Adventures in Lundaland
The Road
Returned from my provincial meetings a few days back. It proved to be an interesting journey, both to and from. The meetings weren't particularly noteworthy, except for a costume party held on Halloween. Its theme: Black Friday Walmart Sale. It was, more or less, an excuse for North-Western volunteers to dress and act more white-trash than the norm and it was glorious. But let us return to the journey now.
The journey there took about three days. One day from my village to Mwinilung'a on the back of a canter-truck. One day from Mwinilung'a to Kansala in an overcrowded bus. One day from Kansala to Solwezi in another dreaded bus. From Kansala to Solwezi was interesting because of the macabre parade we had to drive around on the way to Solwezi; a parade of Floating Coffins! It seemed like at least two people died and were being carried in coffins in the middle of the highway/barely-paved-road with about fifty people walking behind them. Along the way we also got packet-drunk, ate umbrella-sized mushrooms, met an Angolan Consulate worker while drinking Congolese beer out of plastic 40 oz. bottles in a hut, and visited a fellow volunteer whose house resembles a 19th Century American fort. It was profitable experience overall.
Getting from Solwezi to Lusaka and back to my village, on the other hand, was nothing short of an odyssey. On every long bus-ride there is a preacher who stands up and shouts a near-endless prayer for the safety of the bus and its patrons. One such prayer seemed to take about a hour to complete and sounded more like a medieval curse than a Christian prayer, sounding something like "Give me food and my family food. Give me money and give my family money. Kill those who dislike me and my family. Kill them! Kill them! God will crush my enemies! God will crush those who seek to hurt me and my family!" and so on. At least they are honest in their desires. Getting from Solwezi to Mwinilung'a was quite entertaining compared to the bus-preachers and African lack of personal space. I hitch-hiked in the bed of a truck, along with a drunk man. He was trying to convince me that Gin was "the best beer" because it never spoiled. I let him believe this and then he insisted that he didn't want to drink alone, so he bought me three Castle lagers for the drive-up and this helped the time go by. It also helped that, unlike the bus, this truck could go a solid 110 kph and make no stops along the way. From Mwinilung'a to Ikeleng'e, however, was a bit sticky. It took about five hours for a vehicle to show up and it was something like a Honda Civic, which seemed unlikely to survive the trip but none-the-less I took it. I was certain that I was going to die in that little car, as it hurtled through the unpaved bush-paths and wooden bridges of Kalene Hill. It took about double the time and I'm pretty sure the guy's brakes and transmission were about to fall out of his car, but I made it to a fellow volunteer's home by about 23hrs.
The Normality of Juju
I think its easy to lose perspective when considering juju, as an American, whilst in Lundaland. I hope that my writing this can clear up the situation a bit more, for Americans at home and abroad.
As touched upon before, we can deduce the history of juju using historical sources and simply observation. There was an indigenous pantheon in Dark Africa before colonization. This includes ancestral spirits and other lesser forces as well. Juju, or rather the folklore, practices, and ideas of inter-relatedness, was an aspect of this system. Colonization, slave-trade (practiced by both Africans and non-Africans alike), and missionary activity all destabilized the old ways. Modernity and further missionaries corrupt the old way further into being so-called African Christians. Juju, however, still remains under this veneer.
From here we can more easily grasp the situation of juju and its functions. Shared folklore and practices create and strengthen communal bonds, and it creates a common world-view for them to understand the world. Its practices act as ventilation for social stresses within the village, such as jealousy and feelings of communal inequality. Is it so shocking that "witches" and "wizards" tend to be feisty old grannies and successful businessmen respectively? Of course not. This fear of witchcraft also, I may add, bind the community together.
By the inter-relatedness of juju, I mean the logic of disparate forces and things having physical effects on each other. I will go into this further. Jealousy creates spirit-lions that kill villagers. Ill-will leads to illness or car wrecks. This seems illogical to us Westerners, and it is, but only because we have a system of logic based on Greco-Roman tradition. The Zambian logic, however, does not share this heritage. This logic of Dark Africa (the previously unmapped interior, not related to skin colour), hinges on the assumption that death is an unnatural force. Once you understand this assumption, this principle, the system of logic makes sense in a way. Or to be more specific even, death is only caused by outside agency and this agency does not need a biological source of power. For example, just a few days ago (as of 12/6/11) a young Lunda man from near-Angola (just there, as Zambians say) was hospitalized due to an illness which later succumbed to. They found his killers, witches of course, using a Floating Coffin. In this example the unnatural state of death was caused by a demonic-force which stole his shadow (what'd we call his soul) and this force was the agent of the witches. While this seems odd let's compare it with American Juju for a second.
What does American Juju entail? A man finds a lucky penny on the way to a job interview and he gets the job. A man at a poker table wears the same, specific trucker cap and wins every hand. A woman prays with a candle for a man and gets her wish at a college class. A person writes his desires on a white-board wishes them into being using positive thoughts. We speak of ghost-stories around a campfire, in just the same manner of Lundas speaking of invisible water-serpents around a fire in their huts. We speak of intention and positive thinking in the exact same ways of Zambians speaking of charms that prevent illness. We fear Middle Eastern boogeymen so much that we've recklessly traded our Constitutional rights away faster than a Zambian would run away from an accusation of witchery. Who are we, with our rabbit-feet and horse-shoes, to mock them?
As I've said before, let our judgments coincide with action. If an American wishes to harshly judge Zambian juju, let him purge himself of his out superstitious ways. I'd like to meet such a man; his neck adorned neither with rosary beads nor cross, his mind unmoved by petty sentiment, his actions untarnished by illogical notions and desires. Where is this American?
The Night
It is 12/4/2011 and it is night-fall here in Nyilamba. Night is such a beautiful and Wyrd thing here. The stars are always radiant and clear, though I barely recognize the constellations this side of the world. The night is both limiting and boundless. It is limiting since few dare to be out when darkness falss, lest they be accused of witchery or become harmed by witchery themselves (aka animal attack or automobile accident). I've never seen wild bats until being here. They love to wait in my bathroom/outhouse (chimbushi) so that if I dare to use it at night I'm treated to the furtive fluttering of wings and fur. You get used to it by the second or third time though. The malaria prophylaxis plays a big role in the nocturnal experience of Zambia. Mefloquine has multiple side-effects depending on the person, but for em these are most common: insomnia, nightmares, increased lucid dreaming, and profound confusion at night. Often one has some terror-inducing visage come to him in dreams, only to awake in absolute darkness without knowing where he is or how he arrived there. On numerous occasions I've gone outside after a nightmare only to become lost in the darkness and the rain-forest, but then I discover that I'm actually still in my bed and pawing at my mosquito net imagining that I'm outside. The dreams I've had are numerous and vivid, so they can be a pain to consistently note and publish. I've been told by Anthony Bourdain to rewrite the Ten Commandants in a more awesome way. I've had Joseph Campbell write a book about Hitler and discuss the commonalities between Dr. Who and the Resurrecting Hero God. I've wandered about ancient stone monuments among mist and living statues. What wonders the mind holds, I can now only wonder and hope to see myself in these visages. Tonight I will take my prophylaxis and can only hope to either sleep deeply or at least not end up tangled up in my mosquito net yet again.
Conquering Philosophy
I've been writing quite a bit regarding Political Philosophy in the United States. Soon I will discuss those ideas here. But until that time, here are quotes from authors who I've been influenced by since being in Zambia.
