PWANI PART 3: Jamaa yangu (My family)

I had a very large family, and I am still not sure exactly how everyone is the house was related to each other. My mother has 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls. Her oldest son, Rashid, is 24 and married with two little girls. His family also lived in my house along with two other young boys. One of Rashid's daughters, Raziki, was 3 years old and so adorable and very talkative. His younger daughter, Nia, is only 9 months old and cried every time she looked me for the first three days (which everyone thought was really funny). I really liked the second eldest son, Saudi, who was 19 years old. He is just finishing up secondary school and plans to sit for his exams (kind of like SATs… but a much bigger deal because they basically determine where you can go to school and get jobs) this coming year. He was really shy, but really nice and was always taking me around the village.

My oldest brother's wife scrapping the coconut in order to make coconut milk for cooking.

My mama preparing the lamps at sunset

My brother, Sudi.

Nia (9 months old) finally warmed up to me by the end of the week. Since she is just learning how to walk, whenever she would stand up we would all sing "peke yake peke yake" (by herself by herself) and clap out hands while she would dance by bouncing up and down.

Raziki (3 years old) LOVED having her picture taken.

My sisters and nieces.

Me with my mama, Sudi, my two sisters, and Raziki right before I left the village. I am wearing the khangas my mama gave me as a present.