elephants at the watering hole! We have all also had a chance to see wild lions, which we didn’t see at all last time. We even saw (but didn’t pet) wild cheetahs at the Cheetah Conservation Fund sanctuary enroute to Etosha on Thursday.
After Okaukuejo, we headed west and stopped to drop off 18 choristers at the Halali rest camp. Because of all the renovations, we couldn’t all be accommodated at one camp, so we split up for a night. Team Halali also encountered problems with the suites they were given -- no toilets or sinks! -- but the staff at the rest camp were amazing and upgraded them all to honeymoon suites. The Namutoni rest camp was equally great. Though half of us wound up staying in shishilala new suites and the other half in older bungalows, the Namutoni staff were great. Apparently the staff from Okaukuejo called Namutoni and told them that a great Canadian choir was coming to stay and we had to sing for them. Namutoni bribed us with an amazing outdoor braai for dinner, complete with crocodile, eland, and other exotic meats! We sang, of course -- what a fantastic staff!
And that brings us up to date! Sorry again for the long hiatus. I expect that my internet access will be a bit more regular from Thursday onwards as we travel back to Windhoek and then to Cape Town.
Here are the pictures:
The breathtaking Waterberg Plateau
Singers from Koko and Okaukuejo Primary join together to sing Avulengila (this is the song where Dolfie sang the solo, in case you're wondering!)
Our Albertan cowboys ham it up for the kids at Okaukuejo Primary
An elephant taking a dustbath
Elephant and baby! Cute!
A singing giraffe! Amazing!
The second happy couple. Awwwww...
We’re now striking out into unknown territory, beyond the route we took on our first tour. Today we’re driving through the Caprivi panhandle of Namibia and crossing the border into Zambia to spend two nights at Victoria Falls. Last night we were scattered throughout the Popa Falls region. I can only speak for my group (20 of us) but our accommodations were quite nice -- considerably more rustic than some of the newly-renovated luxury suites we’ve been occupying in the Etosha Game Reserve, but clean and homey and in a beautiful setting. Our dinner (which took two hours for our single server and cook to prepare) was a great time, waiting aside -- chatting and telling stories and enjoying the power outages in the dining room whenever our cook used all the kitchen appliances at once! We slept in four-bed cabins with mosquito nets. No heat but plenty of lights and electrical outlets. There was a shared bathroom for each gender and we all enjoyed our Girl Guide Camp flashbacks as we brushed our teeth together last night and this morning. (My parents will be proud to know that I did not, in fact, get monstrously homesick at two in the morning and make the counselor stay up with me all night while I cried! Go me!)
The Rainbow Lodge group arrived this morning with tales of an encounter between an attractive young Dutch tourist named Bart and a certain member of our artistic staff whose name rhymes with ‘Jimberley’. Alas, no e-mail addresses were exchanged, but there is talk of making a new Facebook group dedicated to reuniting the pair.
Crossing the border means that we need to have our passports close at hand, and in order to help our bus remember this, Jenica composed a song:
Passports, passports, prove who you are --
That you’re not a terrorist with a bomb in your car!
This is accompanied by holding your passport aloft so that I can see it, waving it back and forth as we sing along. We’ve learned a lot from observing the grade one class back at Hanganeni Primary!
Since we left Swakopmund, there’s been a lot more travelling and a lot more wildlife viewing! We started off the week with an overnight stay at the stunningly beautiful Waterberg Plateau National Park. The red rock faces of the tall plateau dominate this gorgeous area, which is smaller than Etosha. Many of us climbed up the plateau -- a steep and very rocky trail -- the evening we arrived, while others got up at six in the morning and caught the sunset from the top. The park was full of Damara dik-diks, a very tiny deer-like creature with big eyes and ears. The highlight of the stay was our delicious and beautiful group dinner, during which we had our second engagement announcement! Congrats to Erin and Kier, who, as Erin put it, “felt the African magic”
during our dinner in the dunes back in Swakop. That makes two happy couples, one per week. We can’t wait to see who will be next… likely front runners:
- Bruce and Kim
- Adam and Gibb
- Kim and Bart (Bruce is heartbroken -- leave her alone for one night and see what she does!)
- Carlos (the bus driver known as “the Chuck Norris of Namibia”) and Amanda Coulter (who calls him Chuck)
Next, we spent two nights at the first rest camp inside Etosha, called Okaukuejo. All three rest camps in the park are undergoing renovation in celebration of the park’s one hundredth anniversary, which means that the accommodations we experienced varied a lot -- even for the same roomies! Jen and John spent the first night in an unrenovated chalet with holes in the wall, lion-shredded towels, and a sink hanging on by a thread, bravely suffering through the inconvenience while some of us luxuriated in our slate-floored, track-light-illuminated double rooms. The next day, when they lost power, water, and watched the bungalow next door being demolished, John decided to mention their situation to the front desk, who upgraded them -- to the two-story luxury cabin with a view of the watering hole from their bedroom upstairs! Needless to say, they’d barely gotten through the front door before Jen’s mom Elaine and her roomie Susan Chan showed up with suitcases in hand, claiming the double bedroom downstairs. Ostensibly they were there to chaperone, but we all knew that they wanted to enjoy the sweet life too!
The first night in Okaukuejo, we were pleasantly surprised to be entertained at dinner by a group from the Okaukuejo Primary School. This happened to be the primary school we visited on our way through Etosha in 2004, and we sang for them again the next morning! They have a fantastic music program, dancing and singing alike. We discovered that we knew a few of the same pieces and sang Avulengila and Singaba Yo Singaba together. They loved Afro Shine’s piece Ti Mama. They came and sang at the rest camp again on our last night there. They are a great group of kids and we were so excited to meet them and sing with them. We were able to leave them with a few small tokens as well -- Canadian souvenirs, some school supplies, and a half dozen soccer balls.
We’ve been very lucky with wildlife viewing this time -- tons of zebra, wildebeest, springbok, oryx, kudu, giraffes! We’ve even had great viewings of elephants, who mostly eluded us last time. On our second afternoon at Okaukuejo, we were visited by 45 or more elephants at the watering hole! We have all also had a chance to see wild lions, which we didn’t see at all last time. We even saw (but didn’t pet) wild cheetahs at the Cheetah Conservation Fund sanctuary enroute to Etosha on Thursday.
After Okaukuejo, we headed west and stopped to drop off 18 choristers at the Halali rest camp. Because of all the renovations, we couldn’t all be accommodated at one camp, so we split up for a night. Team Halali also encountered problems with the suites they were given -- no toilets or sinks! -- but the staff at the rest camp were amazing and upgraded them all to honeymoon suites. The Namutoni rest camp was equally great. Though half of us wound up staying in shishilala new suites and the other half in older bungalows, the Namutoni staff were great. Apparently the staff from Okaukuejo called Namutoni and told them that a great Canadian choir was coming to stay and we had to sing for them. Namutoni bribed us with an amazing outdoor braai for dinner, complete with crocodile, eland, and other exotic meats! We sang, of course -- what a fantastic staff!
And that brings us up to date! Sorry again for the long hiatus. I expect that my internet access will be a bit more regular from Thursday onwards as we travel back to Windhoek and then to Cape Town.
Here are the pictures:
The breathtaking Waterberg Plateau
Singers from Koko and Okaukuejo Primary join together to sing Avulengila (this is the song where Dolfie sang the solo, in case you're wondering!)
Our Albertan cowboys ham it up for the kids at Okaukuejo Primary
An elephant taking a dustbath
Elephant and baby! Cute!
A singing giraffe! Amazing!
The second happy couple. Awwwww...
Thursday, July 12, 2007
And Kokos from the other bus!