Notable Political Quotes
“In modern society man had become prisoner of the institutions he had created to free him. He had lost his sense of direction. The worker expended his daily efforts in creating a piece of a product he might never see, to be sold to a customer he may never know. Where was the ego satisfaction in a daily impersonal routine in which creativity was stifled under a cultural blanket of standardization and person effort produced monotonously for an impersonal market? Modern man exhausts himself in endless occupation, his creativity cast into a mold, his accomplishments lost in an endless chain o anonymous products. Little wonder that his so-called freedom proves frequently unbearable; nor little wonder that man becomes as standardized as his products, merely a digit in a numerical mass, a willing victim of mass manipulators; and, indeed, little wonder that even the normal man must struggle for sanity in such a situation.” - Alan Pendleton Grimes “American Political Thought” paraphrasing the theme of Erich Fromm's “The Sane Society”
“Democracy had reduced mankind to a 'dead level of incapacity' in which good leaders were neither available nor desired. Social order demanded leadership; yet the social temper of the democratic age militated against the creation and perpetuation of an aristocracy to lead...for democracy, he argued, had enthroned mediocrity, and mediocrity in power tended to degenerate into outright inferiority.” - Alan Pendleton Grimes “American Political Thought” paraphrasing the theme of Ralph Adams Cram's “The Nemesis of Mediocrity”
“The idea that men are created free and equal is both true and misleading; men are created differently; they lose their social freedom and their individual autonomy in seeking to become like each other.” - David Riesman “The Lonely Crowd”
“The conservative principles par excellence are proportion and measure; self-expression through self-restraint; preservation through reform; humanism and classical balance; a fruitful nostalgia for the permanent beneath the flux; and a fruitful obsession for unbroken historic continuity. These principles together create freedom, a freedom built not on the quicksand of adolescent defiance but on the bedrock of ethics and law.” - Peter Riereck “Conservatism Revisited”
“But of all the views of this law none is more important, none more legitimate, than that of rendering the people the safe as they are the ultimate, guardians of their own liberty...and to render even them safe, their minds must be improved to a certain degree.” - Thomas Jefferson “Basic Writings of Thomas Jefferson”
“Reason and free inquiry are the only effectual agents against error. Give a loose to them, they will support the true religion by bringing every false one to their tribunal, to the test of their investigation. They are the natural enemies of error, and of error only.” - Thomas Jefferson “Basic Writings of Thomas Jefferson”
“The states could not have reserved any rights by the articles of their union, if they had not been sovereign, because they could have no rights, unless they flowed from that source. In the creation of the federal government, the states exercised the highest act of sovereignty, and they may, if they please, repeat the proof of their sovereignty, by its annihilation.” - John Taylor “New Views of the Constitution”
“As, then, there never was such a state as the so-called state of nature, and never can be, it follows, that men, instead of being born in it, are born in the social and political state; and of course, instead of being born free and equal, are born subject, not only to parental authority, but to the laws and institutions of the country where born, and under whose protection they draw their first breath.” - John C. Calhoun “A Disquistion on Government”
“It is, indeed, this inequality of condition between the front and the rear ranks, in the march of progress, which give so strong an impulse to the former to maintain their position, and to the latter to press forward into their files. This gives progress its greatest impulse.” - John C. Calhoun “A Disquistion on Government”
“It is a reward to be earned [liberty], not a blessing to be gratuitously lavished on all alive;- a reward reserved for the intelligent, the patriotic, the virtuous and deserving;- and not a boon to be bestowed on a people too ignorant, degraded and vicious, to be capable of either appreciating or of enjoying it....A reward more appropriate than liberty could not be conferred on the deserving;- nor a punishment inflicted on the undeserving more just, than to be subject to lawless and despotic rules.” - John C. Calhoun “A Disquistion on Government”
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Notes from November 2011
A Lunda Prayer Before Eating Meals
ATATA YETU WEKALA MWINULU TUNAYISAKILILI HAKUTWINKA CHAKUDA CHANTETEMENA MWAANA, MELELA. TUNALOMBI MUCHIKISWILI MWIJINA DAMWANTA WETU YESU KRISTU AMENA.
General Observations on Food in Zambia
Food culture is interesting here in Zambia. First of all, it is hard to get recipes for food. Much like distance and time, food is measured in vague terms like "oh just this much corn" or "cook it for a while". And yet, I do think that is more than enough to cook good food. Cooking involves something of the soul just as much as the mind. With that aside, anyone living in Zambia can see certain trends in cooking. Women do most, if not all, of the cooking. Favored spices include salt, sugar, and vegetable oil. The amounts of these three food products are absolutely staggering and take time to get used to, and generally it is a sign of wealth and\or respect to be using such products in vast quantities. Let's hope you enjoy sugary coffee and grits.
One thing that was curious was the lack of caffeine-tolerance in many Zambians. Apparently they are heavily affected by caffeine, both in carbonated forms and in higher quality coffee.
What are the staple foods of Zambia? Rape and Nshima come to mind. Rape is a type of cabbage that is shredded with onions\scallions, and then steamed or pan-seared. Nshima is a thick porridge made from a mealie-meal of corn, sorghum, finger millet, or even cassava. The word “porridge” is misleading though, since it has the consistency of play-dough and is eaten with the hands. You break off a piece of the nshima, roll it into a ball, and use it like a spoon to eat rape or whatever relish is around. Kapenta is popular too, unfortunately. It is a small, heavily salted and dried fish eaten whole. It is by far the worst food I’ve had here.
Traditionally, eating is only performed with the right hand.
Posting in Ikeleng'e
I was posted at my site in Ikeleng’e at the end of October. It was…somewhat annoying. Here are my experiences with that.
First I got stuck in Solwezi for some ridiculous amount of time because of the large number of people being posted at once. My remedy for this, of course, was to take some Zambian Viagra and drink irresponsibly. I went to Mutanda Falls the next day and swam my hangover off. Shortly after that I had to borrow 1,500,000 ZK from my Peace Corps Volunteer Leader because Peace Corps decided not to pay me (for fun, I’m assuming) and I needed to buy things (like food) for my house.
I was finally at site by the 28th of October. The night before was amusing because I got stuck at a local restaurant for about eight hours after one of the drivers decided that he didn’t get paid enough and drove himself back to Lusaka. I was a bit annoyed at the time but I actually applaud the effort, since Peace Corps might actually do their jobs if enough people protest. I passed the time there, of course, by cursing to myself and chain-smoking my Dunhill Reds. The day after getting stuck at the restaurant the other Ikeleng’e volunteer and I crammed into the back of an absolutely stuffed Land Cruiser, along with the cranky cat called Jeffery Dahmer (he’ll cut you). After crossing the bridge near my house, I knew then that I was at the Heart of Darkness…Ikeleng’e.
The first day actually at site was productive enough. I started the grueling task of unpacking the only few but messy possessions to my name. I put up nails, cables, and lumber well into the night. I later had dinner with my Zambian Family which consisted of nshima, rape, and kapenta. This kapenta and I go way back in Zambia, true enemies for life. Kapenta, you rat bastard; you are the Viet-Cong waiting for me around every rock and tree. After this deadly encounter I decided to hit the rack and call it a night.
The next day I noticed odd bubbles coming up from the stream where I get my drinking water from and I asked my host father, and he says they call it “boiling water” due to its bubbling appearance. It seems Ikeleng’e has gotten a lot of attention from geologists and perhaps this is related to geomorphic happenings in the region. I stopped for a quick lunch of kapenta (which kills a small part of me) with nshima and rape. I continued my task of Macgyvering my bookshelf out of random materials on hand. I used brackets, nails, #550 paracord, and a few saplings. I now know that anything can be accomplished with the right motivation, sweat, and paracord. I rewarded myself with pipe tobacco, chili, and rest. Life here can be very fulfilling compared to life in the United States. For once I own my own house and have absolute freedom in my life, and people treat me like a rock star.
General Impressions from November
Found the spot where I get good cell-phone reception. It is a certain termite mound with a burrowing frog hole and a bent tree. Very easy to remember, right? Once again I pulled the classic new volunteer move where I had to ask someone “Excuse me, where do I live? Thanks.” I hung out with a blacksmith and I wanted to help him pound some metal into a hoe-blade, but I needed long pants so I didn’t get burned. I got long pants and went back, and helped him cut and shape the blades and it was amazing. He said he will teach me how to do smithing if I can help him make a fish pond, which I certainly intend on doing.
I was thoroughly depressed after missing Halloween by being in the village but my spirits improved as I did my job more. I now teach a variety of subjects at the local primary school. I do English, HIV\AIDS, and I assist with Civics and Religious Education. I will soon make a boxing club and a fish farming club at the school as well. I met a man named John and he is one of the local witch-doctors, and he seems like a cool guy. I hope to get some information about his trade soon.
