Christmas Day at Makanga Camp

Here it is, our Christmas at Makanga Camp with the neighbors! Bryan and I bought 6 chickens and 2 whole crates of soft drinks (20 glass bottles in each. This is Christoper cutting up all the chickens... he is quite the cook!


Lonely making some small donout like snacks for desert.



The girls winnowing the rice.



David brought over some beens to be cooked, so I too cooked something!


The place we chose to dine together was behind the houses in the woods. The families wanted a change of scenery. So they found a clearing and layed out a very big tarp.


The food arrived in bowls on girls heads. We had rice, chicken, beans, mustared greens, boilded eggs and of course a drink and snack!


Bryan keeping guard of food. We were out in the baboons territory after all.


Little Anna on the phone


Awaiting food, the wonderful cooks!


After eating I handed out crayons and paper to all the children...


Esmay


Lockalo and Yamakany


Dorica


Joshua


The older kids and little Mia




Here is some of the drawings
















Parting shot, Mia so happy!


P.S. This post took 3 days, 6 different times when the generator came on, and each time with lots of disconeting from the internet... I hope its worth it!

Malawi Music Project

Last week we assisted in putting on the Malawi Music Project (Band Camp!). Bryan was to video the whole event for a documentary... wish you could have helped Shakesphere! I was a camp counselor (just making sure the kids were on time to classes) and photographer.

The kids got to go on a game drive and saw waterbuck and elephants...



Lesson on sound waves. Beat a drum over plasic with rice on top.


H.E.L.P. Malawi sent 3 band members and 7 students to learn




Sarah, the volunteer hosting, also had the band from her village attend. Notice the village made instruments.


Dance session! See Bryan videoing?


Banjo parts lesson


Each band worked together and learned to build a banjo!




Bottle blowing music!


We are now in the middle of the Print Design training, more later!

Rhino Release!

November 27, We went along for the release of the rhino that was captured while Shawna was here. So they put a radio transmitter in his horn so that they can keep track of him because they released him outside of the protected sanctuary, but still inside the park.So in order to put in the device they actually drill a hole into its horn. The horn has a woody feel to it and it is made of the same stuff as our fingernails, only alot stronger. So here is the doctor drilling.


He also has to do the tip...


This is what is needed to fit the device...


This is what the device looks like


tape to keep all the dust and dirt out while the next step is prepared.


Freshly mixed acrylic is then used to seal it in.





The best way to monitor a drugged rhino is to stick your finger up his nose so that you can feel his breathing.


Once they got him to the release location they also clipped his ear in order to decifer from a distance which rhino the trackers are looking at.


The sausage tree is one of the rhinos favorite to eat so they found an area with lots of them. See all the spectators?


The area he was released to...


Other food rhinos like are these cut from what we call the cactus tree (euphorbia). It is actually quite dangerous to humans, if you get the milky, sticky white stuff in your eyes you can go blind!


The people who helped and came along...


The gal is the vet who stayed with the rhino while he was in captivity to monitor him.


Yesterday we talked to the trackers who went to find and check on him. I guess because the bush is so thick and the rhino so far from where he was released they had to climb a few trees with the radio reciever device. The rhino had headed back towads the sanctuary, 5 kilometers he walked. We are hoping he will come across the fence to the sanctuary and just be happy staying near it. We hope he does not try to reenter the sanctuary for his own safety. The trackers will continue to monitor him for two weeks or so until it looks as if he has settled down somewhere. We hope to go out with them one of these days and get some photos of this guy awake!