Meeting the Chief

At last we have managed it. Yesterday afternoon we met the Chief of Walewale.
Our friend Mashood and his cousin Yosef kindly agreed to escort us. We met in good time so we could go over the expected protocols. We were to have to remove our shoes and enter when summoned, Mike would then sit and greet while simultaneously clapping while I had to do a strange flicking gesture with my little finger and crouch low whilst also saying a greeting. The flicking gesture is meant to make a clicking noise but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get the desired effect. I had several men in the office pulling enthusiastically at my hands in the hope of success, to no avail. I did suggest I could cheat and just click my fingers but this was not acceptable. Anyway, I hoped Mike's clapping would mask my inadequacies.
So the big moment came and we were ushered forward. In deference to our western-ness they had provided plastic chairs so we didn't have to sit on the floor. Mashood acted as our interpreter as the Chief did not speak English. We exchanged greetings and then had to say what our mission was in Walewale. The VSO, "sharing skills, changing lives" seemed go down well and we expanded a bit more on what we would be doing. The Chief said he was very pleased to meet us and we were very welcome, and shared some thoughts on how important it was to work together.

We had many photos taken with the chief and some of his children. The Chief really liked seeing the pictures on the digital camera.


Then someone came in from a community sanitation club and we were asked to go and see what these volunteers were doing as they just happened to be cleaning in and around the Chief's palace that day. We took some pictures of the saniation volunteers, who like the chief were very interested to see the pictures.







We joined the sanitation volunteers for a while and were invited to their next meeting and said we would help with their next cleaning blitz in Walewale.



We then went back in to see the Chief and invited him back to our house sometime. (We had been told in advance that it was ok to offer this and he might send someone to take up the offer).
Mike then presented our gift of a small white towel which signified us coming in peace. Mashood seemed to think the Chief was well pleased and was sure that he would like to meet Anna and Daniel when they come over in December. The chief had said to Mashood that sometimes people come to Walewale and do not visit him, and he was glad that we had come to see him and explain what we were doing.