The rain comes fast and strong in Ikeleng’e. It is distinct and hits like clockwork, usually around 15:30-17:30. It seems the area shares a weather system with Congo, since I am so close to the border. When the rain comes you first hear the thunderheads in the distance, like a hail of bombs or a Maxim machine-gun of thunder. You look off to the distance and see homogenous dark clouds coming fast and soon a gust of wind hits from the direction of the oncoming rain. With the wind you get hit by the rain like a right hook and you curse the Bush Gods because you didn’t get under a hut in time when you first got hit by the wind.
I was able to break out both my Dutch oven and grill in one day, which led to a very pleasurable day. It seems to consistently surprise my villagers that I cook for myself and cook good food at that! I cooked up some fry bread in my Dutch oven and ate it with some raw bush honey, comb and all. A neighbor gave me about two kilos of free pork and I feasted in a manner hardly witnessed by people in a rainforest. I made a rub of spices and sauces, especially garlic and pepper, and grilled that piggy right up. I made a side of beef and bean stew with greens on the side, with a bit of mashed corn for good measure. It was glorious! The food here in Zambia often amazes me, at least in the village. The honey, raw and still with combs and bee parts, is amazing tasting and without much equal. The fruits and vegetables are often massive (especially avocados) and burst with flavor. The meat, domestic and bush alike, has a taste not found in store-bought meats. They have a flavor that I guess we must have bred out of our animals and this is especially evident in pork, which takes on a truly decadent taste. I now absolutely do not regret spending the extra money on my various cooking utensils and gear. Cooking has consistently been one of my only true pleasures in life and that pleasure has only swelled up here in the bush. It makes me want to start seriously learning how to cook back in the states. Have kitchen knife, will travel.
The Bush
It’s becoming something of a ritual of mine to go out into the bush after breakfast. I slurp down three or four cups of stout, burning coffee or black tea with my grits or oats and then away myself over some bush path. Navigation in the bush (and in Zambia as a whole) is highly eidetic and unusual for the city-dwelling American. One finds the cardinal directions by the stars and sun primarily. One travels bush paths using the minutest of signs: bent branches, charred tree stumps, termite mounds, and specifically sized trees. But sure enough the mind, being the patterning-seeking thing it is, always locks onto these tails without much failure. The bush itself consistently seems alive and pulsating with vitality, as if you were standing inside of some great and brutal heart within a totally alien life-form. And yet sometimes it is so quest that you can hear the smallest insects and gentlest streams without issue. Other times, however, it sounds like you are wading through a fierce ocean of green, with ferns and mossy-stones replacing the sea-foam. It’s not hard to imagine the rainforest being some manifestation, some objective crystallization of the essence of a nearly-forgotten Bush God that still breathes and sings of awe-inspiring tales out there for those who still listen. Its trees and lava-rocks being this God’s altar, and the natural cycles of life and death are its weird blessings. I continue to come across patterns of old stones in the bush, and I say odd because of how linear they appear. They remind me of the remnants, the corpse, of a great and cyclopean fortress built by hands long forgotten.
I often sit on a log and think of life out in the bush. People like me have always been around, I reckon. I tire of being told that I was born in the wrong time-period. My type, perhaps rare and restricted in production, surely has had many differing worldly manifestations: berserkers, warrior-priests, antinomian seamen and blackguards, outcast shamans, and other destabilizing forms. The type of person I am is neither new nor old, but rather timeless. The type of volcanic, stormy person who just barely balances the wolf-heart and the human-heart within.
Notable Quotes
“Another part [of himself] yearned to wear the big pistol openly on his hip and to travel by day under a black flag, respecting all who let him be, fight all who would seek to fight him, letting rage be his guide against anything that ran counter to his will.” Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier
“He had become too proud of walking singular, of his oneness, his loneness.” Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier
“Justice is held to be equality, and it is, but for equals and not for all.” The Politics, Aristotle
“A city is the partnership of families and villages in a complete and self-sufficient life. This, we assert, is living happily and finely. The political partnership must be regarded, therefore, as being for the sake of noble actions, not for the sake of living together. Hence those who contribute most to a partnership of this sort have a greater part in the city than those who are equal or greater in freedom and family but unequal in political virtue, or those who outdo them in wealth but are outdone in virtues.” The Politics, Aristotle
“’Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.’ Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.” Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Every true man is a cause, a country, and an age; requires infinite spaces and numbers and time fully to accomplish his design; –and posterity seem to follow his steps as a train of clients. A man Caesar is born, and for ages after we have a Roman Empire. Christ is born, and millions of minds so grow and cleave to his genius, that he is confounded with virtue and the possible of man. An institution is the lengthened shadow of one man; as, Monachism, of the Hermit Antony; the Reformation, of Luther; Quakerism, of Fox; Methodism, of Wesley; Abolition, of Clarkson. Scipio, Milton called the ‘height of Rome’; and all history resolves itself very easily into the biography of a few stout and earnest persons.” Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson
PS:
ATATA YETU WEKALA MWINULU TUNAYISAKILILI HAKUTWINKA CHAKUDA CHANTETEMENA MWAANA, MELELA. TUNALOMBI MUCHIKISWILI MWIJINA DAMWANTA WETU YESU KRISTU AMENA.
General Observations on Food in Zambia
Food culture is interesting here in Zambia. First of all, it is hard to get recipes for food. Much like distance and time, food is measured in vague terms like "oh just this much corn" or "cook it for a while". And yet, I do think that is more than enough to cook good food. Cooking involves something of the soul just as much as the mind. With that aside, anyone living in Zambia can see certain trends in cooking. Women do most, if not all, of the cooking. Favored spices include salt, sugar, and vegetable oil. The amounts of these three food products are absolutely staggering and take time to get used to, and generally it is a sign of wealth and\or respect to be using such products in vast quantities. Let's hope you enjoy sugary coffee and grits.
One thing that was curious was the lack of caffeine-tolerance in many Zambians. Apparently they are heavily affected by caffeine, both in carbonated forms and in higher quality coffee.
What are the staple foods of Zambia? Rape and Nshima come to mind. Rape is a type of cabbage that is shredded with onions\scallions, and then steamed or pan-seared. Nshima is a thick porridge made from a mealie-meal of corn, sorghum, finger millet, or even cassava. The word “porridge” is misleading though, since it has the consistency of play-dough and is eaten with the hands. You break off a piece of the nshima, roll it into a ball, and use it like a spoon to eat rape or whatever relish is around. Kapenta is popular too, unfortunately. It is a small, heavily salted and dried fish eaten whole. It is by far the worst food I’ve had here.
Traditionally, eating is only performed with the right hand.
Posting in Ikeleng'e
I was posted at my site in Ikeleng’e at the end of October. It was…somewhat annoying. Here are my experiences with that.
First I got stuck in Solwezi for some ridiculous amount of time because of the large number of people being posted at once. My remedy for this, of course, was to take some Zambian Viagra and drink irresponsibly. I went to Mutanda Falls the next day and swam my hangover off. Shortly after that I had to borrow 1,500,000 ZK from my Peace Corps Volunteer Leader because Peace Corps decided not to pay me (for fun, I’m assuming) and I needed to buy things (like food) for my house.
I was finally at site by the 28th of October. The night before was amusing because I got stuck at a local restaurant for about eight hours after one of the drivers decided that he didn’t get paid enough and drove himself back to Lusaka. I was a bit annoyed at the time but I actually applaud the effort, since Peace Corps might actually do their jobs if enough people protest. I passed the time there, of course, by cursing to myself and chain-smoking my Dunhill Reds. The day after getting stuck at the restaurant the other Ikeleng’e volunteer and I crammed into the back of an absolutely stuffed Land Cruiser, along with the cranky cat called Jeffery Dahmer (he’ll cut you). After crossing the bridge near my house, I knew then that I was at the Heart of Darkness…Ikeleng’e.