From Joel Forth:
Dear Kokos back home, Amanda and I, having been inspired by all the recent engagements, have decided to one up everyone and were married last night on top of the Waterberg Plateau. Peace out suckas! ~Joel Forth
From Amanda Coulter:
I am one with the Bobejaan!!!!! (Baboon in Afrikaans) I am a Bobejaan princess! Really though, it has also been so exciting to have been reunited with our beloved Mascato brothers and sisters. It is such a blessing to have some come along and continue the tour with us, and I cannot wait for all the adventures that are still to come. ~Amanda Coulter
From Jenica Hagan and Lisa Bromley:
Jenica is excited because we’re going to see ‘kitties’ today [cheetahs]. Brommer’s excited because she covered herself in dung on top of the Waterberg Plateau to attract wild rhinoceroses, who proceeded to eat African Berries from the palm of her hand. It wasn’t a pleasant experience per se, but it was definitely worth it . . . Ok. None of that actually happened, but it makes a good story, doesn’t it? In all seriousness we are having the time of our lives, and are seriously considering not coming home. As I write this, Jenica is painting her face in hopes that the cheetahs will accept her as one of their own . . . we’ll keep you posted on these new developments. [Hi Mom!] ~Jenica and Brommer
From Kaeley Thompson:
Hey Everyone Back Home!!!! Well, Africa has been the most exciting and unforgettable experience of my life!!!!! It is so beautiful here in Africa and the experiences I have had (including the “messed up” dreams from my Malarone) is something that I could never forget. The people I have been traveling with have really made this experience way more exciting!!!! My favorite experience was when we went to Hanganeni Primary School and we sang to the young children in the courtyard and were interrupted by the lovely and sandy east wind. I swear I am still washing sand out of my hair. But seriously I have never been touched so deeply by those children and their beautiful voices. I hope everyone back home are having a good summer and I miss home and some of the people but I am going to love coming home and sharing everything I have experienced in full detail!!!!!!! Sorry for those that might have to go through that!!!!! ~Kaeley
From Ruth Stubbings:
Africa. Wow. I have been having some amazing flashbacks from my childhood. From the sugarcane fields and the bamboo trees, to the baboons on the side of the highway, to the markets and the smells in the air. I’m excited to see what the rest of our adventure can bring in terms of creating memory flashback of Malawi, where I spent the first five years of my life. So far we have been very spoiled here. The food has been amazing and delicious and the accommodations have been more than luxurious and welcoming. We are now heading to some more remote areas of Namibia, Zambia and Botswana, so I’m really looking forward to seeing some of the “real” Africa. Yesterday we saw two traditional women walking into a gas station. It was a strange combination of old traditional world meets new world… can’t wait to have more of these experiences. Can’t wait to show all of you my pictures! Love and you and miss you all back home!...Ruth
From Sam Snider:
Hey to everyone back home. Being here in Africa is such a great thing. I love it here so much, although being away from the people I love the most is really hard. So much has happened while we are here. I am sad to say that I have not taken as many pictures I as should have take, but that’s okay. Stories will have to do. For sure one of the best things that’s has happened here was singing for the schools. I love to see their faces and the joy that we are bringing to them. It’s a joy and a half. Reminded me of mission trips for sure. I loved going to the primary school the most. They were so cute and loved to cuddle and just be close to you, not to mention the long lasting memories of them. Being in this choir has taught me a lot: to love and cherish everyone moment that I have with them. I am missing so many people at home and I can’t wait to see you all again. Stay safe and pray for me… love love <3 sam snider
From Josh Mckeown:
Hey hey hey to all my friends and family! This trip has just been beyond words for me, and I am enjoying every moment. From the boat trips with dolphins to our amazing concerts and seeing the baboons on the road, this has been a breathtaking experience. I have learned so much already and excited for the experiences to come. My favorite part so far was our experience at the elementary school where we gave very disadvantaged kids school supplies and we were able to share music with them. It was such an emotional experience for me and a lot of choristers. I will never forget that for a long time; it reminded me so much of my mission work, and reminded me really of why I loved working with kids and sharing love with them. Well, enough with the emotion, I proclaim myself “King of the Bobejaans!!” and send so much love to Mom and Dad and all my friends/fam at home. I MISS YOU TONS! xoxo - Josh
From Geoff Wallace:
Howdy everyone! Namibia is an amazing place. Everything about it – the landscapes, the geography, the food, the languages, the animals, and the locals – is unlike anything I’ve seen or experienced before. So far I’ve had a fantastic time. I’ve mooned Etosha from atop the Waterberg Plateau, vomited down Dune 7, exorcized my pet peeves, and bought (and eaten) some of the strangest fruit I’ve ever seen. If all that can be done in a week, I can’t wait for the next three! -Geoff
From Nathalie Dugo:
Hey friends and family! Hope everything in North America is great! Here, on the complete other end of the world, the group has accumulated some wonderful memories thus far. It still hasn’t completely hit me that we’re ACTUALLY here! It feels so much like home and I can’t help thinking that you guys should all be here with us. Yesterday many of us experienced an interesting phenomenon: the lack of doors to the washrooms and showers in our Luxury Suites. Needless to say we all feel way closer now. (sarcasm). haha. Everything we have done has been amazing and I am having difficulties choosing one single “wow” moment since there have been so many! I am so excited so see what the rest of this tour has in store since it just keeps getting better and better! Oh one more thing: I’ve only taken about 8 rolls of film and maybe 200 pics on digital so far. I will be sure to step this up because that’s just sad. Love and miss you all! ~ Nathalie Dugo
From Jessica Wu:
Hi everyone! Namibia has been awesome- Swakopmund is such a pretty city, and it has been great to see friends in Mascato again! I was lucky enough to billet with Sandra and Reggie from Mascato, and they’ve been beyond hospitable. Yesterday, we spent the night at the Waterberg Plateau just outside of Otjiwarongo. I climbed up the plateau and am ridiculously proud of myself because I hate hiking…the view at the top was almost worth it. Anyway, we are on our way to see the cheetahs and go to Etosha to see elephants, giraffes, and hippos, I think. This tour has been amazing so far, and I can’t wait to see what else is next. Hopefully not too many of us experience many more side effects from the Malarone pills. I hope that everyone at some point in their life gets to see beautiful Namibia and experience the friendliness of the people here. It’s also been quite an eye-opening trip, in visiting that primary school in the temporary housing part of Swakopmund and realizing that I have been so lucky to grow up in Canada and have what I have. I hope everyone back home is doing well, and I wish you were all here with us!!! Mother and Father- I’m fine. Have not contracted polio or malaria. I do, however, have sand EVERYWHERE from climbing so many dunes. Love, Wu.
From Jenica Hagan:
Sadly, we could not pet the cheetahs here. I have been told that in a couple weeks we will be at a place where we can pet some cheetahs and then my cheetah dreams shall be fulfilled. Also this place lies to children! Inside the information center, they had a list of the fastest African animals (Cheetah #1 at 110km/h) and the fastest animal in the whole world (Peregrine Falcon can dive at speeds up to 360 km/h) but then they stated that the second fastest land animal in the world was some antelope at 86 km/h… I may have failed math, but something’s not right there. How dare they try to pull a fast one on me! ~jenica Editorial note: What? Adds up to me!
From Gaylene Beach:
Hi to everyone at home! I can’t believe that it’s already been 13 days since we left Edmonton! I am falling in love with this beautiful country. The landscapes, the buildings, and the food are all so incredible, but it’s the people who are making it feel like home. One of the highlights of the trip for me was when we went to Hanganeni Primary School. When we walked into the courtyard the children were all lined up and singing. We encircled them, and sang for them, and they sang for us. I’ll never forget those smiles, and those hugs. The views here are breathtaking. Last night we climbed up the Waterberg Plateau as the sun was setting – it was incredible! I am doing really well, and am so thankful for each new day here. I am thinking of all of you at home! Love, Gaylene
From Elena Schellenberg:
On Sunday, the original members of Team Olson participated by singing in the morning service at the German Evangelical Lutheran Kerk. It was a fabulous experience to be a part of. Most of the service passed us by in a blur of German, but the occasional English sentence helped orient us as to what was happening. On the altar, there was a beautiful woven parament. Tova asked Klaus Peter, the pastor and our billet, if we could see the place where the paraments were woven. Graciously, he phoned over to the Karakulia Weavers and arranged a tour of their shops for all of us on Tuesday. Tova, Lael, Kiva, Elena, Lloyd, Carolyn, Marcelino, Jonnie, Corrie, and Cheryl all made the trip to the weavers where they took us through the whole process from start to finish. Wool is sheared off Erongo sheep and then washed three times at the farm before it is packed in bales and sent to the weavers. Once at the shop, the bale is again washed by hand where it is carefully pulled apart to remove any remaining refuse. After the wool is dry, it is dyed. The dyeing occurs during this stage because once the wool has been spun, it is impossible to get the colour all the way to the center of the skein. After another long drying process, the wool is spun by hand into large spools of wool. Around the shop, skeins of wool in every conceivable colour and shade were on display. As for the pictures, the weavers can take anything and transform it into a woolen rug. A photograph, a digital image, a piece of art are all ways that images have been sent to them so that carpets can be made. Once the pattern is created, the correct colours must be chosen with great care. Then the weaving begins. By hand, the different colours of wool are all melded together to create original pieces of artwork. The incredible thing is that there is no front or back – each side is exactly the same. The absolute best part of the whole trip was the chance we got to sing for the weavers. It is well known that while these people work on each carpet, they sing. However, before they would sing for us, we had to sing for them. Sweet Spirit and Dinasi Ponono rang through the hall upon which, we were blessed with two songs sung by the weavers. Song, the universal language, united us all!
