Ife Tayamba, Tayamba: Let's Get to Work

Tomorrow is a big day for my REDES girls! At noon tomorrow, the workshop for all four REDES groups in Tete Province is happening right here in Mavudzi-Ponte. The girls are super excited to welcome 18 visitors from Kaunda, Cateme, and Tete City to our beautiful village.

Everyone's been working hard to get ready -- I've been totally absorbed in logistics (Yes! Event planning, my favorite!), Redi's been gathering things from around town that we'll need, Szasha's been running around doing last-minute errands, and the girls have spent the last few mornings rehearsing the songs they have prepared for the upcoming workshop.

We've been going non-stop all week. I'm completely exhausted and am going to bed early tonight in preparation for tomorrow -- but before I do, I want to share some pictures of the girls who are making it all happen!

Anessi, Anabela, Silvia, Fita, Anataxa, and Suzeta

These are my REDES girls.

• Anessi is the tallest in our group. She can never remember what REDES stands for, but she rehearsed her little spoken bit the most out of all the girls and now knows it perfectly.
• Anabela is the youngest, the only 8th grader in the group. She's small and shy, but she looks up to the older girls in the group a lot.
• Silvia is the most dedicated member of our group, and the one who I think is getting the most out of it. She shows up early every week (sometimes before I've woken up...) and she actively participates in all our activities without vergonha (embarrassment). Silvia is a genuinely friendly, caring individual and she's one of my favorite people in Mavudzi-Ponte. She has also promised to bring me a kitten one of these days.
• Fita is the oldest member of our group and the only 10th grader. We initially weren't planning to include 10th graders, but Fita begged and begged us to let her join the group. She walks the furthest to get to our meetings.
• Anataxa hates speaking in front of others, but whenever she whispers to her friends, she always has something really interesting to say.
• Suzeta is tiny but feisty, and is one of my smartest students. She's the group leader and the choreographer for most of our songs.

Redi, my roommate and REDES counterpart. She's just awesome.

Redi rehearses a welcome song with the girls.

Ife tayamba, tayamba (Ife tayamba!) X 2

Cateme bwerani (Ife tayamba!)

Josina bwerani! (Ife tayamba!)

Kaunda bwerani! (Ife tayamba!)

Mavudzi bwerani! (Ife tayamba!)

Ife tayamba tayamba! (Ife tayamba!) X 2

Let's work together (Let's get to work!) X 2

Cateme has come! (Let's work together!)

Josina has come! (Let's work together!)
Kaunda has come (Let's work together!)

Mavudzi has come (Let's work together!) 

Let's work together (Let's get to work!) X 2

 

Anabela, Anataxa, and Fita having fun at rehearsal.

Every week during our REDES meeting, my jovial next door neighbor Fanilio comes out and jokingly asks "What are the requirements to join this group? Can I join?" The girls always crack up and tell him that Requirement #1 is "Be a Girl". Fanilio then feigns extreme insult and sulks away, moping. This week, Fanilio walked by as the girls were painting their nails and they shouted to him, "Professor Fanilio! Servido!" ("Help yourself!") He crossed his arms and said "No, no, I can tell when I'm not wanted. You girls have fun painting your nails, I'll just go in my house and cry."

The girls like Fanilio a lot. So do I.

Next door neighbor Fanilio offers advice.

We got a new member of our group today! Gelsia, the 2-year-old who lives next door, wandered out when she heard the girls singing. She walked right up to the group and wanted to join in. Her big sister Norai soon came to take her away, and Gelsia waved sadly as she left. Don't be sad, Gelsia, you can join when you get older.

Our youngest member!

Our conference starts tomorrow and goes until Sunday. Wish us luck!

My girls!