Matabeto (mat-a-vey-toe)

Unfortunately my plans to attend Diwali were foiled- by the time I found a place from which I could purchase tickets, they were sold out. I’ll plan better for next year:-(

On the other hand, I was lucky enough to be invited to my colleague’s “matabeto”. This is a traditional Bemba ceremony where the soon-to-be-bride’s family cooks up a big feast, & brings it to the soon-to-be-groom’s family. Starting Friday night, a whole bunch of ladies get together to start cooking; I arrived late Saturday morning, so I didn’t have to embarrass myself in trying to cook a massive pot of nshima*giggling*. After the food is ready, there’s a bit of a ceremony with the almost-wife cooking the nshima and opening all the pots to show her elders what will be brought to her almost-husband’s family. (She remains behind…once the feast has been delivered to his family, all of the women come back to the house where they were cooking, and eat the portions of Zambian cuisine they left behind).

Here is Monica showing off all of her hard work!















All of the pots are loaded into trucks and we drive off, wrapped in chitenge (sarongs), bearing drums and in high spirits. It’s a bit of a drama; the group of women (all dancing with pots on our heads) only proceed slowly after the groom’s family gives money. Eventually we make it into a packed room full of seated men, temperatures suffocating & place the food down. Again, there’s a hullaballo with drums and dancing & the ceremony to present the food continues. More money is thrown, hands are washed- it’s beautiful. The brides’ side high-tail it out of there while the groom’s family enjoys the feast (I’ve decided it’s much more fun to be on the receiving end)*giggling*.

Here are my lovely colleagues (Left to right)- Alison is my Ugandan colleague (pink top), Mwiya next, Priscilla, & Miriam. (As a side noteI also take yoga classes with Alison & Priscilla. Yes a compeltely irrelevant detail)
















It was a beautiful day. AND, I got to sport my new top (which also has a story). I had gone out on project site visits for work & we visited this one women’s club that knits and sells various products. My two co-workers left the women’s club with floor mats in hand, and as the token white person, I suppose they ‘gave’ me a much more elaborate gift- the top modelled below. I ended up having to pay an arm & a leg for it- but I think it’s a gorgeous top & sported it proudly at the matabeto. (Though I will confess I did get a bit of a sunburn through all the holes)*hahahaha*.