Sunset

This is the most magical time of the day at Nkwichi

The sky becomes

a kaleidoscope of color changing every 5 minutes like a chameleon having mood swings. It affects the water which turns dark and illuminated by reds and pinks and yellows. It even reflects on the white sand that absorbs the color of the sun. At this time; the bush gets louder as monkeys, baboons and thousands of birds settle in for the night. Sometimes you can see a few female monkeys carrying their young ones like pouch bags scrambling to collect one last meal of berries before the sun disappears.

the fire is lit and cold gin and tonics are served, everybody talks about their day, their lives back home and how they want to change the world. Peanuts are passed around along with delicious canapes.


The water looks calm and the fishermen float past

homeward bound with tonight's dinner still writhing and gasping for its last breath. The waves gently slapping against the rocks are constant and in the distance you can make the thin dark outline of a heron contemplating on a rock. And suddenly its really dark, like a dark cloak has enveloped us except it has many holes that allow in bits of twinkling light, the stars, which appear one at first signaling the beginning of yet another night in paradise then suddenly; millions twinkling and making shapes that tell stories that have been past on for hundreds of years, shapes that guide us and give clues of our future.


There is no moon tonight but I can make out a dozen or so dark shadows moving swiftly towards the glowing fire. Its the choir that has walked 45 minutes to come and sing for us and dance with us. They will sing spiritual songs praising God and pledging their chaste allegiance to him, but their bodies are misbehaving gyrating and swaying to the music, enticing. The fire is getting hotter and the dances become more complicated more involved until one or two break away from the group indulging in some freestyle dancing. Then I can't sit still and am getting dizzy from nodding so hard so I get up and join the frenzied movements, soon everyone is on their feet, clapping, moving dancing around the fire. Its clear we all went to different dance classes. The music stops too soon, the guests have to eat and the choir must return, so everyone disperses and I am still sitting by the fire my heart still beating a rythmn, my feet won't stop moving and the fire is mesmerising...in the words of my current favorite singer "...its just too much"