9 days before the SPONSORED WALK

Amateur dramatics:

A South African friend and our son (her associate) went to school to do a play about how to carry water on your head. They started at the house of a friend to get out of the Northumbrian rain after a an early drop off. They came armed with props; bright blue buckets.

I left them to it and received this feedback later in the day from the headmistress and the actors:

'Thoko was great, she can come again anytime'

'I was about to leave, when I heard the music begin and it was Brenda Fassie singing Vulindlela. I started to sing and to dance. I danced with the water on my head. The children danced'

Check out Brenda on youtube.

'I sang Shosholoza ' 

Shosholoza is a traditional Southern African song thought to have been sung by the migrant workers taking the trains ton the mines. It is sung at football matches and has even made it to the rugby pitches of South Africa.

Back to the play....

The story is of a little South African girl who has walked several miles after school, to collect water from the well. It is only the girls, and not the boys, who fetch the water. The boys herd the goats and the cows. But one little boy is neglecting his chores. Instead he has ambushed this girl and is trying to make her spill the water because he knows she will have to go all the way back to the well to fetch some more. The girl spills the water and falls to the ground weeping-it is such a heavy weight to carry but the family must have the water.

Returning to Hipsburn........The children  tried to carry water on their heads, but the containers kept slipping. Thoko told them and showed them that the back, neck and head must sit straight to balance the water , but it takes a lot of practice to learn how to do it easily.

Then it was time to go swimming but there was a party brewing with Brenda and Thoko singing and dancing. Should they stay or should they go.

Good news:
We have just heard that we may have drummers at midday on the day of the walk. Watch this space.

Bad news:
We cannot find the generously donated water butt and bottles from Northumbrian water. The sat nav lead to a dead end following the post code. Can anyone help?

Questions:
Have the children from Hipsburn school put their names on their chosen containers?
How many sponsors have you found?

And so;
The girl has danced and no water was spilt
The containers are back at home and there is the sound of distant drums

                                                                         Brenda Fassie