June 9, 2008 Brian 1:30 p.m.: This morning, we saw Africa. The real Africa. We were Africans. Susan Fluegge, along with Francois (Frans-wah) our cook, took us to a cloth weaver. We have been looking forward to this since we came. We are off the beaten path, to say the least now, this place was off the path that is off the path.
Families here live in compounds. Small rounds mud huts with grass roofs, in more or less of a circle, with a wall connecting the huts. The center of this is a common area, where cooking, eating etc. takes place. We drove (more like 4 wheeled) through some fields and down a small path, and parked near on compound. This compound had 2 egresses, and we were able to walk, essentially, through their living room. There were 2 bulls, a dog, chickens of course (they are everywhere) and the family. Not the type of thing one usually sees in a living room! We walked down a trail, and into a second compound, where there were more kids, chickens (of course) a crippled man who sat on the ground, and the weaver.
The weaver sat under a 5 foot high shelter, made of sticks. He sat on the edge of a hole, with his feet in the hole. He had an elaborate system of branches that each had a function in the total rig that is his loom, with 2 strings hanging down that he controlled with his feet. The cotton thread was strung out to a rock so that it was taught and able to be fed as needed to the weaver. This weaver is a farmer as well, and grew the cotton that the Paña I bought is made from. The Paña is about 3’X4’, and takes about 4 days to make. Obviously, this does not include the labor to grow the cotton. The Paña cost about $12.
This afternoon, we are at the center working more on the brochure that we are going to produce. We are meeting with Pastor Glenn right now, and taking some pictures of the campus.
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