17.09.2011 Chega Village, Mt. Meru

 17.09.2011 Chega Village, Mt. Meru

            Since I visited Kelvin’s father’s village, his mama asked me if I would like to go meet her mother and father, who are from the Chega tribe.  I, of course, jumped at the opportunity.  Dana and Hannah joined me. The Chega people live on the side of Mt. Meru, a tropical paradise.  As we drove up the mountain, Kelvin’s mom was waving and greeting the people she grew up with.  On both sides of the narrow road were banana trees, cassava, and flowering greenery. We arrived to a cozy brick house, and Kelvin’s grandparents came out to greet us.  They speak no English, but it was understood that they were very happy to have us.  Mama took us on the tour of the land.  We went through the house, where the bedrooms and living room were.  The kitchen was in a room disconnected from the house, and had pots on a fireplace on the ground.  It was very simple.  Next was the barn for the cows, and a chicken coop, both set apart from the house.  The bathroom was an outhouse.  Behind the house was a small dirt trail, winding through acres of banana trees, cassava, carrots, and other vegetable and fruit plants.  The dirt was thick with moisture.  As we walked to the trial, we met women carrying wood for fire and food on their heads.  We reached a small creek, trickling and bubbling as it cut through and gave life to the surrounding vegetation.  Everything about this village was opposite of the Maasai village.

            We headed back to the house, where a Chega meal had been prepared for us. We were fed all sorts of freshly picked vegetables and fruits, beef-banana porridge, beef-banana soup (which was, in fact, different from the beef-banana porridge), beans, deliciously spiced rice, and well cooked chicken.  They insisted we eat seconds, which I was happy to do, because the food was delicious.  Kelvin kept saying, “Eat as you can!  The food is there, special for you!”  We must have eaten three or four servings because the food kept being piled onto our plates.  I was so uncomfortably full by the end.  Finally, I told Kelvin that if he didn’t stop pressuring me to eat and piling food on my plate, I’d puke on him to make more room. He laughed, but stopped asking me to eat more.  After dinner, we visited for a bit longer and then left.  I slept the entire way home.