The first day actually at site was productive enough. I started the grueling task of unpacking the only few but messy possessions to my name. I put up nails, cables, and lumber well into the night. I later had dinner with my Zambian Family which consisted of nshima, rape, and kapenta. This kapenta and I go way back in Zambia, true enemies for life. Kapenta, you rat bastard; you are the Viet-Cong waiting for me around every rock and tree. After this deadly encounter I decided to hit the rack and call it a night.
The next day I noticed odd bubbles coming up from the stream where I get my drinking water from and I asked my host father, and he says they call it “boiling water” due to its bubbling appearance. It seems Ikeleng’e has gotten a lot of attention from geologists and perhaps this is related to geomorphic happenings in the region. I stopped for a quick lunch of kapenta (which kills a small part of me) with nshima and rape. I continued my task of Macgyvering my bookshelf out of random materials on hand. I used brackets, nails, #550 paracord, and a few saplings. I now know that anything can be accomplished with the right motivation, sweat, and paracord. I rewarded myself with pipe tobacco, chili, and rest. Life here can be very fulfilling compared to life in the United States. For once I own my own house and have absolute freedom in my life, and people treat me like a rock star.
General Impressions from November
Found the spot where I get good cell-phone reception. It is a certain termite mound with a burrowing frog hole and a bent tree. Very easy to remember, right? Once again I pulled the classic new volunteer move where I had to ask someone “Excuse me, where do I live? Thanks.” I hung out with a blacksmith and I wanted to help him pound some metal into a hoe-blade, but I needed long pants so I didn’t get burned. I got long pants and went back, and helped him cut and shape the blades and it was amazing. He said he will teach me how to do smithing if I can help him make a fish pond, which I certainly intend on doing.
I was thoroughly depressed after missing Halloween by being in the village but my spirits improved as I did my job more. I now teach a variety of subjects at the local primary school. I do English, HIV\AIDS, and I assist with Civics and Religious Education. I will soon make a boxing club and a fish farming club at the school as well. I met a man named John and he is one of the local witch-doctors, and he seems like a cool guy. I hope to get some information about his trade soon.
The rain comes fast and strong in Ikeleng’e. It is distinct and hits like clockwork, usually around 15:30-17:30. It seems the area shares a weather system with Congo, since I am so close to the border. When the rain comes you first hear the thunderheads in the distance, like a hail of bombs or a Maxim machine-gun of thunder. You look off to the distance and see homogenous dark clouds coming fast and soon a gust of wind hits from the direction of the oncoming rain. With the wind you get hit by the rain like a right hook and you curse the Bush Gods because you didn’t get under a hut in time when you first got hit by the wind.
I was able to break out both my Dutch oven and grill in one day, which led to a very pleasurable day. It seems to consistently surprise my villagers that I cook for myself and cook good food at that! I cooked up some fry bread in my Dutch oven and ate it with some raw bush honey, comb and all. A neighbor gave me about two kilos of free pork and I feasted in a manner hardly witnessed by people in a rainforest. I made a rub of spices and sauces, especially garlic and pepper, and grilled that piggy right up. I made a side of beef and bean stew with greens on the side, with a bit of mashed corn for good measure. It was glorious! The food here in Zambia often amazes me, at least in the village. The honey, raw and still with combs and bee parts, is amazing tasting and without much equal. The fruits and vegetables are often massive (especially avocados) and burst with flavor. The meat, domestic and bush alike, has a taste not found in store-bought meats. They have a flavor that I guess we must have bred out of our animals and this is especially evident in pork, which takes on a truly decadent taste. I now absolutely do not regret spending the extra money on my various cooking utensils and gear. Cooking has consistently been one of my only true pleasures in life and that pleasure has only swelled up here in the bush. It makes me want to start seriously learning how to cook back in the states. Have kitchen knife, will travel.
The Bush
It’s becoming something of a ritual of mine to go out into the bush after breakfast. I slurp down three or four cups of stout, burning coffee or black tea with my grits or oats and then away myself over some bush path. Navigation in the bush (and in Zambia as a whole) is highly eidetic and unusual for the city-dwelling American. One finds the cardinal directions by the stars and sun primarily. One travels bush paths using the minutest of signs: bent branches, charred tree stumps, termite mounds, and specifically sized trees. But sure enough the mind, being the patterning-seeking thing it is, always locks onto these tails without much failure. The bush itself consistently seems alive and pulsating with vitality, as if you were standing inside of some great and brutal heart within a totally alien life-form. And yet sometimes it is so quest that you can hear the smallest insects and gentlest streams without issue. Other times, however, it sounds like you are wading through a fierce ocean of green, with ferns and mossy-stones replacing the sea-foam. It’s not hard to imagine the rainforest being some manifestation, some objective crystallization of the essence of a nearly-forgotten Bush God that still breathes and sings of awe-inspiring tales out there for those who still listen. Its trees and lava-rocks being this God’s altar, and the natural cycles of life and death are its weird blessings. I continue to come across patterns of old stones in the bush, and I say odd because of how linear they appear. They remind me of the remnants, the corpse, of a great and cyclopean fortress built by hands long forgotten.
I often sit on a log and think of life out in the bush. People like me have always been around, I reckon. I tire of being told that I was born in the wrong time-period. My type, perhaps rare and restricted in production, surely has had many differing worldly manifestations: berserkers, warrior-priests, antinomian seamen and blackguards, outcast shamans, and other destabilizing forms. The type of person I am is neither new nor old, but rather timeless. The type of volcanic, stormy person who just barely balances the wolf-heart and the human-heart within.
Notable Quotes
“Another part [of himself] yearned to wear the big pistol openly on his hip and to travel by day under a black flag, respecting all who let him be, fight all who would seek to fight him, letting rage be his guide against anything that ran counter to his will.” Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier
“He had become too proud of walking singular, of his oneness, his loneness.” Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier
“Justice is held to be equality, and it is, but for equals and not for all.” The Politics, Aristotle
“A city is the partnership of families and villages in a complete and self-sufficient life. This, we assert, is living happily and finely. The political partnership must be regarded, therefore, as being for the sake of noble actions, not for the sake of living together. Hence those who contribute most to a partnership of this sort have a greater part in the city than those who are equal or greater in freedom and family but unequal in political virtue, or those who outdo them in wealth but are outdone in virtues.” The Politics, Aristotle
“’Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.’ Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.” Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Every true man is a cause, a country, and an age; requires infinite spaces and numbers and time fully to accomplish his design; –and posterity seem to follow his steps as a train of clients. A man Caesar is born, and for ages after we have a Roman Empire. Christ is born, and millions of minds so grow and cleave to his genius, that he is confounded with virtue and the possible of man. An institution is the lengthened shadow of one man; as, Monachism, of the Hermit Antony; the Reformation, of Luther; Quakerism, of Fox; Methodism, of Wesley; Abolition, of Clarkson. Scipio, Milton called the ‘height of Rome’; and all history resolves itself very easily into the biography of a few stout and earnest persons.” Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson
PS:
Uploaded some new photos up too. See them here!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Sir Launcelot Arrives
Conquering Philosophy
Why Bother?
Why bother with philosophy? Philosophy, especially a forceful one like the Conquering Philosophy I write now, both attacks and explores the the need for a proper Life-Way for those forced to live in a Post-Modern world. Why do we have this need? Where there were once traditional Life-Ways for people of all person-types, there is only the mundane and democratized "every-man" of our times. There is another problem here, in that we cannot simply resurrect an older culture and hope to prop it up in our own times. No, we cannot become necromancers of a romanticized past. At most we can hope to take some of their advice and pitfalls, and learn from them while seeking the same Mysteries they grappled with.
We must battle with nihilism and all forms of modern foolishness. We must fight stasis, disorder, and mindlessness. We must transcend the petty morality of the commoners, the "every-men", and stand tall with our fellow Nobles against this mundaneness thrust upon us. And we must win.
Luck and Being
The more I meditate on this subject, the more I come back to the same type of conclusion: Luck is a manifestation of Being. And by manifestation, I surely mean that Luck is a direct product of the process of Becoming. We dream our future-Selves into Being and slowly Become that future-Self in the here and now, and this process morphs into predestined fate as it establishes itself in the past. As this Willed crystallization of the future-Self is achieved, Luck is the generated momentum that helps one crush obstacles and understand the next horizon. Being and Luck: things found in proper proportion in individuals with lives in proper measure.
