culture

I've hardly posted any glimpses into the culture here since we moved.  There's a reason for that.  There are very few Zambians who are willing to answer questions and speak openly about cultural things and explain why things are the way they are.  Thus, David and I don't find things out very quickly about the culture we are living in, which can be quite frustrating at times.  I thought that David summed it up very well in his response to an email from a friend inquiring how we are settling in:

"Life is certainly different here and it is a challenge living in a society where they don't tell you what they really are thinking. That is probably the hardest part for me. I'd like to understand the culture and the people, but they take a long time to get to know. We are always learning about new aspects of the culture, but rarely in a  straightforward way! You rarely are simply told something."

You would think that our Zambian neighbors and friends would want to share about their culture to build bridges of understanding.  That is what I naively thought, coming here. But it obviously is going to take time to win the confidence of those around us so that they are willing to share.  What we have learned thus far is most often passed on second-hand from our more experienced colleagues who have worked here for years   Or stumbled across accidentally in the course of a conversation.  For example, in the sermon we heard preached by the local Reformed Baptist minister on Sunday, who casually mentioned that when a girl "comes of age", she is no longer allowed to speak to her father.  What?  That's it, plain and simple.  When a daughter reaches puberty, there is no longer any communication or relationship between herself and her father.  She may only speak to him through her mother.  Why don't people tell us these sorts of things?

And while sometimes I've had experiences that I'd like to blog about, it feels one-sided to write my thoughts about something I've seen in the culture but not be able to share any explanation from the Zambian point of view.  Almost like it would come across as negative, because I wouldn't know any rationale for whatever it was.

 But I will stop speaking in vague generalities and share something that happened this week.

One of our graduate students passed away some time ago.  In Zambian culture, when a man dies, his extended family takes everything that belonged to him, usually leaving the widow destitute (and often with several children to care for).  It's a horrible practice and one which accurately demonstrates the vulture-like tendencies of African extended family obligations.  In this instance, the widow of our graduate student sent a letter to the College asking if there was any way we could help her because the husband's family had taken everything.  When the husband was at the College as a student, he had been given a bicycle by the College to help him in his ministry.  So, in hopes that this would improve her situation, a letter was written from our Principal to the husband's family explaining that the bicycle was a gift from the College and should be given back to the wife.

Unfortunately, when the letter (which was in English) was read by a family member to the wife, somehow the lines of communication came crashing down and she was inaccurately told that there was a bicycle waiting for her at the College and she needed to go there and claim it!  So this poor destitute widow set out from her village and walked for TWO DAYS to get her bicycle from the College.  She arrived here expecting that we had this gift waiting for her.

As soon as people realized what had happened, and the misunderstanding that had occurred, everything was explained to the wife.  I don't know what her response was.  I am sure she was disappointed, but there was nothing that could be done.  Thankfully, she could at least be provided with a lift home in a vehicle so that she wouldn't have to walk the whole way back!  Arrangements were made to translate the letter into Nyanja so that there would be no further miscommunication and so that the letter would serve its original purpose. However, when the widow was taken back to her village, her family said, "Oh, but we don't want her to have the bicycle back!  If we ask for the bicycle back, we will get enemies, and then there will be death."

What?

It's as simple as that.  If there is a disagreement about personal property, the next thing you know, someone has been 'bewitched' by a jealous or angry relative (who goes to a witchdoctor to put a curse on that person), and "then there is death."  There is so much belief in witchcraft here.  If there is tragedy, illness, crop failure, loss of animals, any type of misfortune, it is interpreted as a result of being bewitched by someone.  There is so much fear.  But no one talks about it!  It just exists, under the surface, tainting the routine of daily life, turning everyday occurrences into emblems of doom.  And the funny thing is, the people believe that witchcraft doesn't affect us 'azungus' (white people) -- why? -- BECAUSE WE DON'T BELIEVE IN IT!  (Because we are educated.)

Ironic, isn't it?

These are just a few thoughts.  Part of the reason this blog exists is to share cultural glimpses, but this is the first time I've been able to collect my thoughts enough to actually post.