Elena for all of Team Olson the extended version
From Ian Trace:
Hello to everybody back home. So far our tour has been an amazing experience. Swakopmund is a beautiful city…and I can say that from a somewhat unique perspective – as I was freefalling from 10 000ft above during our first free day about a week ago. I’m not sure how to describe the experience of skydiving. I was never really scared…a bit nervous in flying in a plane with no door, and watching Carolyn (the only other person in choir who took the plunge with me) get sucked out of that door at 10 000ft. The thing I remember most about the freefall experience was the whistling noise in my ears... just like the noise you hear when somebody falls off a cliff in a cartoon. But once the parachute opens everything goes silent and you just float to the ground. That day also involved sandboarding and quadding in the dunes, so I can for sure that I was well introduced to the sand of the Namib desert, both on that day as well as the day we climbed dune 7 and had an evening “dinner in the dunes” with Mascato choir (I probably still have part of the desert in my shoes). Of course we are here to sing and we have had some amazing concerts as well…I’ve really enjoyed singing with the Mascato choir – they have such a full rich sound and some great voices. We’ve seen many other great views and I’ve met some great people as well. I’m excited to continue this trip and keep the new adventures coming! – Ian Trace
Dear Kokos back home, Amanda and I, having been inspired by all the recent engagements, have decided to one up everyone and were married last night on top of the Waterberg Plateau. Peace out suckas! ~Joel Forth
From Amanda Coulter:
I am one with the Bobejaan!!!!! (Baboon in Afrikaans) I am a Bobejaan princess! Really though, it has also been so exciting to have been reunited with our beloved Mascato brothers and sisters. It is such a blessing to have some come along and continue the tour with us, and I cannot wait for all the adventures that are still to come. ~Amanda Coulter
From Jenica Hagan and Lisa Bromley:
Jenica is excited because we’re going to see ‘kitties’ today [cheetahs]. Brommer’s excited because she covered herself in dung on top of the Waterberg Plateau to attract wild rhinoceroses, who proceeded to eat African Berries from the palm of her hand. It wasn’t a pleasant experience per se, but it was definitely worth it . . . Ok. None of that actually happened, but it makes a good story, doesn’t it? In all seriousness we are having the time of our lives, and are seriously considering not coming home. As I write this, Jenica is painting her face in hopes that the cheetahs will accept her as one of their own . . . we’ll keep you posted on these new developments. [Hi Mom!] ~Jenica and Brommer
From Kaeley Thompson:
Hey Everyone Back Home!!!! Well, Africa has been the most exciting and unforgettable experience of my life!!!!! It is so beautiful here in Africa and the experiences I have had (including the “messed up” dreams from my Malarone) is something that I could never forget. The people I have been traveling with have really made this experience way more exciting!!!! My favorite experience was when we went to Hanganeni Primary School and we sang to the young children in the courtyard and were interrupted by the lovely and sandy east wind. I swear I am still washing sand out of my hair. But seriously I have never been touched so deeply by those children and their beautiful voices. I hope everyone back home are having a good summer and I miss home and some of the people but I am going to love coming home and sharing everything I have experienced in full detail!!!!!!! Sorry for those that might have to go through that!!!!! ~Kaeley
From Ruth Stubbings:
Africa. Wow. I have been having some amazing flashbacks from my childhood. From the sugarcane fields and the bamboo trees, to the baboons on the side of the highway, to the markets and the smells in the air. I’m excited to see what the rest of our adventure can bring in terms of creating memory flashback of Malawi, where I spent the first five years of my life. So far we have been very spoiled here. The food has been amazing and delicious and the accommodations have been more than luxurious and welcoming. We are now heading to some more remote areas of Namibia, Zambia and Botswana, so I’m really looking forward to seeing some of the “real” Africa. Yesterday we saw two traditional women walking into a gas station. It was a strange combination of old traditional world meets new world… can’t wait to have more of these experiences. Can’t wait to show all of you my pictures! Love and you and miss you all back home!...Ruth
From Sam Snider:
Hey to everyone back home. Being here in Africa is such a great thing. I love it here so much, although being away from the people I love the most is really hard. So much has happened while we are here. I am sad to say that I have not taken as many pictures I as should have take, but that’s okay. Stories will have to do. For sure one of the best things that’s has happened here was singing for the schools. I love to see their faces and the joy that we are bringing to them. It’s a joy and a half. Reminded me of mission trips for sure. I loved going to the primary school the most. They were so cute and loved to cuddle and just be close to you, not to mention the long lasting memories of them. Being in this choir has taught me a lot: to love and cherish everyone moment that I have with them. I am missing so many people at home and I can’t wait to see you all again. Stay safe and pray for me… love love <3 sam snider
From Josh Mckeown:
Hey hey hey to all my friends and family! This trip has just been beyond words for me, and I am enjoying every moment. From the boat trips with dolphins to our amazing concerts and seeing the baboons on the road, this has been a breathtaking experience. I have learned so much already and excited for the experiences to come. My favorite part so far was our experience at the elementary school where we gave very disadvantaged kids school supplies and we were able to share music with them. It was such an emotional experience for me and a lot of choristers. I will never forget that for a long time; it reminded me so much of my mission work, and reminded me really of why I loved working with kids and sharing love with them. Well, enough with the emotion, I proclaim myself “King of the Bobejaans!!” and send so much love to Mom and Dad and all my friends/fam at home. I MISS YOU TONS! xoxo - Josh
From Geoff Wallace:
Howdy everyone! Namibia is an amazing place. Everything about it – the landscapes, the geography, the food, the languages, the animals, and the locals – is unlike anything I’ve seen or experienced before. So far I’ve had a fantastic time. I’ve mooned Etosha from atop the Waterberg Plateau, vomited down Dune 7, exorcized my pet peeves, and bought (and eaten) some of the strangest fruit I’ve ever seen. If all that can be done in a week, I can’t wait for the next three! -Geoff
From Nathalie Dugo:
Hey friends and family! Hope everything in North America is great! Here, on the complete other end of the world, the group has accumulated some wonderful memories thus far. It still hasn’t completely hit me that we’re ACTUALLY here! It feels so much like home and I can’t help thinking that you guys should all be here with us. Yesterday many of us experienced an interesting phenomenon: the lack of doors to the washrooms and showers in our Luxury Suites. Needless to say we all feel way closer now. (sarcasm). haha. Everything we have done has been amazing and I am having difficulties choosing one single “wow” moment since there have been so many! I am so excited so see what the rest of this tour has in store since it just keeps getting better and better! Oh one more thing: I’ve only taken about 8 rolls of film and maybe 200 pics on digital so far. I will be sure to step this up because that’s just sad. Love and miss you all! ~ Nathalie Dugo
From Jessica Wu:
Hi everyone! Namibia has been awesome- Swakopmund is such a pretty city, and it has been great to see friends in Mascato again! I was lucky enough to billet with Sandra and Reggie from Mascato, and they’ve been beyond hospitable. Yesterday, we spent the night at the Waterberg Plateau just outside of Otjiwarongo. I climbed up the plateau and am ridiculously proud of myself because I hate hiking…the view at the top was almost worth it. Anyway, we are on our way to see the cheetahs and go to Etosha to see elephants, giraffes, and hippos, I think. This tour has been amazing so far, and I can’t wait to see what else is next. Hopefully not too many of us experience many more side effects from the Malarone pills. I hope that everyone at some point in their life gets to see beautiful Namibia and experience the friendliness of the people here. It’s also been quite an eye-opening trip, in visiting that primary school in the temporary housing part of Swakopmund and realizing that I have been so lucky to grow up in Canada and have what I have. I hope everyone back home is doing well, and I wish you were all here with us!!! Mother and Father- I’m fine. Have not contracted polio or malaria. I do, however, have sand EVERYWHERE from climbing so many dunes. Love, Wu.