In the Forge
Stress can be an acidic property that destroys the vessel it is contained within. In this regard it is much like the fiery force of hatred. But we can utilize this force with the proper mindset and fortitude. We can transmute stress and hatred in raw strength without being burned ourselves, though this is no easy task and it is not achievable for all people. But those warlords, for this type of person with the proper Will the normally negative emotions are changed into vitality and useful weapons against their foes. Fear those who can cripple mundaneness with such fiery itstruments.
A Judgement upon Judgement
Popular society has engrained within us a fear of judgement. We are taught to dismiss the notion of judging others while respecting those people who can legally judge us, at least to their faces anyway. Instead of agreeing with such a foolish notion, let me say this upon the matter. Judgement is a positive, required application of the mind as long as you don't get stuck in these traps: ethnocentrism, inaction, and cultural relativism. All three stifle the dynamic mind. Only judge something from a proper vantage-point and only judge what you intend to act upon. Nobody likes a useless individual who can only cast judgement without following that up with strong Deeds.
Become the Bull by Slaying the Serpent
Weakness is a form of delusion; delusion sponsored by yourself and reinforced by society. It is a manifestation of mindlessness. How do we overcome it? I can think of at least four ways. The first way is to possess and demonstrate bravery and courage. Do the Right action at the Right time, regardless of fear or the ridicule of the fools around you. You will overcome them, sooner or later. Admirable Deeds win greatness the world over. The second way is take initiative in your life, from the greatest actions to the smallest ones. Maintain that momentum to steam-roll over your obstacles. The third way is forget about suffering. It does not build character or strength; it only builds martyrs. Instead of suffering embrace the Quest and its trials! Test your iron and use the experience of truly living to build power. The fourth way is to remember that adversity and danger are simply coals; pick them up and move them aside with neither hesitation nor concern of safety. Build contempt for those things. Power comes from grappling and overcoming ever-increasing resistance.
And one last idea: do all that you say and accept neither excuse nor compromise from anyone, especially from yourself.
For the Black Sufis
A musing on the nature of the Soul. The True Self is the Mirror of Truth and it has existed before Objective Creation. It shows the Seeker of Truth only true things, as delusion is false and false things are Unmanifest. This Chaotic Mirror has many attributes. It shows Truth, gives a form of transmission to the First Cause, holds the Mysteries of the Macrocosm, reflects true attributes of the First Cause, and is far more powerful than any angelic being. This Mirror of Truth is within each Man, which is created in the best of Forms and the Highest of Life. Those who do not perform Right Actions are as permanent as ash in the win. The Higher Self, the Soul, is an honoured kinsman of the body and therefore you should embrace both. Strengthen the body so that it may better house the soul, like a great city holding its citizens. Strengthen the Higher Self so that it may flood the body with vitality, like a cup that overflows with strong drink. Remember the words of Ibn 'Arabi in closing, "O follower of the Path of Truth: If you look deep into the divine secrets, you will find you yourself are the source of divine wisdom".
On Travel
You don't travel to find yourself. Your self is usually the source of your problems and you will be followed by it regardless of where you go. No region or landmark can help you find wisdom. The fool travels to find himself whereas the owner of Truth travels to crystallize one's own True Self; to hone an edge already present.
On Honesty
Honesty is of the utmost importance in life. it is often overlooked that real honesty starts within the Self. If a person is not truly honest, brutally honest even, how can she be honest with others? How will one even recognize honesty (and the Truth) if one does not exercise it upon one's Self and life? If you seek to be honest, start at the centre and work your way outwards. If you seek to be dishonest, at least remain true to the Oaths you swear to your Self and those who matter.
On Fate
Of all the things I know of fate, this is surely the most well tested. Those who sleep have no chance at understanding its manner. Those who are awake may feel its tugging and vibrations. Those who conquer the natural order Will a predestined fate of their making into Being. When a titanic battle looms, neither dread nor curse it. Consider it briefly and then run upon it full speed! If you conquer it you will gain great honour, since strong Deeds produce admiration and esteem. If you fail, at least you fail in an utterly epic way and have a new horizon to shoot for in the future. I am reminded of the saying that even if the spears spare your life, old age shall not! So go forth and exercise your lust for life, even if you burn down the world in the process.
But what is the nature of Fate? It certainly has two natures: one false and external, one true and divine. The false Fate is given to us by the "every-men" and has no bearing on our True Selves. It is made up of political ideology and sentimental nonsense on how people should act in this world without compass. We should learn a lesson from Gilgamesh and rage against this false Fate. But then there is our True Fate. This is written within and beyond; a Mystery found in the Night Sky. We learn bits and pieces of this Mystery through True knowledge and potent Deeds. This Fate is to be worked with and made manifest in the world of mundaneness. This, once realized and made solid, can only lead one down the path of power and the conquering of one's foes. Make the sacrifice and gain the knowledge from the Well, and do not allow yourself the ease of faltering.
"Nutze dein Schicksal, widerstrebe ihm nichte!" ("Use thy destiny, do not strive against it!") - Guido von List
Why Bother?
Why bother with philosophy? Philosophy, especially a forceful one like the Conquering Philosophy I write now, both attacks and explores the the need for a proper Life-Way for those forced to live in a Post-Modern world. Why do we have this need? Where there were once traditional Life-Ways for people of all person-types, there is only the mundane and democratized "every-man" of our times. There is another problem here, in that we cannot simply resurrect an older culture and hope to prop it up in our own times. No, we cannot become necromancers of a romanticized past. At most we can hope to take some of their advice and pitfalls, and learn from them while seeking the same Mysteries they grappled with.
We must battle with nihilism and all forms of modern foolishness. We must fight stasis, disorder, and mindlessness. We must transcend the petty morality of the commoners, the "every-men", and stand tall with our fellow Nobles against this mundaneness thrust upon us. And we must win.
Luck and Being
The more I meditate on this subject, the more I come back to the same type of conclusion: Luck is a manifestation of Being. And by manifestation, I surely mean that Luck is a direct product of the process of Becoming. We dream our future-Selves into Being and slowly Become that future-Self in the here and now, and this process morphs into predestined fate as it establishes itself in the past. As this Willed crystallization of the future-Self is achieved, Luck is the generated momentum that helps one crush obstacles and understand the next horizon. Being and Luck: things found in proper proportion in individuals with lives in proper measure.
In the Forge
Stress can be an acidic property that destroys the vessel it is contained within. In this regard it is much like the fiery force of hatred. But we can utilize this force with the proper mindset and fortitude. We can transmute stress and hatred in raw strength without being burned ourselves, though this is no easy task and it is not achievable for all people. But those warlords, for this type of person with the proper Will the normally negative emotions are changed into vitality and useful weapons against their foes. Fear those who can cripple mundaneness with such fiery itstruments.
A Judgement upon Judgement
Popular society has engrained within us a fear of judgement. We are taught to dismiss the notion of judging others while respecting those people who can legally judge us, at least to their faces anyway. Instead of agreeing with such a foolish notion, let me say this upon the matter. Judgement is a positive, required application of the mind as long as you don't get stuck in these traps: ethnocentrism, inaction, and cultural relativism. All three stifle the dynamic mind. Only judge something from a proper vantage-point and only judge what you intend to act upon. Nobody likes a useless individual who can only cast judgement without following that up with strong Deeds.
Become the Bull by Slaying the Serpent
Weakness is a form of delusion; delusion sponsored by yourself and reinforced by society. It is a manifestation of mindlessness. How do we overcome it? I can think of at least four ways. The first way is to possess and demonstrate bravery and courage. Do the Right action at the Right time, regardless of fear or the ridicule of the fools around you. You will overcome them, sooner or later. Admirable Deeds win greatness the world over. The second way is take initiative in your life, from the greatest actions to the smallest ones. Maintain that momentum to steam-roll over your obstacles. The third way is forget about suffering. It does not build character or strength; it only builds martyrs. Instead of suffering embrace the Quest and its trials! Test your iron and use the experience of truly living to build power. The fourth way is to remember that adversity and danger are simply coals; pick them up and move them aside with neither hesitation nor concern of safety. Build contempt for those things. Power comes from grappling and overcoming ever-increasing resistance.
