11 July 2006

Going Home - Part Two

Gather round. Let me learn you something - As of the last post I was like Fiddy Cent cause "You can find me in the club" but I had things to attend to. Now realise that its about 4 in the morning. I had to haul my ass over to the hood to be there for when they guys 'come out'.The process is like this: The 'boys' or inkwenkwe have to rise early and leave the makeshift hut and walk away without looking back as they leave their childhood behind. The elders are meant to stay behind and burn the hut down and the other family members(men only) are meant to walk barefoot with the guys home. Let me repeat that. The guys are meant to walk home...barefoot. Gawd Damn!
Okay so now realise that I am not allowed to take any photo's throughout this process. So the next coupla pics are all sneak shot I took from the hip. Some aren’t that great but bare with me yeah. This is us walking in the streets to the house. You can make out the figure of a guy wrapped in a blanket in the streets. Quite a distance I tell ya.
Anyway so they guys have to sit down around a fire and then they are a coupla prayers and stuff to give thanks and all that. We are not allowed to look him in the eye this whole time. And it’s also very dark as it is also about four inna morn. So we sitting around the fire and this is a sneak peek as well.
So the tradition is that whenever there is any kind of celebration there needs to be Mqombothi or 'African Beer'. That’s the substance that's in the white jug. If there is none then bad things will happen. I'm not sure who that is but their taken big schwig of it. And let me tell ya, Mqombothi is no joke. That shit will Fuck You Up!
The people sitting here are all extended family. I dont even know most of them.
Straight from the hip bitch! So check it, they bring out the booze. And oh my goodness these fuckers can DRINK. I'm serious! It's the first time I've ever started drinking so early in the morning. Dude, they piled me with shot after shot of whiskey, beer and mqombothi! It was about 5:30...
...and I was fcked! Dik dronk!
So lucky enough they brought out the food just in time cause I was gonna chunder soon if I didnt get to chow. Look, I wont lie I'm kind of a vet when it comes to drinking but jeez these guys are machines!
Holy crap, I'm twisted! Look at my eyes, all skew and shit.
So eventually after a while they boys were allowed to come out their hokie and get into the house. See that guy in the blanket holding the stick? Thats Nas my cousin. Oh and I guess you'd also like to know that he's not wearing nothing under that blanket. Yup, he's hanging loose. Literally. Oh and did I mention it was cold?
So eventually I was able to take pics of the guys. On the left is Bam and on the right is Nas. They were together throughout the whole process. I think they were in for about a month or so. I dont know what the red shit is they got on their faces and bodies. I never got around to asking actually.
Bam, Nas and Kanki. This is the bush doctor who actually performed the circumcision. Remember guys, this is all natural. No aneasthetic! That's shit is no joke. **shudder**
After the reunion we were on our way to catch some well deserved Z's. So Pablo and I were outty. Besides we had to be back soon anyway. I just love misty mornings.

After resting we came back again to continue the thingy ma-bob. This dude is the Deputy Gqihga(or Bush doctor). Crazy sumamabitch this guy is, He's not exactly too skilled in the English language. So he had all these lines that he'd just spit out outta the blue like "Dont drink me into degree's of madness!" or if you piss him off he'd be like "Fuck you. Join the army!" Sure it doesnt sound funny but when you hear him say it you cant help but be rolling on the ground.
Jeez look at him. Chunky as fuck!
So last time I saw this guy he was sooo skinny. I'm serious yo, like a bag of bones. But he proper beefed up. He was complaining about how much the feed him and shit. Yeah, you better chow!
Okay okay so all this well enough for a day so we decided to go out on the town. A proper roll of the dice it was. There was absolutley fuckall happeneing in town. Whatever vibe it was was really whack. So we decided just one drink at Orchard Bank and then we bounce...
...next thing you know Pi just get accosted by these two femanina's. The one on the right is not too shabby but the other one is uhm...actually she's...well you judge for yourself. I on the other hand wanted nothing to do with it which is why I was behind the camera! Phew!
Pi says that those are false teeth on the chick on the right. Udunno what you think? It's a bit of a harsh acusation but then again since I'm in Cape Town, it doesnt sound THAT far-fetched.
Didnt have to walk even 1oo meters and this is what he bumps into. See now that's better! This guy has Mojo comin out of his Gluteus Maximus!

Yup it was late, we were tired and it was time to go home. Basically it was a pap nite out.

Part 3 coming soon...