From Jenica Hagan:
Sadly, we could not pet the cheetahs here. I have been told that in a couple weeks we will be at a place where we can pet some cheetahs and then my cheetah dreams shall be fulfilled. Also this place lies to children! Inside the information center, they had a list of the fastest African animals (Cheetah #1 at 110km/h) and the fastest animal in the whole world (Peregrine Falcon can dive at speeds up to 360 km/h) but then they stated that the second fastest land animal in the world was some antelope at 86 km/h… I may have failed math, but something’s not right there. How dare they try to pull a fast one on me! ~jenica Editorial note: What? Adds up to me!
From Gaylene Beach:
Hi to everyone at home! I can’t believe that it’s already been 13 days since we left Edmonton! I am falling in love with this beautiful country. The landscapes, the buildings, and the food are all so incredible, but it’s the people who are making it feel like home. One of the highlights of the trip for me was when we went to Hanganeni Primary School. When we walked into the courtyard the children were all lined up and singing. We encircled them, and sang for them, and they sang for us. I’ll never forget those smiles, and those hugs. The views here are breathtaking. Last night we climbed up the Waterberg Plateau as the sun was setting – it was incredible! I am doing really well, and am so thankful for each new day here. I am thinking of all of you at home! Love, Gaylene
From Elena Schellenberg:
On Sunday, the original members of Team Olson participated by singing in the morning service at the German Evangelical Lutheran Kerk. It was a fabulous experience to be a part of. Most of the service passed us by in a blur of German, but the occasional English sentence helped orient us as to what was happening. On the altar, there was a beautiful woven parament. Tova asked Klaus Peter, the pastor and our billet, if we could see the place where the paraments were woven. Graciously, he phoned over to the Karakulia Weavers and arranged a tour of their shops for all of us on Tuesday. Tova, Lael, Kiva, Elena, Lloyd, Carolyn, Marcelino, Jonnie, Corrie, and Cheryl all made the trip to the weavers where they took us through the whole process from start to finish. Wool is sheared off Erongo sheep and then washed three times at the farm before it is packed in bales and sent to the weavers. Once at the shop, the bale is again washed by hand where it is carefully pulled apart to remove any remaining refuse. After the wool is dry, it is dyed. The dyeing occurs during this stage because once the wool has been spun, it is impossible to get the colour all the way to the center of the skein. After another long drying process, the wool is spun by hand into large spools of wool. Around the shop, skeins of wool in every conceivable colour and shade were on display. As for the pictures, the weavers can take anything and transform it into a woolen rug. A photograph, a digital image, a piece of art are all ways that images have been sent to them so that carpets can be made. Once the pattern is created, the correct colours must be chosen with great care. Then the weaving begins. By hand, the different colours of wool are all melded together to create original pieces of artwork. The incredible thing is that there is no front or back – each side is exactly the same. The absolute best part of the whole trip was the chance we got to sing for the weavers. It is well known that while these people work on each carpet, they sing. However, before they would sing for us, we had to sing for them. Sweet Spirit and Dinasi Ponono rang through the hall upon which, we were blessed with two songs sung by the weavers. Song, the universal language, united us all!
Elena for all of Team Olson the extended version
From Ian Trace:
Hello to everybody back home. So far our tour has been an amazing experience. Swakopmund is a beautiful city…and I can say that from a somewhat unique perspective – as I was freefalling from 10 000ft above during our first free day about a week ago. I’m not sure how to describe the experience of skydiving. I was never really scared…a bit nervous in flying in a plane with no door, and watching Carolyn (the only other person in choir who took the plunge with me) get sucked out of that door at 10 000ft. The thing I remember most about the freefall experience was the whistling noise in my ears... just like the noise you hear when somebody falls off a cliff in a cartoon. But once the parachute opens everything goes silent and you just float to the ground. That day also involved sandboarding and quadding in the dunes, so I can for sure that I was well introduced to the sand of the Namib desert, both on that day as well as the day we climbed dune 7 and had an evening “dinner in the dunes” with Mascato choir (I probably still have part of the desert in my shoes). Of course we are here to sing and we have had some amazing concerts as well…I’ve really enjoyed singing with the Mascato choir – they have such a full rich sound and some great voices. We’ve seen many other great views and I’ve met some great people as well. I’m excited to continue this trip and keep the new adventures coming! – Ian Trace
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Thank You Note
We’re leaving Swakop with lighter luggage; we’ve now distributed all the goods we collected and brought for various schools in the area. But I’m excited to say that even though we’ve given away all the gifts we brought, we’re not leaving empty-handed. I have the collected thank you letters written by students from both Hanganeni Primary (the site of our windy Monday morning concert) and Mondessa Youth Opportunities (the after-school program where our own Lex Hillyard is working this year). Hanganeni staff gratefully accepted our gifts of the school kits assembled by Wendy Gibb, as well as a rather overwhelmingly large donation of sweets for the schoolchildren, given out of the kindness of one chaperone’s amazingly generous and loving heart! MYO (Lex’s program) were the recipients of a number of books collected by Kim and Lloyd Chung (Oran members holding down the fort back in Canada). Lex said her students were completely thrilled by the books. Some of them attended our Swakop evening concert courtesy of Lex while others saw us perform at Hanganeni during their regular school day. Lex reports that her class is still abuzz about the concerts and the books!
I thought I would share a handful of the dozens of letters we received. Typing them up doesn’t really do justice to the drawings and creative spelling and the immensely colourful look of the Hanganeni letters (where the students made good use of the coloured pencils we gave them!), but we’ve all enjoyed reading these sincere, sweet, and often entertaining letters so we’d like everyone to have a sample:
Swakopmund
PO Box 1716
Namibia
9 July 2007
Dear Kokopelli, Kim and Lloyd
My name is Helao. I am 12 years old. My hobbies are singing, dancing, and playing tennis. MYO is very important for me because it helps children that don’t have food, love, care and shelter. MYO is helping a lot of kids and I just don’t know how to thank MYO.
Thank you very much Kokopelli Choir for sponsoring us with amazing things. I just don’t no how to thank you. I really enjoyed your show it was amazing. What I learned from your show is that if you have the potential to sing you have to go out there and do it. Thank you very much. May God bless. Have a pleasant year.
Yours truly
Helao
We will share more of these once we get back home!
Lex teaching her class at MYO
I thought I would share a handful of the dozens of letters we received. Typing them up doesn’t really do justice to the drawings and creative spelling and the immensely colourful look of the Hanganeni letters (where the students made good use of the coloured pencils we gave them!), but we’ve all enjoyed reading these sincere, sweet, and often entertaining letters so we’d like everyone to have a sample:
Swakopmund
PO Box 1716
Namibia
9 July 2007
Dear Kokopelli, Kim and Lloyd
My name is Helao. I am 12 years old. My hobbies are singing, dancing, and playing tennis. MYO is very important for me because it helps children that don’t have food, love, care and shelter. MYO is helping a lot of kids and I just don’t know how to thank MYO.
Thank you very much Kokopelli Choir for sponsoring us with amazing things. I just don’t no how to thank you. I really enjoyed your show it was amazing. What I learned from your show is that if you have the potential to sing you have to go out there and do it. Thank you very much. May God bless. Have a pleasant year.
Yours truly
Helao
We will share more of these once we get back home!
Lex teaching her class at MYO
Hello from many Kokos!
Blogging on the road! I asked a few of the other travellers to submit some blog entries as we travel from Swakop to Waterberg. Here they are:
From Carolyn Norby!:
YESTERDAY I was woken up early by the blustery East wind. At the golf course, I was greeted by a herd of 150 springbok, Egyptian geese, partridge and a variety of small birds. Cal, Adam and I braved the gusty winds to play the first 9 holes of the golf course. Even the owner of the course asked if we wanted to reschedule our game – twice! We persevered and felt a great sense of accomplishment and exhaustion by completing our game.
