Letlhafula

The Setswana word for autumn is letlhafula (lah-CLAY-foo-lah). This past weekend, the girls and I went to the Letlhafula Festival, being sponsored by Orange (cell phone and Internet service provider). The festival was held at The Courtyard Restaurant of Botswanacraft.

The festival was an all day event, running from 9:00-5:00. We were advised to buy tickets early for this event, because it would sell out. Indeed it did. When we arrived, "Sold Out" signs were posted on the entrance gate. The girls and I arrived around 11:30 and stayed for several hours. Next year, I would like to arrive earlier and stay a longer time. The traditional Botswana music and dancing were fascinating to watch!

Here are some photos and explanations of what we experienced. I am SO glad we went! Some of the traditions of Botswana, all in one place! Sidenote: we were the only Americans there (that I saw). All the Batswana involved in this event (servers, patrons, etc.) were ready and seemed excited to answer the many questions I had about the food, customs and such. A young gentleman and I struck up a conversation, and he was most helpful in explaining several of the customs to me. Great, great experience.

Upon entering, we saw this long line of potjies (probably about 15). The smells were wonderful. I knew there would be some pap and seswaa in some of the pots!

Notice the long wooden 'spatula' (it was flat on one end) for stirring the food.

We noticed everyone drinking something...and found our way to this lady - serving this ginger drink from a hollwed-out gourd. (Most people were drinking from gourd cups.) Sadly, we had to use styrofoam cups. Notice the people in the background with the gourd cups.


This is a glimpse of the drink in my cup. I was told this drink is usually served at celebrations, such as weddings. The drink is made with ginger root, pineapple and raisins. The flavor was good and had a spicy kick.


While listening to the musicians, each table was provided a small basket of berries, nuts and such to nibble on. Our basket had some type of small berries and also peanuts, including boiled peanuts. R really liked the boiled peanuts. I can't remember the last time I had boiled peanuts! Delicious!


Musicians and dancers on stage. They were great.

Notice the 'straps' around the guy's legs? I don't know what they're made of, but I believe they contain dry beans, so that when the dancers dance - this wonderful sound is produced. All the dancers wore these.




This guy is playing a type of guitar, I was told. The body of the instrument is bamboo.



Before we went through the serving line - each and every person had warm/hot water poured over their hands from this brown pottery jar. The water which poured over your hands was collected in the basin. There were no towels. Glad I was wearing jeans.



Pumpkin. Very good. A little bit of butter and some brown sugar would have been really tasty. Tasted like squash.

Yummy pap. Can't have a traditional Botswana meal without pap!

Veggies - mushrooms, onions and I'm not sure what else. Very tasty.

These are mompani worms. A Botswana tradition. I seriously thought about trying one...not some, one. But, I decided not to. Maybe next year. I'm told they're pretty good - but crunchy.



B with her plate of food....she was thrilled to get a chicken leg (it was boiled, so it looked funny). She tried the pumpkin and pap.


This was my plate. I sampled everything on my plate. Some of the foods I ate - I had no idea what it was. I don't think I had any goat. Just beef, veggies and pap.

Next I need to work on getting some of the video uploaded from the musicians.

A Traditional Botswana (Outdoor) Kitchen

The girls and I recently visited new friends from church. The family lives about 45 minutes north from us, in the town of Mochudi. The family is here on their third missionary trip from the US. They are fellow homeschoolers, and we are thrilled to have met them.

We had the joy of visiting a neighboring house in the community where they live. This is a photo of a traditional Botswana outdoor kitchen. I'm told that foods cooked here would be ones that they didn't want smelling up their house. Exactly what those foods are, I didn't get details on. Or, the outside kitchen is used in the summer months to avoid heating up the kitchen in the house.

See the black pot by the base of the tree? That's the pot used for cooking the food. The pot sits on a three-legged stand that is positioned over the fire.

The girls "in" the kitchen.

I don't know about you, but I am VERY thankful to have an oven in my home with which to prepare meals. And, for cooking outside - I'm a city girl and like to use a grill.

Slicing Bread at Square Mart

When I hear the words "Square Mart" (the name of one of our grocery stores here), I am reminded of the "Stuff Mart" store in one of the Veggie Tales movies....the one where Madame Blueberry learns that "being greedy makes you grumpy". Well, this post has nothing to do with being greedy or grumpy. So let's get on with it. (BTW the photo credits go to our youngest child, B. R was taking a break from photo duties.)