And one last idea: do all that you say and accept neither excuse nor compromise from anyone, especially from yourself.
For the Black Sufis
A musing on the nature of the Soul. The True Self is the Mirror of Truth and it has existed before Objective Creation. It shows the Seeker of Truth only true things, as delusion is false and false things are Unmanifest. This Chaotic Mirror has many attributes. It shows Truth, gives a form of transmission to the First Cause, holds the Mysteries of the Macrocosm, reflects true attributes of the First Cause, and is far more powerful than any angelic being. This Mirror of Truth is within each Man, which is created in the best of Forms and the Highest of Life. Those who do not perform Right Actions are as permanent as ash in the win. The Higher Self, the Soul, is an honoured kinsman of the body and therefore you should embrace both. Strengthen the body so that it may better house the soul, like a great city holding its citizens. Strengthen the Higher Self so that it may flood the body with vitality, like a cup that overflows with strong drink. Remember the words of Ibn 'Arabi in closing, "O follower of the Path of Truth: If you look deep into the divine secrets, you will find you yourself are the source of divine wisdom".
On Travel
You don't travel to find yourself. Your self is usually the source of your problems and you will be followed by it regardless of where you go. No region or landmark can help you find wisdom. The fool travels to find himself whereas the owner of Truth travels to crystallize one's own True Self; to hone an edge already present.
On Honesty
Honesty is of the utmost importance in life. it is often overlooked that real honesty starts within the Self. If a person is not truly honest, brutally honest even, how can she be honest with others? How will one even recognize honesty (and the Truth) if one does not exercise it upon one's Self and life? If you seek to be honest, start at the centre and work your way outwards. If you seek to be dishonest, at least remain true to the Oaths you swear to your Self and those who matter.
On Fate
Of all the things I know of fate, this is surely the most well tested. Those who sleep have no chance at understanding its manner. Those who are awake may feel its tugging and vibrations. Those who conquer the natural order Will a predestined fate of their making into Being. When a titanic battle looms, neither dread nor curse it. Consider it briefly and then run upon it full speed! If you conquer it you will gain great honour, since strong Deeds produce admiration and esteem. If you fail, at least you fail in an utterly epic way and have a new horizon to shoot for in the future. I am reminded of the saying that even if the spears spare your life, old age shall not! So go forth and exercise your lust for life, even if you burn down the world in the process.
But what is the nature of Fate? It certainly has two natures: one false and external, one true and divine. The false Fate is given to us by the "every-men" and has no bearing on our True Selves. It is made up of political ideology and sentimental nonsense on how people should act in this world without compass. We should learn a lesson from Gilgamesh and rage against this false Fate. But then there is our True Fate. This is written within and beyond; a Mystery found in the Night Sky. We learn bits and pieces of this Mystery through True knowledge and potent Deeds. This Fate is to be worked with and made manifest in the world of mundaneness. This, once realized and made solid, can only lead one down the path of power and the conquering of one's foes. Make the sacrifice and gain the knowledge from the Well, and do not allow yourself the ease of faltering.
"Nutze dein Schicksal, widerstrebe ihm nichte!" ("Use thy destiny, do not strive against it!") - Guido von List
Saturday, October 22, 2011
A detailed update from Zambia
Now that I have a bit of free time as a volunteer I figure I should get around to that detailed entry. I'm going to break this down three ways: my writing itself, my swear-in, and some aspects of life in Zambia.
From this point forward I will basically break down my writing into two sections, depending on context. My activities and cultural observations will be labelled as Adventures in Lunda Land. This is sort-of an outlet for my anthropological musings and notes, which I hope could be of use for Americans trying to get an idea of life in the African Interior. My own philosophical statements which have been germinating in the US and are now sprouting here in Zambia will be labelled as An All-Consuming Fire. This is going to be a collection of my own created philosophy, a Conquering Philosophy, of both new and refined creations for those who walk the warrior's path amongst the ruins of the so-called modern world.
Adventures in Lunda Land
Swearing-In Ceremony
For the first time in Peace Corps Zambia history, our intake's swear-in was hosted by the President of Zambia at the State House. It was positively, absolutely surreal. Living in the Suse village for three months of training and suddenly being in what is the White House of Zambia, surrounded by a host of ambassadorial big-wigs and being able to eat professionally catered food was a huge shock for the mind to behold. The gravity of the situation has yet to truly sink in. I myself had the pleasure of being referred to as an "orthodox bishop" by President Sata, who has quite the sense of humor. After swearing-in within the sanctum sanctorum of Zambia we were honored with a luncheon and a few short speeches by some of the ambassadors. It was quite a unique and memorable day that no volunteer will forget soon (despite the raw amount of liquor consumed later in the night).
What is Juju?
Simply put, juju refers to the traditional belief system (and its practices) that still exists side-by-side with the Christianity implanted in Zambia by the missionaries. While this may seem confusing at first, it is actually fairly easy to understand. When the missionaries came in and "saved" the Zambians from their traditional deities, Christianity merely acted as a veneer over the traditional life ways without actually altering them in any substantial way. The gods may have changed but the traditions did not, and these traditions live on under the veil of juju.
Examples of Juju
Sex Beads: these are beads, basically of any sort, used by a witch to harm someone. A witch enchants these beads and then tosses them at a targeted individual, causing illness and misfortune. If you get hit by these beads you must trick a person into taking their clothes off, usually by attempting to have sex with them, and then toss the beads at their naked bodies. As this person is lacking their protective clothing, the misfortune is transferred to him\her and you become safe once more.
Makishi: this refers to two separate entities. There are the traditional masked dancers and the magical servitors of the same name. The latter is essentially a servitor bound (using blood) to a mask or a masked statue carved by a witch. This servitor then becomes animated by the witch and moves as a cold wind in the night, attacking and injuring people targeted by the witch. If you somehow can see the servitor and you look into its eyes, you will be killed by it. These servitors cannot be killed. The former, however, is no magical entity but a person who dances at ceremonies under a prescribed (mask-based) persona. These dancers are also known to chase and beat people on certain occasions. They tend to wear tight clothing with noise-producing items affixed to them.
Floating Coffins: natural death does not occur in the African Interior. If a person dies, it must be due to juju and nothing else. Therefore it is important to locate and punish the witch who has killed your loved one. To do this a witch doctor will implant charms in the nostrils of the dead person and then have the coffin hoisted onto the shoulders of the deceased's friends and family. The witch doctor can then whip the coffin (to reanimate the corpse), which causes breathing noises to be heard within the coffin and then forces the coffin to locate the witch who killed the person within it. It may even take you to the place where the killing-charm was hidden initially. The witch is generally hit with the coffin and may even be beat to death with it (or by the family of the deceased).
An All-Consuming Fire
I will attempt to discuss some of the following themes in future updates, such as: luck and self-development, political theory for direct democracy in modern times, how to properly judge others, the positive uses of stress, the virtue of hatred, and other matters in the same vein.
This is not a philosophy for everyone. This is not geared towards the masses. This is not even meant for the average warrior. This is meant for the berserkers and the would-be conquerors of the world. This is meant for those who change themselves and thus change the world. This is meant for those who would rather stand and fight instead of comprising to this world of weakness and meaninglessness.
This is the fire that burns on all fronts and spares nothing in its way.
More to come soon.
From this point forward I will basically break down my writing into two sections, depending on context. My activities and cultural observations will be labelled as Adventures in Lunda Land. This is sort-of an outlet for my anthropological musings and notes, which I hope could be of use for Americans trying to get an idea of life in the African Interior. My own philosophical statements which have been germinating in the US and are now sprouting here in Zambia will be labelled as An All-Consuming Fire. This is going to be a collection of my own created philosophy, a Conquering Philosophy, of both new and refined creations for those who walk the warrior's path amongst the ruins of the so-called modern world.
