Win? When I first arrived in Cape Nguni, something disconcerting happened to me, and despite the beautiful surroundings I lived in, and the good feeling I got from assisting the people, I reconsidered what I was doing there. Various items had been stolen from my house. Only small things, a radio, a hair crimper, and an electronic foot massager, among others. Silly things really, I was not even sure why I had a couple of them, but I wondered why, when I helped the villagers, they would then steal from me, and stuff they didn't even need. But I put it to the back of my mind, and when I had to go to the city a week later, I purchased replacements. Husani, a young man of whom I had acquaintance stopped by to visit me a few days later. When he entered the house, I noticed his eyes flick to the new radio. I expected a guilty look, but the expression that crossed his face was one of smug satisfaction, as if I had inadvertently proved him right. "Nice new radio," he commented. I nodded slightly puzzled, trying to bring my stolen one into the conversation, but he fobbed me off. When he left, I was even more bemused than before. I walked down to the village the next day, and saw Husani with his friends Kijana and Thembo, and a few more people I didn't know. They formed a circle around something in the middle. I walked closer and saw Chenyere, Thembo's girlfriend dancing in the middle. I could see why she had attracted a crowd, she was a wonderful dancer. Her movements were fluid and graceful, and her body seemed to move perfectly with the music. Then Thembo joined in, surprisingly supple and rhythmic. The two of them held me spellbound. And then I realised the music was emanating from my stolen radio! I hadn't the heart to stop their beautiful dancing, but when they finished a few minutes later, I quickly crossed the distance between us. They all looked up and grinned as I approached. I was angry that they had stolen from me, after all I had done for them, and then they had the audacity to display it in front of me, with seemingly no shame. The rare frown on my face shocked them a bit, they had probably never seen me grumpy, much less had my anger directed at them. The silence enveloped us, thickening with every moment. "I would like my radio back." I said in a tight voice. "This is our radio miss," said Kijana. A question mark appeared on my face, and Themo answered it. "Well it was yours," he said, "but now its ours." I said: "No! Stealing something doesn't make it yours!" Their carefree attitude was irritating me. "Well I don't k now about where you come from white lady," he said, and the disrespectful way he said it dug into me, "but here it does." My frown deepened, and I think they could sense I was about to explode. It wasn't the radio missing that bothered me, or the other silly things they took, it was the principal behind it, and the way they went about it. I could easily replace the radio, indeed I already had, but I couldn't replace the trust and goodwill I previously had towards them. My hurt boiled inside me, but before I exploded, Chenyere took my hand and led me over to a nearby log. Her eyes smiled gently at me as I say down. "The boys don't think they done wrong Miss. They got them things for me-but I didn't ask. They said 'cos we like you, and you deserve pretty'. And Miss, I love to dance to the radio." I knew that, but in my mind I thought, does that excuse it? "I don't blame you Chenyere, but please, carry on." She nodded. "They say, the pretty white lady doesn't need it. We take it from her, in a few days, she has new one. So we all get what we want." Her earnestness got to me, and I laughed. So thats how they do it round here I thought, they take what they want from the people who can afford to replace it. When Chenyere pointed it out to me, I understood their logic perfectly. It was different to the culture I had been raised in, but when I laughed, Chenyere relaxed, and we were friends. Timid still though, Chenyere asked: "Will you let me keep the radio to dance with?" I nodded. I didn't need it, and she was so beautiful to watch. We stood up and walked back to where the boys were standing. Their anxiety left them when they saw my calmness. I knew they hadn't meant to hurt their utitshala. Husani switched on our radio, and we all danced together in the fading light. |