we deserve to be happy. I can revist my past! (This is how we cerebrated our Christmas day!)

Since in the early 80s the 25th of December was a great day, the day to cerebrate our renowned day, it was NWELI day, my tribal pronunciation to mean noel another name for Christmas.
We actually didn’t care much to know what Christmas meant, but what we knew, is just a great day (sikukuu). So we prepared our cerebrations, carelessly of our ethnic groups. Here Christians and none Christians joined their effort together for cerebrations. It took some years for my village dwellers to realize that this day meant for Christianity followers only!

Otherwise we thought that it’s the day of cerebration for each and everyone since we had obtained our local name that it’s Nweli day or the big day (sikukuu)
I came into doubt about this day which people started to prepare themselves for it from the first month of a year up to December, the month that preserve such a great date. Preparations started in different economic groups. Member of the groups did anything they could to raise as much cash as possible in order at the end of the year; they could execute a cow, goat or smack a pig.

Men always collected money for as much local brew as possible. What gave me a had time was the great preparations for just a singer day of a year. We youngsters always met casualty by working as much as possible for the day. Even when the day came into existence, still we had to face blue color jobs for the family.

Youngsters had to wake up very early in the morning, milk cow then our mothers had to prepare a hot tea for our soon to wake up fathers. Food cooking started early in the morning. Meat had to be prepared as early as possible. For some Christians had to go for church where by all prayers and worships had to be short since people want to hurry for the beautiful meal being prepared at home. We could invite any guest, but don’t let any madman cross near by you house especially during lunch time, oh, he/she may be stoned to death if not throwing all abuses of this world to that madman.

It was the only day when youngsters could wear a necktie, no matter what shirt is covering your body. Remember we used to buy big clothes so that we could grow up with them. Sometime your big brother decided to give you part of his shirts and shoes for Christmas day! Obviously their too big for you. Imagine a boy who can dress in a small size shirt, being awarded an extra large size! Oops!

Don’t remind me about shoes. During Christmas day, our beloved ones living abroad, used to send us some pair of shoes no matter what size fits you. It was like a comedy show as we walked to church. Everybody had a new walking stile. Some could limp; some could walk as if they are defending their shoes from leaving their legs. Some of us wore sandals for the first time, if you looked at someone who is pretending to be happy, you couldn’t fail to realize that, there is something which is not okay (shoes are too thin for his legs)

As young boys, we did anything to prove our superiority in order to attract girls. I remember one Christmas day when I with my three other friends, happened to be with few coins, we bought one battle of soda, we carried the bottle through all houses that had girls of our age while holding it one after another. In fact it added our name into number of village’s superstars since not many young people knew the taste of the soda.

At around 5pm, we started drinking that soda consecutively. Our teeth were strong enough to open that soda, so no opening machine needed. Each of us could take one swallow and handle the bottle to his neighbor. We could do this repeatedly especially when we saw girls coming in front of us. Lastly we ended into fight since the bottle seemed to dry before thirst ends. The last person to take a swallow was always blamed for being with big mouth other wise the soda couldn’t finish so easily. The history was made that these guys drunken soda during Christmas day!

Don’t ask about our fathers and brothers! These were now in local bar battled with local brew, they always shouted since every body knew than the other and few of them could manage to stand on their own feet! Our moms and sisters stayed at home cleaning dishes. People passing by congratulated you for seeing such a great day, which we actually didn’t know its source and who are the really intended audience.

Our fathers remained in bars until the next day; remember that drink couldn’t allow them to walk on their own feet.
The next day referred to as a second Christmas day, many villagers were injured as a result of here and there fights. Above all, many of us ended into stomach aches since we used to over eat on Christmas day yet some could eat raw meats and foods.

During lunch time, there was a problem, our eating place had no chairs, we had to sit down on grasses with neckties and with our oversized new clothes.
At the end of the day, we washed our clothes and shoes, ready for keeping them for the next great day! Everybody had to put on a new clothe even if it’s a jacket in a sunshine weather, coat or shoes, no mater if its over size or undersize, what matters is its new!

A great day ended with many misunderstandings which had to be solved by village elders. Nowadays things are different, knowledge has spread and therefore Christmas day is cerebrated by only Christian followers.
Do people still drink like crazy? I don’t know, but something good is that, when comes to cerebrate especially when you don’t know what and why are you cerebrating, things proves great, well and good.

jlkamala@yahoo.com