Back in town we ate a bite at the Kokopelli hang out “The Village Café”, munching on springbok stirfry and pancakes.
My afternoon was highlighted b a visit to Lex’s after school care program at the Mondessa Youth Opportunity Centre. Jen, John, Lisa, Alex, Jenica and I entertained the lunch crowd with a couple song selections. After the kids ate, Anne and I went to Math class. How many of you remember your Lowest Common Multiple and Greatest Common Factors? I had to re-learn quickly to help Lex’s 25 grade 5 students! I loved being back in the classroom!
My evening was very entertaining, as I was wined and dined in the desert! Our Dinner in the Dunes with Mascato was amazing! I learned a few new dance moves from the Mascatos as we danced away to a lengthy set by Afro Shine. What a rush!
From Erin Lange:
Our day was spent with crossed fingers, hoping the wind would die down a bit so that we would be able to get on a scenic flight. We tried at 9:30am, and also at noon, but to no avail. Luckily the wind calmed and we had lift off at about 2:30pm. Soaring above the gorgeous red Sossusvlei dunes, Kuiseb canyon, shipwrecks, seals, flamingos and beautiful Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, we had a unique view of the diverse natural beauty of the area. We landed, proudly barf-free, just in time to make it to the bus to go to the dunes for dinner. As expected, the whole evening was magical, fantastic food, wonderful music performed by Afro Shine which inspired hearty napkin waving, conga lines and fun new dance moves. We said goodbye to Mascato (only for 2 weeks, so not a sad goodbye), and headed home from our perfect ending to a wonderful week in Swakopmund,
Erin and Kier
From Adam Rice:
What a great time we all had in Swakopmund!! The people, the food and the scenery are all amazing. Yesterday was warm and windy but in spite of that Carolyn, Cal and I were all still able to go golfing. I never knew how tiring 9 holes of golf could be till we faced the warm gusting wind. After golfing the next best thing in my mind was relaxing to a soothing message. What a life. The choirs from the suburbs of Swakopmund put on an informal concert at S.S. High School and really picked up our spirits. We finished the evening the best way I know how to -- lots of great food, music and dancing with all your friends. Yesterday was truly a memorable experience.
From Chantelle Olson:
Wow – don’t we wish the Canadian winters were like this! The weather has been beautiful – and I have completely fallen in love with this country. It is beautiful here. It has been a trip of firsts for me – my first time outside Canada, my first time on a plane, my first time seeing the Atlantic Ocean, my first time tasting the ocean water, and my first time climbing a sand dune – to list just a few!
Yesterday was a free day – we were allowed to do whatever we wanted for our last day in Swakopmund. At 15:00, we all congregated at Swakopmund Secondary School, where three school choirs, all of which are directed by Mascato members, held a little informal concert for us: S.S.S, directed by Linus, Da Duine Secondary School Choir, directed by Lindsey, and a small group from the Westside High School choir, directed by one of the Mascato sopranos (Hilia). All three groups did very well – I enjoyed listening to them very much. At the end of their set, the SSS choir sang a song that Linus wrote for them – it was about children playing in the streets before their parents get home from work – quite a beautiful song, actually. All three Mascatos have done a very good job with their choirs, and it was a pleasure to see the fruit of their labors in those kids.
Last night, I watched the sunset on the beach. It was glorious – orange, rose and lavender – and as the sun sank behind the waves, the whole beach was bathed in a golden light. At the last moments, just before it disappeared, the sun was hidden and revealed as the waves rose and fell in the distance. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen. And it was perfect as a precursor to our Dinner in the Dunes. Camp Maskoko – totaling around 120 choristers and miscellaneous people (parents, directors, etc) – ate a fantastic meal in a very cool tent, with lots of laughter and great conversation. Afro Shine was there to perform for us, which pretty much made the night! And we sang Sparks for Lex – she was so thrilled! Then, it was goodbye to Mascato. No tears that I saw, mostly because we’ll see them again in two weeks in Windhoek. We walked back to the buses in the dark, singing Disney songs and yawning. I was admiring the stars – so strange and unfamiliar, but still beautiful. Just like Namibia.
From Laura Forster:
Being caught in a sandstorm was truly worth all my choir fees. Sand everywhere but not as gritty as you would think from seeing sand in Canada. Its like fine gold flecks, sticking to everything. A true African experience. Not nearly as bad as getting sand in your clothes in Wabamun.
The sunsets in Namibia are stunningly rapid. If you look away for a bit you could miss the whole thing; you can actually watch it sink to the horizon. They are so beautiful and it makes me wish my parents were here to see them because no one appreciates a sunset like they do. I would think this rivals Molokai, Dad.
(P.S. To my parents, sorry I didn’t write sooner. I’m still alive, although I’m not feeding myself properly, of course. I am taking all my appropriate drugs and drinking clean water. Hope Stratford is fabulous and I am sending my love to Aunt Liz. Please send news! And tell Nigel I say Hi!)
The people are amazing in Namibia! The way they sing with their entire bodies and the way they can MOVE! WOW! You have to see it for yourself. I can’t even begin to explain.
Loving the protein-based diet, especially the seafood. Loving our music and theirs. This is unbelievable. Love again to my family! Take care of Smoke and Shade! Muah!
From Katy again:
One pic:
Some Kokos hanging out in Swakop
From Carolyn Norby!:
YESTERDAY I was woken up early by the blustery East wind. At the golf course, I was greeted by a herd of 150 springbok, Egyptian geese, partridge and a variety of small birds. Cal, Adam and I braved the gusty winds to play the first 9 holes of the golf course. Even the owner of the course asked if we wanted to reschedule our game – twice! We persevered and felt a great sense of accomplishment and exhaustion by completing our game.
Back in town we ate a bite at the Kokopelli hang out “The Village Café”, munching on springbok stirfry and pancakes.
My afternoon was highlighted b a visit to Lex’s after school care program at the Mondessa Youth Opportunity Centre. Jen, John, Lisa, Alex, Jenica and I entertained the lunch crowd with a couple song selections. After the kids ate, Anne and I went to Math class. How many of you remember your Lowest Common Multiple and Greatest Common Factors? I had to re-learn quickly to help Lex’s 25 grade 5 students! I loved being back in the classroom!
My evening was very entertaining, as I was wined and dined in the desert! Our Dinner in the Dunes with Mascato was amazing! I learned a few new dance moves from the Mascatos as we danced away to a lengthy set by Afro Shine. What a rush!
From Erin Lange:
Our day was spent with crossed fingers, hoping the wind would die down a bit so that we would be able to get on a scenic flight. We tried at 9:30am, and also at noon, but to no avail. Luckily the wind calmed and we had lift off at about 2:30pm. Soaring above the gorgeous red Sossusvlei dunes, Kuiseb canyon, shipwrecks, seals, flamingos and beautiful Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, we had a unique view of the diverse natural beauty of the area. We landed, proudly barf-free, just in time to make it to the bus to go to the dunes for dinner. As expected, the whole evening was magical, fantastic food, wonderful music performed by Afro Shine which inspired hearty napkin waving, conga lines and fun new dance moves. We said goodbye to Mascato (only for 2 weeks, so not a sad goodbye), and headed home from our perfect ending to a wonderful week in Swakopmund,
Erin and Kier
From Adam Rice:
What a great time we all had in Swakopmund!! The people, the food and the scenery are all amazing. Yesterday was warm and windy but in spite of that Carolyn, Cal and I were all still able to go golfing. I never knew how tiring 9 holes of golf could be till we faced the warm gusting wind. After golfing the next best thing in my mind was relaxing to a soothing message. What a life. The choirs from the suburbs of Swakopmund put on an informal concert at S.S. High School and really picked up our spirits. We finished the evening the best way I know how to -- lots of great food, music and dancing with all your friends. Yesterday was truly a memorable experience.
From Chantelle Olson:
Wow – don’t we wish the Canadian winters were like this! The weather has been beautiful – and I have completely fallen in love with this country. It is beautiful here. It has been a trip of firsts for me – my first time outside Canada, my first time on a plane, my first time seeing the Atlantic Ocean, my first time tasting the ocean water, and my first time climbing a sand dune – to list just a few!
