The Light is Welcome

Majii is a nomadic girl, from the Turkana tribe in Kenya. She tells us "I don't know when I was born, but I know that I am already thirteen years old. They gave me the name Majii."

That means "Water", why? I tell you quickly. In those days there was a big drought, there was famine and people became ill and died. My family moved to look for new pastures.

When they thought they would die too, they found water. So, my father called me, full of joy, "Majii".

Life in the Bush Savannah is hard. My father and brothers are constantly on the move. They drive the herd from one water hole to another. At night they drive the herd on the top of a hill and they are locked up in a Manyatta, this is the place which is enclosed with brambles. I live with the women in a settlement. When it rains we plant millet, gourds and beans.

My mother exchanged livestock and skins for salt, sugar and tobacco. Once I was allowed to accompany her to the market. Many days we were on our way on dusty roads. My mother took goats milk with her in a bottle made out of a gourd.

When we arrive in Lorungowo, I was amazed to see what you could buy in a market like this. There was a Hospital, a bar and Mzungus: white people at the market.

I only knew one white person, Baba David. He comes a few times a year to us nomads. The Baba goes to the men as they are one the move. They used to make fun of him because the feet of Mzungus are too soft for a hard nomdic life. The blood that we drink from the cattle the Baba never wanted to drink. Then one day he became ill, he drank the blood, he became stronger and could walk fast again.

My father was baptised, and I was baptised too. But my mother wanted to live like she had always lived. When my father had himself baptised, he sent his second wife away. My mother was very angry, she had to do all the hard work herself. We don't have a waterhole in the settlement. We have to carry the water from far away. It is very strenuous. I would love to go to school. My father does not want to hear about it. "You can learn everything you need to know from your mother what you need in life" he said.

My mother knows all the animals and the herbs. She is handy in crushing millet. From the hard shells of the gourds she makes bowls and bottles. When to us a child is born the neighbour woman lights a fire in front of the hut entrance. The men who are far away with their herds know that this fire is a birthday fire.

Do you want to know how we celebrate Christmas? Baba David....