Adventures in Lunda Land
Swearing-In Ceremony
For the first time in Peace Corps Zambia history, our intake's swear-in was hosted by the President of Zambia at the State House. It was positively, absolutely surreal. Living in the Suse village for three months of training and suddenly being in what is the White House of Zambia, surrounded by a host of ambassadorial big-wigs and being able to eat professionally catered food was a huge shock for the mind to behold. The gravity of the situation has yet to truly sink in. I myself had the pleasure of being referred to as an "orthodox bishop" by President Sata, who has quite the sense of humor. After swearing-in within the sanctum sanctorum of Zambia we were honored with a luncheon and a few short speeches by some of the ambassadors. It was quite a unique and memorable day that no volunteer will forget soon (despite the raw amount of liquor consumed later in the night).
What is Juju?
Simply put, juju refers to the traditional belief system (and its practices) that still exists side-by-side with the Christianity implanted in Zambia by the missionaries. While this may seem confusing at first, it is actually fairly easy to understand. When the missionaries came in and "saved" the Zambians from their traditional deities, Christianity merely acted as a veneer over the traditional life ways without actually altering them in any substantial way. The gods may have changed but the traditions did not, and these traditions live on under the veil of juju.
Examples of Juju
Sex Beads: these are beads, basically of any sort, used by a witch to harm someone. A witch enchants these beads and then tosses them at a targeted individual, causing illness and misfortune. If you get hit by these beads you must trick a person into taking their clothes off, usually by attempting to have sex with them, and then toss the beads at their naked bodies. As this person is lacking their protective clothing, the misfortune is transferred to him\her and you become safe once more.
Makishi: this refers to two separate entities. There are the traditional masked dancers and the magical servitors of the same name. The latter is essentially a servitor bound (using blood) to a mask or a masked statue carved by a witch. This servitor then becomes animated by the witch and moves as a cold wind in the night, attacking and injuring people targeted by the witch. If you somehow can see the servitor and you look into its eyes, you will be killed by it. These servitors cannot be killed. The former, however, is no magical entity but a person who dances at ceremonies under a prescribed (mask-based) persona. These dancers are also known to chase and beat people on certain occasions. They tend to wear tight clothing with noise-producing items affixed to them.
Floating Coffins: natural death does not occur in the African Interior. If a person dies, it must be due to juju and nothing else. Therefore it is important to locate and punish the witch who has killed your loved one. To do this a witch doctor will implant charms in the nostrils of the dead person and then have the coffin hoisted onto the shoulders of the deceased's friends and family. The witch doctor can then whip the coffin (to reanimate the corpse), which causes breathing noises to be heard within the coffin and then forces the coffin to locate the witch who killed the person within it. It may even take you to the place where the killing-charm was hidden initially. The witch is generally hit with the coffin and may even be beat to death with it (or by the family of the deceased).
An All-Consuming Fire
I will attempt to discuss some of the following themes in future updates, such as: luck and self-development, political theory for direct democracy in modern times, how to properly judge others, the positive uses of stress, the virtue of hatred, and other matters in the same vein.
This is not a philosophy for everyone. This is not geared towards the masses. This is not even meant for the average warrior. This is meant for the berserkers and the would-be conquerors of the world. This is meant for those who change themselves and thus change the world. This is meant for those who would rather stand and fight instead of comprising to this world of weakness and meaninglessness.
This is the fire that burns on all fronts and spares nothing in its way.
More to come soon.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Off to Ikelenge
Well, this is quite annoying. I had just typed up my update for the second time only to have it consumed by a browser crash. Despite this, I will try to type up a quick update for whomever reads this.
It has taken me about 8 hours by land cruiser to get from Lusaka Provence to Northwest Provence and it will likely take me another 8 hours to get from Solwezi District to Ikelenge District, the latter of which is the district that I will be posted at in a couple weeks time. I will be checking out my house\hut, conferring with counter-parts, and surveying the land for possible work-sites. It has been raining in Northwest Provence for a couple days now and it will likely be raining in Ikelenge as well, so I can only hope that my hut has a roof on it otherwise I'm going to have to set up my tent inside of it and just make do. Let's also hope we don't get to cruiser flip #3 either.
Here is a map of Ikelenge:
http://www.maplandia.com/zambia/north-western/mwinilunga/ikelenge/
I hope to do another update regarding Zambian folk-lore and cultural norms, as well as my day-to-day activities in Peace Corps Zambia.
As an aside for those who are not on Facebook, I have created a publicly viewable photo-album for my Zambian photos. Feel free to pass it along to other friends and family members so that they can get a good look at life in Zambia. This is the address:
Northwest - Keepin' it Disgusting
It has taken me about 8 hours by land cruiser to get from Lusaka Provence to Northwest Provence and it will likely take me another 8 hours to get from Solwezi District to Ikelenge District, the latter of which is the district that I will be posted at in a couple weeks time. I will be checking out my house\hut, conferring with counter-parts, and surveying the land for possible work-sites. It has been raining in Northwest Provence for a couple days now and it will likely be raining in Ikelenge as well, so I can only hope that my hut has a roof on it otherwise I'm going to have to set up my tent inside of it and just make do. Let's also hope we don't get to cruiser flip #3 either.
Here is a map of Ikelenge:
http://www.maplandia.com/zambia/north-western/mwinilunga/ikelenge/
I hope to do another update regarding Zambian folk-lore and cultural norms, as well as my day-to-day activities in Peace Corps Zambia.
As an aside for those who are not on Facebook, I have created a publicly viewable photo-album for my Zambian photos. Feel free to pass it along to other friends and family members so that they can get a good look at life in Zambia. This is the address:
Monday, August 29, 2011
While I had hoped to make a detailed post of my past couple weeks using my hand-written journal as a guide, I doubt I’ll have access to a computer and my journal simultaneously for some time to come. I’m also exceedingly bored so maybe I can use my surplus of time as a memory aid.
Peace Corps pre-event staging was in Philadelphia and I stay there from Sunday August 1st until early Tuesday. Phili was somewhat awful due to the weather. It was like being in Belize all of a sudden! Humidity like that is worse than anything I'm used to in LA, regardless of actual heat. But staging went by without incident, if only because I actually know how to hold my liquor and not make a fool of myself in public (at least when I make the attempt anyway). JFK Airport is possibly the only airport I am willing to say is as bad as LAX, both in general design and helpfulness of the people there. But enough about the US for now.
How does one start with a place like Zambia? Most of it is dusty and flat, with some provenances having hilly areas (but no true mountains in my opinion) to even it all out. There are the following provenances in Zambia: Northern, North-Western, Copper-Belt, Western, Southern, Central, Lusaka, and Luapula. Peace Corps does not operate in Western, and is only now operating in Southern and Copper-Belt. I will be living in North-Western when I get to my permanent site, where I will be speaking Lunda and living with the tribal people of the same name.
The Zambian people are some of the nicest, most genuine people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. They will go out of their way to help you and always have the time to answer your questions. Zam-Time, the "Island Time" of Zambia, means you always have the time to help others and relax (but means everyone is late for everything). Zambians are also very passive as a whole, which probably has not helped them when it comes to protecting themselves from neo-colonialism, and the influx of Chinese NGOs and Western missionary groups who continue to move Zambia away from its natural resources and traditional ways.
But I digress. Since landing in Lusaka, I have been doing Site Visits and training non-stop. My next Site Visit will be this next week, assuming the doctors follow their word and let me leave South Africa in time. Training consists of biking 10k to language and technical classes in the morning, with another 10k back to my village for some football (read: getting destroyed by the locals at football) and supper.
The family I am staying with is very nice. The father is Apeter Mukuma who is married to Abetty, with a son named Apaul and a daughter named Aliness. The "A" before the first name is a honorific, like "sir" or "madame" but without specific gender qualifiers. Only Apeter speaks Lunda and English, so right now I can only speak to him. We talk of the differences (and similarities) between Zambia and the US, as well as local customs and whatever stories we can awkwardly throw into the mix when we want to take a break from nervously staring and smiling at each other. They are just as nervous as I am when it comes to living with a complete stranger, but they go out of their way to make us (myself and the other PC trainee) at home.