Yesterday was a free day – we were allowed to do whatever we wanted for our last day in Swakopmund. At 15:00, we all congregated at Swakopmund Secondary School, where three school choirs, all of which are directed by Mascato members, held a little informal concert for us: S.S.S, directed by Linus, Da Duine Secondary School Choir, directed by Lindsey, and a small group from the Westside High School choir, directed by one of the Mascato sopranos (Hilia). All three groups did very well – I enjoyed listening to them very much. At the end of their set, the SSS choir sang a song that Linus wrote for them – it was about children playing in the streets before their parents get home from work – quite a beautiful song, actually. All three Mascatos have done a very good job with their choirs, and it was a pleasure to see the fruit of their labors in those kids.
Last night, I watched the sunset on the beach. It was glorious – orange, rose and lavender – and as the sun sank behind the waves, the whole beach was bathed in a golden light. At the last moments, just before it disappeared, the sun was hidden and revealed as the waves rose and fell in the distance. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen. And it was perfect as a precursor to our Dinner in the Dunes. Camp Maskoko – totaling around 120 choristers and miscellaneous people (parents, directors, etc) – ate a fantastic meal in a very cool tent, with lots of laughter and great conversation. Afro Shine was there to perform for us, which pretty much made the night! And we sang Sparks for Lex – she was so thrilled! Then, it was goodbye to Mascato. No tears that I saw, mostly because we’ll see them again in two weeks in Windhoek. We walked back to the buses in the dark, singing Disney songs and yawning. I was admiring the stars – so strange and unfamiliar, but still beautiful. Just like Namibia.
From Laura Forster:
Being caught in a sandstorm was truly worth all my choir fees. Sand everywhere but not as gritty as you would think from seeing sand in Canada. Its like fine gold flecks, sticking to everything. A true African experience. Not nearly as bad as getting sand in your clothes in Wabamun.
The sunsets in Namibia are stunningly rapid. If you look away for a bit you could miss the whole thing; you can actually watch it sink to the horizon. They are so beautiful and it makes me wish my parents were here to see them because no one appreciates a sunset like they do. I would think this rivals Molokai, Dad.
(P.S. To my parents, sorry I didn’t write sooner. I’m still alive, although I’m not feeding myself properly, of course. I am taking all my appropriate drugs and drinking clean water. Hope Stratford is fabulous and I am sending my love to Aunt Liz. Please send news! And tell Nigel I say Hi!)
The people are amazing in Namibia! The way they sing with their entire bodies and the way they can MOVE! WOW! You have to see it for yourself. I can’t even begin to explain.
Loving the protein-based diet, especially the seafood. Loving our music and theirs. This is unbelievable. Love again to my family! Take care of Smoke and Shade! Muah!
From Katy again:
One pic:
Some Kokos hanging out in Swakop
Monday, July 9, 2007
The East Wind!
From yesterday:
Another day, another great concert with Mascato. Tonight our time together ended with a great talk. Lots of Kokopelli and Mascato members articulated the sense of connection we feel. We heard from some of our (self-appointed) tour elders as well, who are proud of both choirs and the performances we’ve had. We’re coming to the end of our stay in Swakop. It has been a very pleasant start to the tour, with a fairly relaxing schedule; lots of time to get over our jet lag, to get used to the differences between our cultures, to get to know our host families and our Mascato friends. It’s rare to be able to cross an ocean and to feel at home in a strange place, but that’s the gift we have found in Mascato!
And, today:
This morning we went out to a primary school on the outskirts of town, near the township (what we would call a 'shantytown' in North America) called Mondessa. It was a reality check to drive through the township -- we've been living in the resort-like oasis of Swakopmund but we were reminded that not everyone is so privileged simply by driving by these tiny houses and lean-tos. One of the Mascato members, an American who is visiting Namibia as well, told us a bit about the living conditions in the township. There are about 2 running water taps per block, and one toilet. One house often holds many many family members. Amazingly, this township is actually much better off than many of the townships we will see in South Africa.
The primary school has about 200 children in six grades. This is the school we prepared the school kits for -- due to time restrictions on the part of those assembling the kits, we only got about 130 kits here, but the staff have said they will split up the kits and make sure all the parts go to children in need -- which is pretty much every child at this school. Without running water at home, it's challenging to teach the small children about personal hygiene or cleaning clothes, but this is a big part of the curriculum in the younger grades.
Our concert was great and the children were quite attentive. They laughed at our cowboys hamming it up in Blood on the Saddle, and a few of them got a chance to conduct the choir through Shumayela and Singabo Yo Singaba. Near the end of the concert, the two school choirs sang for us, which is always fun to hear.
It was hot and windy when we woke up early today, and we were all warned by our hosts that today would be a day of the east winds -- the very hot and dry wind that whips in over the dunes towards the ocean, kicking up sand and dust in its wake. We were almost done our concert at the primary school when the winds picked up and we were suddenly blasted with a sandstorm -- sand in our hair, teeth, on our faces and in our ears! We didn't get to properly finish the concert because everyone had to run out of the open courtyard where we were assembling. We scattered to various classrooms and took some time to visit with the children and observe the classes being taught. With so many teachers and education students among us, we really enjoyed the chance to see how much African children sing, even in a lesson about brushing their teeth! There was a song for everything!
When we left, there were hugs for everyone, or solemn handshakes and words of, "goodbye miss," and "goodbye sir." Any girl with long blonde hair was a big hit! A few of the children burst into tears or clung to legs, which was hard to watch. These kids wanted to know that we'd be back, but it's a promise we couldn't make. With one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV in the entire world, disadvantaged Namibian children know too much about loss and saying goodbye. The first grade teacher told us, in fact, that the school has already lost 3 children to AIDS since the school year began. It's heart-wrenching and impossible to comprehend. We felt privileged to be able to bring a little joy and excitement into this one morning.
A glimpse of Mondessa, on our way to the primary school at DRC.
A few kids join Thulani to help lead Shumayela. Many of the kids in the audience were dancing along with us!
Ruth with a few of the primary school kids.
We had planned to visit Spitzkoppe today, but decided against it due to the crazy sandstorms. We're weathering the east winds here in town where it's much calmer, taking a lazy day to check e-mail and visit the beach.
Another day, another great concert with Mascato. Tonight our time together ended with a great talk. Lots of Kokopelli and Mascato members articulated the sense of connection we feel. We heard from some of our (self-appointed) tour elders as well, who are proud of both choirs and the performances we’ve had. We’re coming to the end of our stay in Swakop. It has been a very pleasant start to the tour, with a fairly relaxing schedule; lots of time to get over our jet lag, to get used to the differences between our cultures, to get to know our host families and our Mascato friends. It’s rare to be able to cross an ocean and to feel at home in a strange place, but that’s the gift we have found in Mascato!
And, today:
This morning we went out to a primary school on the outskirts of town, near the township (what we would call a 'shantytown' in North America) called Mondessa. It was a reality check to drive through the township -- we've been living in the resort-like oasis of Swakopmund but we were reminded that not everyone is so privileged simply by driving by these tiny houses and lean-tos. One of the Mascato members, an American who is visiting Namibia as well, told us a bit about the living conditions in the township. There are about 2 running water taps per block, and one toilet. One house often holds many many family members. Amazingly, this township is actually much better off than many of the townships we will see in South Africa.
The primary school has about 200 children in six grades. This is the school we prepared the school kits for -- due to time restrictions on the part of those assembling the kits, we only got about 130 kits here, but the staff have said they will split up the kits and make sure all the parts go to children in need -- which is pretty much every child at this school. Without running water at home, it's challenging to teach the small children about personal hygiene or cleaning clothes, but this is a big part of the curriculum in the younger grades.
Our concert was great and the children were quite attentive. They laughed at our cowboys hamming it up in Blood on the Saddle, and a few of them got a chance to conduct the choir through Shumayela and Singabo Yo Singaba. Near the end of the concert, the two school choirs sang for us, which is always fun to hear.
It was hot and windy when we woke up early today, and we were all warned by our hosts that today would be a day of the east winds -- the very hot and dry wind that whips in over the dunes towards the ocean, kicking up sand and dust in its wake. We were almost done our concert at the primary school when the winds picked up and we were suddenly blasted with a sandstorm -- sand in our hair, teeth, on our faces and in our ears! We didn't get to properly finish the concert because everyone had to run out of the open courtyard where we were assembling. We scattered to various classrooms and took some time to visit with the children and observe the classes being taught. With so many teachers and education students among us, we really enjoyed the chance to see how much African children sing, even in a lesson about brushing their teeth! There was a song for everything!
