Singing in the dark

This isn't all that impressive to watch, maybe, but it is incredible singing. There was some really cool dancing as well, but clearly there wasn't enough light to capture the full effect.

I can't belive how well the people in Lesotho sing, harmonizing and complementing each other perfectly.

This was shot at Malealea, a tourist lodge where I was charged about one quarter of the usual cost because the owners said I qualified for the "Basotho" rate. I guess by the end of my trip, I'd learned enough to fit in with the locals! (Even despite my pale skin and sharp nose)

My little abuti

I'll still spontaneously start to cry when I think about my little Relebohile. I've never fallen in love with any person as quickly as I did with this little guy.

I can't believe how much I miss him.

I think about him several times a day and wish I could have brought him home with me.

It gives me so much comfort to know that my Basotho "mother" has agreed to adopt him when his own mother dies (his father has died of AIDS and his mother is on ARVs for full-blown AIDS as well).

When I took him to an AIDS clinic to be tested (thank goodness, he is negative) he sat on my lap for the whole car ride, thrilled as could be. He'd never been in a "koloi" before.

So many times, when I am doing something interesting, or even just doing something I do every day, like climb a stair case, take an elevator, walk down a busy street, watch TV, I think about what he'd think, how excited he'd be.

Lots of Rhythm in my Second Village, too

In Thaba Tseka, my second village, the kids were great singers and dancers too.

Here are some snippets of their performances.



The girls made their own skirts out of paper.



This is a favourite song of the littlest ones. It has something to do with frogs, and like most Sesotho songs, has actions.

Goodbye Ceremony

This was a wonderful day, but also one of the saddest of my life. It was my last day in Mahlekefane, and the kids, grade by grade, did performances for me.

It was incredible.

I was bawling and singing and laughing all at the same time.

I wish I'd made longer videos, but here are some snippets.

The Monkey Song

I taught this song to the grade 7 students. When they sang it in the classroom, it was very reserved and shy.



On my last day in Mahlekefane, I climbed the mountain that overlooks the village (Maleqatse) with all the grade 7s.

They let loose and really sang the song with vim and vigour.



The song was written by my little brothers and their buddy, Garrett years ago.

The actions come along with it and after the Basotho kids really got to know them, they would ask to go to the bathroom by doing the "pee and poo" swivel

The Concert

This is fantastic. The kids invited me to a concert and when I got there I realized it was to raise money for the school. In order to raise money, the donor chooses a song they'd like to hear and gives some change. The next donor chooses another song, interrupting the first, and makes a larger donation.

You donate and request through the coaches, who blow whistles to indicate that the song must change.

I gave them 10 Rand (about $1.20) and they all sang "Head and Shoulders".

Initiates returnining to Mahlekefane

After living in the mountains for three months, the young initiates end their secret training with circumcision and return to the village, triumphantly.

The chief of the village allowed me to take photos and video.