I live in the proto-typical hut. It is circular (roughly 4 meters in diameter) with brick walls and a thatched roof. It is very comfortable but when you hit the roof tons and tons of dust hits you back, so that is annoying (but easy to fix with trash bags). The sun rises at about 6-7hrs and sets at about 18-19hrs, which makes telling time easy in the morning and the evening, but nearly pointless in the afternoon because the sun is almost always directly overhead during the day. Still, I am slowly working out how to tell the hour by sun-position alone. I am also working on finding a star-chart with the southern hemisphere's constellations, since it has been very hard to find things I recognize. The early setting of the sun also makes us all sleep early as hell in the village. We all sleep at 20hrs or so, which is insane considering that I slept at 23hrs at the earliest in the States. The night sky is incredible in the hour gap before the moon rises. You can see the milky way and all of its compatriots in the clearest manner; a far cry from the sky in LA.
Speaking of sleep. The sleep here is very interesting. Most of us take anti-malaria pills, called Mefelquin (spelled phonetically), that produces all sorts of fascinatating side-effects upon the mind. These include nightmares, night-terrors, hallucinations, vivid dreaming, depression, and other pleasantries. Thankfully I've only had vivid dreams and nothing worse, so sleeping for at least ten hours straight can be most enjoyable.
Lastly, I figure I should explain the injury I received in more detail for the sake of clarity. I was biking to school and hit a rock (presumably), which caused me to greet the ground with my face and helmet. This caused me to have a compound fracture in my zygomatic bones (the bones of the cheek), which were mostly minor but required some surgery to mend properly. A steel plate was put in my left cheek to hold it all together and it took less than 20 stitches to close it all up. I feel little pain and the only annoyance is that I have to eat soft foods, while being stuck in South Africa (with its amazing foods) of all places.
Until next time.
Peace Corps pre-event staging was in Philadelphia and I stay there from Sunday August 1st until early Tuesday. Phili was somewhat awful due to the weather. It was like being in Belize all of a sudden! Humidity like that is worse than anything I'm used to in LA, regardless of actual heat. But staging went by without incident, if only because I actually know how to hold my liquor and not make a fool of myself in public (at least when I make the attempt anyway). JFK Airport is possibly the only airport I am willing to say is as bad as LAX, both in general design and helpfulness of the people there. But enough about the US for now.
How does one start with a place like Zambia? Most of it is dusty and flat, with some provenances having hilly areas (but no true mountains in my opinion) to even it all out. There are the following provenances in Zambia: Northern, North-Western, Copper-Belt, Western, Southern, Central, Lusaka, and Luapula. Peace Corps does not operate in Western, and is only now operating in Southern and Copper-Belt. I will be living in North-Western when I get to my permanent site, where I will be speaking Lunda and living with the tribal people of the same name.
The Zambian people are some of the nicest, most genuine people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. They will go out of their way to help you and always have the time to answer your questions. Zam-Time, the "Island Time" of Zambia, means you always have the time to help others and relax (but means everyone is late for everything). Zambians are also very passive as a whole, which probably has not helped them when it comes to protecting themselves from neo-colonialism, and the influx of Chinese NGOs and Western missionary groups who continue to move Zambia away from its natural resources and traditional ways.
But I digress. Since landing in Lusaka, I have been doing Site Visits and training non-stop. My next Site Visit will be this next week, assuming the doctors follow their word and let me leave South Africa in time. Training consists of biking 10k to language and technical classes in the morning, with another 10k back to my village for some football (read: getting destroyed by the locals at football) and supper.
The family I am staying with is very nice. The father is Apeter Mukuma who is married to Abetty, with a son named Apaul and a daughter named Aliness. The "A" before the first name is a honorific, like "sir" or "madame" but without specific gender qualifiers. Only Apeter speaks Lunda and English, so right now I can only speak to him. We talk of the differences (and similarities) between Zambia and the US, as well as local customs and whatever stories we can awkwardly throw into the mix when we want to take a break from nervously staring and smiling at each other. They are just as nervous as I am when it comes to living with a complete stranger, but they go out of their way to make us (myself and the other PC trainee) at home.
I live in the proto-typical hut. It is circular (roughly 4 meters in diameter) with brick walls and a thatched roof. It is very comfortable but when you hit the roof tons and tons of dust hits you back, so that is annoying (but easy to fix with trash bags). The sun rises at about 6-7hrs and sets at about 18-19hrs, which makes telling time easy in the morning and the evening, but nearly pointless in the afternoon because the sun is almost always directly overhead during the day. Still, I am slowly working out how to tell the hour by sun-position alone. I am also working on finding a star-chart with the southern hemisphere's constellations, since it has been very hard to find things I recognize. The early setting of the sun also makes us all sleep early as hell in the village. We all sleep at 20hrs or so, which is insane considering that I slept at 23hrs at the earliest in the States. The night sky is incredible in the hour gap before the moon rises. You can see the milky way and all of its compatriots in the clearest manner; a far cry from the sky in LA.
Speaking of sleep. The sleep here is very interesting. Most of us take anti-malaria pills, called Mefelquin (spelled phonetically), that produces all sorts of fascinatating side-effects upon the mind. These include nightmares, night-terrors, hallucinations, vivid dreaming, depression, and other pleasantries. Thankfully I've only had vivid dreams and nothing worse, so sleeping for at least ten hours straight can be most enjoyable.
Lastly, I figure I should explain the injury I received in more detail for the sake of clarity. I was biking to school and hit a rock (presumably), which caused me to greet the ground with my face and helmet. This caused me to have a compound fracture in my zygomatic bones (the bones of the cheek), which were mostly minor but required some surgery to mend properly. A steel plate was put in my left cheek to hold it all together and it took less than 20 stitches to close it all up. I feel little pain and the only annoyance is that I have to eat soft foods, while being stuck in South Africa (with its amazing foods) of all places.
Until next time.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
A Quick Update from SA
Figured I could squeeze in a fast update while resting up in Pretoria, South Africa. I've been in the hospital for the past four days and only managed to get out today. I will discuss pre-hospital adventures soon enough but for right now I'll stick to the past few days.
Basically I was on my bike and I headbutted a water buffalo right in the face, killing it instantly and giving me its powers. Okay so that didn't really happen but it would be pretty awesome if it did.
So I was on my bike going to language training and I believe I hit a rock or something in the road, and woke up a minute later on the side of the road with some other PCTs. Spent two days in Lusaka doing X-rays and minor doctor check-ups, until I took a plane to South Africa to get hospitalized for a compound zygomatic fracture. The hospital in Pretoria was just as good as any you'd find in the US and I had nothing but the best treatment there. Surgery went smoothly and I was released this morning to recover. Right now I'm still in Pretoria and will probably continue to stay there for a couple days.
That's all I can get in for now. Hope to update again soon.
Basically I was on my bike and I headbutted a water buffalo right in the face, killing it instantly and giving me its powers. Okay so that didn't really happen but it would be pretty awesome if it did.
So I was on my bike going to language training and I believe I hit a rock or something in the road, and woke up a minute later on the side of the road with some other PCTs. Spent two days in Lusaka doing X-rays and minor doctor check-ups, until I took a plane to South Africa to get hospitalized for a compound zygomatic fracture. The hospital in Pretoria was just as good as any you'd find in the US and I had nothing but the best treatment there. Surgery went smoothly and I was released this morning to recover. Right now I'm still in Pretoria and will probably continue to stay there for a couple days.
That's all I can get in for now. Hope to update again soon.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Fire Proves Gold
This blog will serve as a primary form of communication with friends and family during my volunteer service in Zambia. Please subscribe or favorite this blog if you have not given me your email address, so that you may more easily be alerted to new postings. You will find my mailing address on the side of this blog, but be aware it may change and mail is slow to Zambia so send mail prudently.
In four days I will be on my way to the Dark Continent, with a minor pause in Philadelphia and New York.
In four days I will be on my way to the Dark Continent, with a minor pause in Philadelphia and New York.
So begins my Quest.
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