When we left, there were hugs for everyone, or solemn handshakes and words of, "goodbye miss," and "goodbye sir." Any girl with long blonde hair was a big hit! A few of the children burst into tears or clung to legs, which was hard to watch. These kids wanted to know that we'd be back, but it's a promise we couldn't make. With one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV in the entire world, disadvantaged Namibian children know too much about loss and saying goodbye. The first grade teacher told us, in fact, that the school has already lost 3 children to AIDS since the school year began. It's heart-wrenching and impossible to comprehend. We felt privileged to be able to bring a little joy and excitement into this one morning.
A glimpse of Mondessa, on our way to the primary school at DRC.
A few kids join Thulani to help lead Shumayela. Many of the kids in the audience were dancing along with us!
Ruth with a few of the primary school kids.
We had planned to visit Spitzkoppe today, but decided against it due to the crazy sandstorms. We're weathering the east winds here in town where it's much calmer, taking a lazy day to check e-mail and visit the beach.
Concerts, concerts, concerts...
What a wonderful evening! We’ve just gotten back from our second Swakopmund concert and we’re tired but exhilarated. There is nothing quite like singing with Mascato, even if we didn’t get to hear them on their own. We went outside after the concert, as is traditional, and did some singing and dancing together. Singing Ti Mama with them tonight is sure to be one of the high points of the entire tour. Their sound is so warm and beautiful. Our host, Werner, said to me that what he enjoys so much about Mascato, and about Afro Shine (the young men who wrote Ti Mama) in particular is that they don’t sing about feelings they don’t have -- they sing about their feelings and their lives, and that makes it real and warm because it comes straight from the heart. I thought that was very astute and true.
Today was mostly a day full of concerts, though we got off to a leisurely start for a change with an 11 a.m. call time. Last night was our last rehearsal with Mascato before the concert, which went quite smoothly. Scott asked the group to sing a few pieces for us and they obliged. Every time we hear Mascato sing African music, we realize that there are so many levels to this music and that we have barely scratched the surface.
Especially exciting -- Wendy Gibb arrived in time for our concert this evening, a little tired from her long journey, but glad to be among us finally. All the Mascato singers who came to Canada last year flocked around her for greetings and hugs -- it seems like Wendy draws young Namibian choristers to her warmth and compassion as easily as she does young Canadians! Everyone wanted to say hello to her and update her on their lives since they last saw her! Wendy’s son, Andrew, did a great introduction to one of our pieces tonight (Shed a Little Light), talking about how we are all brothers and sisters in our common mission to see our world united in its diversity -- and I think if that’s true, if Kokopelli and Mascato are brothers and sisters, then we have amazing and strong women like Mrs. Venter and Wendy to thank. They act as our mother figures, pulling us together and inspiring us to make them proud of us. Ti Mama Se! How blessed we are that we have traveled around the world and found that we’re still among family.
Tomorrow is another concert day, this time in Walvis Bay. We have a free morning, time to visit with our hosts and maybe get some laundry done so we can leave Swakop with clean clothes.
And -- here are a few pics from the last week:
The crazy Atlantic swimmers, about to jump!
One particularly crazy Atlantic swimmer!
A group of us in front of Namib High, where we've been meeting and rehearsing all week.
John and Jen, newly engaged!
Jen and John, once they had some time to calm down.
Today was mostly a day full of concerts, though we got off to a leisurely start for a change with an 11 a.m. call time. Last night was our last rehearsal with Mascato before the concert, which went quite smoothly. Scott asked the group to sing a few pieces for us and they obliged. Every time we hear Mascato sing African music, we realize that there are so many levels to this music and that we have barely scratched the surface.
Especially exciting -- Wendy Gibb arrived in time for our concert this evening, a little tired from her long journey, but glad to be among us finally. All the Mascato singers who came to Canada last year flocked around her for greetings and hugs -- it seems like Wendy draws young Namibian choristers to her warmth and compassion as easily as she does young Canadians! Everyone wanted to say hello to her and update her on their lives since they last saw her! Wendy’s son, Andrew, did a great introduction to one of our pieces tonight (Shed a Little Light), talking about how we are all brothers and sisters in our common mission to see our world united in its diversity -- and I think if that’s true, if Kokopelli and Mascato are brothers and sisters, then we have amazing and strong women like Mrs. Venter and Wendy to thank. They act as our mother figures, pulling us together and inspiring us to make them proud of us. Ti Mama Se! How blessed we are that we have traveled around the world and found that we’re still among family.
Tomorrow is another concert day, this time in Walvis Bay. We have a free morning, time to visit with our hosts and maybe get some laundry done so we can leave Swakop with clean clothes.
And -- here are a few pics from the last week:
The crazy Atlantic swimmers, about to jump!
One particularly crazy Atlantic swimmer!
A group of us in front of Namib High, where we've been meeting and rehearsing all week.
John and Jen, newly engaged!
Jen and John, once they had some time to calm down.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Pictures! And news!
I forgot to mention two very important pieces of news!
First of all, our wonderful Wendy Gibb is coming! Thanks to some fast passport-wrangling on her part and some amazing customer service from Air Namibia (we love you, Air Namibia!), she was able to catch up with our group and will be arriving in time for our second concert tomorrow! (Oh, that's a third piece of good news -- our evening concert in Swakop was already sold out two days ago, so we've had to add a second afternoon show on Saturday!) Hurray for Wendy!
Secondly, Jen Kinghorn is walking around Swakop listing slightly to the left -- her hand is suddenly carrying a whole lot of bling! Congrats to Jen and John, the first Koko couple to get engaged on tour!!!
Here are some pics, courtesy of Rochelle:
First of all, our wonderful Wendy Gibb is coming! Thanks to some fast passport-wrangling on her part and some amazing customer service from Air Namibia (we love you, Air Namibia!), she was able to catch up with our group and will be arriving in time for our second concert tomorrow! (Oh, that's a third piece of good news -- our evening concert in Swakop was already sold out two days ago, so we've had to add a second afternoon show on Saturday!) Hurray for Wendy!
Secondly, Jen Kinghorn is walking around Swakop listing slightly to the left -- her hand is suddenly carrying a whole lot of bling! Congrats to Jen and John, the first Koko couple to get engaged on tour!!!
Here are some pics, courtesy of Rochelle:
Swakop Concerts
This morning we had our first official concerts in Namibia -- two school concerts, first at Swakopmund Secondary School and then at Namib High, where we’ve been rehearsing. For many of us, it was our first taste of the live atmosphere created by an African audience. In contrast with our usual North American (quiet, attentive, stoic-faced) audiences, African audiences whisper and react to the music as we sing. If a soloist starts singing, the audience will audibly gasp. If the choir shouts all together, like in the middle of Pakkanen, they will cheer. And the applause at the end of a well-received piece makes you feel like a rock star! There’s so much energy in the air, it’s utterly electric. At first, we weren’t sure if all the whispering was *good* whispering, but the applause at the end of our first piece removed all doubt. The headmistress at SSS told us that her students don’t always react well to new and different performances, but that they were remarkably attentive for us!Yesterday was a busy day, considering it was mostly a ‘free day’. The bulk of the group went on boat cruises, which were a big hit last time and definitely lived up to their reputation. We visited with a number of wild seals who have learned to stomach dead fish instead of live ones, and come right onto the boat to have a snack from our skipper’s bucket. We also saw the wild seal colonies, dolphins running alongside the boat, an old Russian vessel left for salvage, and cultivated oyster beds. There was amazing food -- fresh raw oysters (though I abstained, being allergic), sandwiches, spring rolls, beer and coke and champagne for everyone. A few people on our boat came prepared with bathing suits underneath their street clothes and jumped into the cold Atlantic Ocean. While we were heckling Adam Rice and Andrew Gibb to hurry up and jump in already, Anne McIntyre (the Edmonton Junior Children’s Choir director) surprised us all and was the first one over the side!
We weren’t the most adventurous of the group, however; Ian Trace and Carolyn Norby trumped us all by doing tandem skydives! We look forward to seeing those pictures!!!