The entrance to our Square Mart. This store is very clean and the shelves are always stocked. Orange and black are the store colors. All the clerks wear orange tops and black pants. Reminds me of the red thing going at Target. This store is kind of like a mini, mini, mini version of Target. They have a toy section, housewares, linens and such, hardware and outdoor gear. Cram all those 'departments' in to an aisle or 2 at Target, and you get the idea of the choices. But for Botswana, this is something big!

The girls and I, since we are the primary bread-eaters in the house, have decided we like Square Mart bread the best. As with most grocery stores, the 'store brand', the one baked right in the store in their bakery, is the only bread choice you have. Well, you actually have 2 choices: white bread or brown bread (which is what the people here call wheat bread). At Square Mart, the bread is baked, cooled, bagged, and placed on the shelves. BUT, it isn't sliced. Yet.

Brown bread on the left - white bread on the right.

To prep your bread for slicing in their handy-dandy machine...more below... it's a good idea to first remove the plastic bag.

Pull back the red lever - the machine 'magically' turns itself on - place the unsliced loaf on the rack - being sure to line the loaf up with the slicers.



Slowly release the red lever as your loaf is fed through the machine.

Voila! Sliced bread in just a few seconds! Perfectly even slices.



Next, place the loaf on the metal rack on top of the machine - to aid in bagging your sliced loaf.



Slip the bag over the loaf - slide the loaf off the rack, and you're done!



By the way, a loaf of this bread costs P6.95. Just under $1.

The Day Late Edition of Trivia & Tidbits Thursday

Been a bit busy here lately.....a visit from the Four-Star General of Africa Command, farewell dinners and cook outs from staff leaving this post for their next assignment.... That's quite a few dinners and such to attend. Enjoyed every one of them...but it got me sidetracked in my weekly postings. Enough whining already....here are some photos and info I hope you will enjoy. Those pics taken by my 'on staff' photographer' will be noted with her initials. She loves taking pics for me. She hasn't charged me yet. Shhhh...don't give her any ideas!

In addition to all our other fruit-bearing trees (avodaco, papaya, guava, mango, blackberry/mulberry), this year we discovered we also have a LEMON TREE in our yard. And these are BIG lemons! This is our lemon tree.

The 'lone' lemon at the top of the tree. The girls couldn't reach it. However, they did pick 11 lemons from this little tree. Yes, we'll be making fresh-squeezed lemonade. R hopes it will taste like Chick-fil-A's lemonade. She loves theirs. B wanted me to make a Lemon Meringue Pie 'like Grandma'. This girl (me) can't even begin to make a LMP like my mom. Besides, Crisco© or any other brand of vegetable shortening isn't sold here - at all - anywhere. Guess I'll have to add Crisco© to my next Amazon order.


See how big this lemon is??!! It's beside a regular teaspoon, to give you an idea of the size. These lemons have lots of 'bumps' on the skins, too. They look unusual.

Lemons on display in my Pampered Chef© Trifle Bowl, and also in my newest African acquisition, details below with more photos.


We took some business guests of my husband's to the best place in Gaborone to purchase wood carved animals......Bull and Bush Restaurant! The vendors are from Zimbabwe, and set up their merchandise for sell just outside the restaurant. We bought our 6 ft. giraffe, 'Melman', from this place. The great thing about these vendors is you can 'bargain' with them. The guys this week 'got some good deals' and are taking home some nice purchases to their families.

A pic of one of the guys, picking out an 'elephant family'. The wood carved elephants are in all sizes. They are carved from ironwood. (Photo credit RS)

The elephants. (Photo credit RS)

We also want to add a hippo to our collection. My hubby and girls both like this one with the mouth open. I think I like it okay. (Photo credit RS)

Giraffes...the ones in the back of the photo are about 4 ft tall. (Photo credit RS)

In addition to the wood items, the vendor also sells these beaded letters. At the bottom of the photo are beaded flip-flops. Too cute! See the guitars in the far left of the photo?? Those are made from aluminum cans....Fanta softdrinks, Coca-Cola, etc....even beer cans. Below the guitars are cars (VW bug style) made from the cans! Very creative! (Photo credit RS)

This warthog is kinda cute. (Photo credit RS)

Now, about my bowl! It is carved from ebony. The carvings around the bowl are of the 'Big 5' in Africa: lion, elephant, cape buffalo, rhino and leopard.

Close up of the lion carving. The detail is incredible. All hand carved from this beautiful wood! Here's the kicker....the vendor told me, "You NEED all the bowls in the set." (The bowls are available in graduated sizes.) I started off with the biggest bowl, and will work my way down. Next time I go back, I'll bargain for the rest of the set. ;-)