Gorilla naming ceremony 16 June

Dear All  The only thing of note that I have done recently, apart from working my socks off in the schools of course, is visiting the gorilla naming ceremony.  I got two free invitations to the event from Greg of Amahoro Tours (the only tour operator in Musanze) who I give a lot of business to when people come to stay to see the gorillas!  The event was held in Kinigi near the foot of the volcanoes. 

The day started with a rather cold moto ride to the event.  Motos in skirts and flip flops definitely not to be recommended!  The road was lined with banana trees specially planted along the way with flowers draped around them (as Paul Kagame was supposed to be attending) 

We arrived at the field which was packed with people already at 10am.  There were 4 huge marquees in the area and a full blown stage with speaker systems etc. 

There was dancing and drumming to begin with and some of the pupils from primary schools had dressed up in gorialla suits. 

There was a well-known singer from Burundi who wowed the crowd with some good African music.

Then we were given an A4 sheet with pictures of all the baby gorillas that had been born this year and were waiting names.  Then lots of different people got up on stage and talked about the gorillas and named them formally.  This year there were two twin gorillas born too which were really cute!  Several people from the District office were there including my landlord so that was nice. 

After all the speeches there was a free drink and some food in the huge marquees which were all laid out like a wedding.  Here’s where the fun started.  No formal queueing in Rwanda!  It was loads of men pushing and shoving their way to the food and piling food on their plates literally crushing people in their wake!  Quite frightening really and surprising for such a dignified ceremony!  Made me wonder what it would be like to be in a crowd of starving people when a delivery of food aid arrived!  Luckily for us one of the waiters kindly withdrew us from the crowd and helped us to get some food!  The food was very good and went down well with a complimentary glass of wine.

There were portaloos at the grounds which were lovely and clean with paper and water and soap to wash our hands with afterwards (a real bonus)

Unfortunately Margarets flip flop broke during the ceremony so had more flop than flip!  We had to try to tie her shoe onto her foot with her glasses string until we reached the town to buy a new shoe! 

On the way out we also managed to sneak a visit to the Kinigi cultural centre where we looked at the reed roundel houses that they have constructed to show how traditional housing might have looked.  They were lovely and smelled good too.  The walls are all constructed of woven bamboo and had patterns on.  Lovely inside and much quieter with a reed roof than a tin one in the rain I imagine!

Not much else to report.  There is a census going on in Rwanda in the next two months so we have been told that there is no point in organising any training as lots of the SEO’s head teachers and teachers are participating in the census so won’t be able to attend.  So I am not sure what I will be doing in August!  May do some travelling instead of twiddling my thumbs! 

On the work front.  I am spending £100 that two people from England gave me to help out here on some shelving to start a library at Nyarubuye school (up in the mountains).  I am taking the money up to give them towards building the shelves on 3^rd July.  I have also been successful in securing a bid for funding for a library at another school (Kiryi) (£600)so start that project after the holidays in September too – so lots to look forward to there.  Also I understand that Bingley Rotary is going to support a project out here too possibly next year which will be great and Haworth Primary School are also raising funds hopefully to support a library project in another school.  So a big thank you to everyone for your generosity – it really does make a big big difference out here and every pound is much appreciated and well spent.  The orphanage project is now finished and the nuns were delighted at being able to buy clothes, mattresses, bowls and spoons, wheelchairs, and walking aids for the children.

Next weekend we are having a leaving do for Jo, Sarah, Margaret and Kemi.  Four of the volunteers who are leaving us from our intake.  It will be a bit sad really to see them go and next year will be very different as several more are due to leave during August including Dave and Gloria and Karen.
Oh well…….. all I can say is Rwanda will be worse off without them and that I will miss them all.