In the evening, we had our first massed choir rehearsal with Mascato. Even though we were getting tired around 7:30 (jet lag! still!) it was great to sing some of our big exciting pieces with Mascato -- Shed a Little Light, It Takes a Village, Baba Yetu. There are so many fantastic people in Mascato, and it’s wonderful to reconnect with the singers who came to Canada last year as well as meeting many of those who didn’t.
This afternoon we are enjoying some more relaxing free time in town, shopping and eating at the cafes and (in my case) taking some time to update the blog. We love hearing from our friends and family back home, so keep commenting! I'm working on a scheme to get some other Kokos posting on the blog -- it's a bit tricky when we are all staying in different places but at the very least I'm trying to get pics of as many different Kokos as possible! I haven't had a chance to seize and plunder anyone's camera because of all the time apart, but I'm going to try to get back here to the internet cafe later in the day and do a post of mostly pictures.
ETA: Lisa Martin just came up and asked about saving her pics on my computer! Hurray! I should have some new pics to post in a few minutes!
ETA 2: Sadly, we don't have the right kind of cable to connect, but I sent Lisa away with instructions to send more photographers to me if she sees them.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Swakopmund!
We're paying a late-night visit to Mrs. Venter to use her internet connection and do a quick blog post. We drove in from Windhoek yesterday morning and arrived in the early afternoon, stopping in a carvers' market enroute. Unlike last time, we knew that we would have plenty of chances to buy carved animals and jewellery, so we didn't buy very much but enjoyed a chance to see some African crafts and experience the African bartering. We were greeted in Swakopmund by Mervyn, Jen, and Marcelino -- it was great to see them all again!
We had a short break to grab lunch, then headed back to rehearsal before dinner with the Cantu Maluti from Free State South Africa and Mascato. We saw Lex again, too, which was exciting. We chatted with our Mascato friends over dinner. The highlight of the evening for me was hearing Mascato sing their arrangement of Ti Mama, with solos by Romano, Garth, and Dollar. We were all wiping tears away by the end!
When we performed, Jen sang the solo in her own arrangement of This Woman's Work, and we loved watching the reactions of the Mascato singers. It's obvious that they've come to love and appreciate our amazing Kinghorn as much as we do! We may have to fight to get her back.
This morning, after a bit of a fiasco with bus pick-up locations (Jenica and I passed the time and made some money with a little busking on the street corner), we all managed to meet back at Namib High and took off for Dune 7, one of the highest dunes in the world. We climbed and climbed and mostly made it to the top (though between the heat and the exertion, there were a few queasy stomachs along the way). We'll be picking sand out of various unmentionable crevices for days to come. Part of the group also found a little chameleon and took turns holding it.
We had a (not so quick) lunch in Walvis Bay before we came back for an afternoon rehearsal at Namib High. We finished off the day with a group dinner at the Lighthouse Restaurant right on the beach and now everyone's scattered off to billets' homes or to local establishments for a nightcap.
My internet access is a bit patchy at the moment but I'll do my best to post every other day!
We had a short break to grab lunch, then headed back to rehearsal before dinner with the Cantu Maluti from Free State South Africa and Mascato. We saw Lex again, too, which was exciting. We chatted with our Mascato friends over dinner. The highlight of the evening for me was hearing Mascato sing their arrangement of Ti Mama, with solos by Romano, Garth, and Dollar. We were all wiping tears away by the end!
When we performed, Jen sang the solo in her own arrangement of This Woman's Work, and we loved watching the reactions of the Mascato singers. It's obvious that they've come to love and appreciate our amazing Kinghorn as much as we do! We may have to fight to get her back.
This morning, after a bit of a fiasco with bus pick-up locations (Jenica and I passed the time and made some money with a little busking on the street corner), we all managed to meet back at Namib High and took off for Dune 7, one of the highest dunes in the world. We climbed and climbed and mostly made it to the top (though between the heat and the exertion, there were a few queasy stomachs along the way). We'll be picking sand out of various unmentionable crevices for days to come. Part of the group also found a little chameleon and took turns holding it.
We had a (not so quick) lunch in Walvis Bay before we came back for an afternoon rehearsal at Namib High. We finished off the day with a group dinner at the Lighthouse Restaurant right on the beach and now everyone's scattered off to billets' homes or to local establishments for a nightcap.
My internet access is a bit patchy at the moment but I'll do my best to post every other day!
Monday, July 2, 2007
Roof of Africa
Just a brief post tonight -- most of my energy's been devoted to just uploading and posting our entries from the last two days of travelling.
It's our first night in Namibia and we are all stuffed after the amazing dinner buffet provided by the Roof of Africa Inn. The hotel has renovated a lot of their rooms since we were here, but the beautiful main lodge is pretty much as we remember it. We've had two brief rehearsals -- one in the parking lot to practice our pieces with movement, which was challenging as we practiced during the time of day when all the staff were going home, and one after dinner in the lodge. Most of today was pretty relaxed -- lots of showering, sleeping, eating, and, of course, catching up with Tessa and Thulani, who got in from Cape Town shortly after our own flights arrived.
Tomorrow we're off to Swakopmund to meet up with Mascato! Hurray!
The Wi-Fi speed here is quite slow, so I'll save up our pictures for a post on a day with a faster connection -- I waited 20 minutes and didn't even get one picture uploaded!
It's our first night in Namibia and we are all stuffed after the amazing dinner buffet provided by the Roof of Africa Inn. The hotel has renovated a lot of their rooms since we were here, but the beautiful main lodge is pretty much as we remember it. We've had two brief rehearsals -- one in the parking lot to practice our pieces with movement, which was challenging as we practiced during the time of day when all the staff were going home, and one after dinner in the lodge. Most of today was pretty relaxed -- lots of showering, sleeping, eating, and, of course, catching up with Tessa and Thulani, who got in from Cape Town shortly after our own flights arrived.
Tomorrow we're off to Swakopmund to meet up with Mascato! Hurray!
The Wi-Fi speed here is quite slow, so I'll save up our pictures for a post on a day with a faster connection -- I waited 20 minutes and didn't even get one picture uploaded!
So. Very. Tired.
Actually, I think we'll all be feeling a lot better by 7:15 a.m. Windhoek time (the same time, incidentally, as London time) when we step off our 2nd flight. The key to being comfortable anywhere is two-fold:
1) Be so very exhausted that you are scarcely even aware of your surroundings. John McMillan and I noticed around 8:30, waiting for our flight to board last night, that the table between us, the chairs under us, and the floor on which our feet rested were all gently listing back and forth. It was sort of fun -- like being on a cruise ship with less fatty food and more warnings about leaving baggage unattended. Kim Denis, among others, started to look like one of the lost children off the side of a milk carton around 7 p.m. last night, and kept fading until we started to seriously contemplate throwing her over our shoulders like an overgrown toddler, just to get her safely on the plane.
2) Be so very uncomfortable that any conditions that are even slightly more bearable become welcoming and luxurious. For example, once you've been crammed between the metal armrests of a wooden airport lounge chair for three hours, you will sigh with relief when you get to stand up and stagger down the corridor towards your gate. And then, once you've clambered up and down escalator after escalator with your 5 kg carry-on bag hanging off your shoulder, you'll gladly welcome the chance to sit down again in yet another uncomfortable and hideous boarding lounge chair. And, last of all, when you spent the 10 hours of your previous flight crammed into inhumanly tiny and close-spaced seats, you'll sprawl out in your two-inches-wider and one-inch-deeper seat on the second flight and pronounce to anyone who is awake enough to hear you that this is the best place you've ever been in your entire life!
Thanks to the above-mentioned conditions, I think most of us caught a good five to seven hours of much-needed sleep on this leg of the journey (but I'm still too tired to figure out what that works out to in Bamboo Pole Equivalency time) and we'll be walking into the little Windhoek airport a much happier (if increasingly smellier) bunch. We'll be off to our first hotel (first beds in 3 days, yay!) at the Roof of Africa Inn, where I hope to be able to post the entries I've been saving up. We'll shower, change, brush our teeth, and (I'm sure) collapse for another few hours before we meet for our first rehearsal. All in all, a pretty relaxing day while we revel in the fact that we made it! We're in Africa!
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