This aptly named national holiday was celebrated at our hospital as a festival to demonstrate the various cultures around us. Each cultural group was asked to give an example of their typical dress, food, song and/or dance, as well as a marriage ritual. As you may notice, Dahlia appeared intent on taking in all the different activities, but was most impressed by the high-kicking Zulu dance enacted by the young girls.
Most of the major Zulu tribes from area represented themselves, as did the Afrikaaners, the Nigerians (there are at least 5 Nigerian ex-pats working here), and the Indians (although we struggle to outnumber the Nigerians in these parts).
Due to the lack of Indian participants, Scott and Krisda (a medical student from U Michigan here for the year doing research with us) were roped into the marriage proposal that we had to act out for the crowd as well as the Garba dance that we performed to celebrate the marriage. The center of the hospital grounds turned into a stage and dance floor and the scene inspired even a few patients, despite the hospital gowns, to show their moves.
After the festival, we participated in one of the most beloved of South African tradtions, the braai. Not too much different than a BBQ in the states, the South Africans take their braai seriously. Krisda poses near our grilled veggies, lamb, peri-peri chicken and ostrich.... mmmmm (the veggies, that is).
