Celebrations

One of the great things about Tanzania is the enthusiasm for celebration. Everything is a celebration – Sunday mass is a weekly example. ‘First Mass’ (at which I’m not a regular attendee as it is at 7:30am!) is a massive affair. When the President is in town he attends alongside the hundreds of regulars who pack in. The choir is amazing – I’ve never heard anything like it. Even hearing them practice in the little band stand in the parish grounds is beautiful, but in full swing with harmonies, dancing and whooping it’s just brilliant. By ‘Third Mass’ (where I’m more usually found and where there is fortunately a similarly good choir), the sanctuary is often littered with gifts bought at the earlier offertory processions. It’s usual to see crates of soft drinks, huge branches of bananas, sacks of rice etc, but last Sunday featured a rather generous amount of toilet roll too!

Every gathering, whether it’s the parish workers’ party, community night at the Sisters’, or just a couple of friends round to our house, features dancing. Attempting to get us mzungus to move like Africans is proving a favourite pastime...

Last Saturday was the school’s annual ‘Family Day’ where staff bring a member of their family and generally celebrate being part of the school. Everyone was appointed to a committee and spent the morning preparing, cooking, decorating, sorting music and entertainment. I can just imagine how such an event would go down at home – get up early on a Saturday, cook all morning then spend the afternoon with colleagues... The lack of cynicism and general enthusiasm here is refreshing though and means the capacity for fun is considerable and opportunities for dancing, many!