Hiking and Visiting A Manyatta

Day 50
7:30 Breakfast
8:30 Hike Up Mount Suswa
1:00 Lunch
2:45 Manyatta Visit
7:45 Dinner

Hiking Mount Suswa

   The hike up the crater was very humid. "At the start of the hike I felt energized and excited but the tall grass was cutting my legs and the dust was awful. The sun was hot and I was sweating profusely, getting sunscreen in my eyes. I stumbled over rocks and fell behind. I was always thirsty. Finally some clouds gave us shade and the breeze cooled me off." There were obsidian rocks on the ground and there were whistling thorn acacia trees that live in a symbiotic relationship with ants. 

The men, woman and children of the boma

   We went to a Manyatta that has never been visited by tourists. One of the university professors traveling with us has connections with some of the elders in this group and they permitted us to come visit them!! It was better than watching a program on National Geographic, I was living it! "When we got there we lined up to enter the Manyatta in single file and walk to the centre. While singing the locals all came towards us and we shook everyones hand, first the men, then the women and then we touched the heads of all the children. We listened to a welcoming speech and then we were allowed to "do whatever we wanted" - dance or sing with them, visit inside the homes or take pictures." A woman approached Julia and I and grabbed our hands, she pulled us along and called to a couple of men who followed us. We went to a home and she motioned for us to enter, the man spoke in English, "She's inviting you into her home." She didn't speak any English and she wanted her brother to translate for her. She had a little baby that Julia held while we all talked. They made us sweet tea that we sipped while we socialized. "The visit was incredible and earth shattering, I had an amazing experience. It was the most real and honest visit we've ever had to a boma." 10 years ago today I had an experience of a lifetime.