Holiday season

Preparation for the big trip: While we have been on the rez. I have of course been preparing for the trip to South Africa. There is so much to do before leaving, getting documentation ready and copies to the necessary authorities, buying airline tickets, getting physicals, contacting the University of KwaZulu-Natal to get an affiliation, etc.

While we prepare for the big trip we participate in various activities and help people get ready for Turkey day. For instance last night we went to Joe’s little cousin’s first wrestling meet and when we returned to his aunt’s house on the reservation we found out she was going to embark on a baking mission the following morning. I offered my help which she gladly accepted. Joe had an eye exam scheduled for 11:30 am so we arrived at around 10:30am. Actually he slowed down enough to let me jump out the car then zipped off to go visiting. I traded in my coat and hood for an apron and began to smooth out little pieces of dough which would become rolls. I soon found that working with the whole wheat dough was much easier than the white dough; perhaps it is just my bias towards wheat bread. When I was done with that task I was given the chore to take the rolls out the oven, place them on cooling racks, then bag them, while the master baker prepared the dough for the papooses, a long Danish like pastry with fruit and sweet cheese filling.

One thing I learned from the experience was that many people on the rez have their own enterprises and skills and that people will patronize their neighbors if they make pies, rolls, breads, and even full meals. We were able to get 14 dozen white rolls, 8 dozen wheat rolls, and roughly 17 papooses made. My feet were so tired, as was my entire self. Participating in these activities not only allows someone like me to learn a bit about baking, and do a friend a favor, it also allows me to get to know more people. At the end of the day Joe and I got to take home a dozen wheat rolls and a blueberry/raspberry papoose, which we happily ate for dinner in conjunction with a rice dish made by Joe’s uncle in the Falls.

Thanksgiving is a good time for Joe to catch people at home and reconnect with those he might not have seen for awhile. Going to aunties and uncles’ houses finds all the family there so cousins you won’t see outside because of the cold can be found for conversation. Tomorrow is the big turkey day and we will have four or five homes to visit. I just hope we can make it home after having been exposed to soo much good food.