Kris Massie's memories of Kitwe.
Part 17
Everything from flour and sugar to cheese and milk were kept in the freezer and we made our own chutney, ketchup, mayonnaise and many other sauces.
We bought our meat from two farmers in Chingola, they were brothers and would deliver ½ a steer at a time and our kitchen would become a butchery for these occasions. The dogs and cats did well with the former a supply of bones whilst the cats enjoyed the offcuts!
With the army, we in the Red Cross were asked to attend and assess a flooded area in the most north eastern tip of the country. We had with us a Major who was Sandhurst trained and had returned home with a wonderful ‘pucker’ English accent – and a sense of humour to match! We took off from Lusaka in a Zambia Army helicopter and the fact that I was not the happiest of bunnies in the air must be pushed aside for what was to come next.
We landed within walking range of a small village and a school. As we stepped out a small curious crowd of villagers came to greet us, among them many children whom I was informed had never seen a white woman before! My head and arm hair touched and stroked many times before I became aware of a really old African approaching. He was bowing as he walked muttering some words I could not understand. I turned to the Major for interpretation to find him chuckling as he said ‘Kris, he’s saying 'Your Majesty because he thinks you’re the Queen' … My mind boggled for a moment but I managed to retort, ‘as long as its Elizabeth and not Victoria!!’ This raised even more laughter as I greeted the old man with the usual traditional African handshake. This is to shake the hand normally but twice without letting go while clasping the other’s thumb. Either women or men while clasping hands would also put their free hand over their own right arm with often a little accompanying ‘bob’ from the women to signify respect.
We inspected the school for this was situated on lower ground to the village area. Water had reached half way up the walls and everything below was destroyed. We would make the appropriate report to HQ in Lusaka of our findings.
Our return flight was far more adventurous when the pilot decided to show us some game along the way. The helicopter tilted to afford us a better view through its side windows. There were elephant, giraffe, buck and warthog to be seen – a thrilling sight but more thrilling than that, was my own eventual return to terra firma.
The mention of a ‘pucker’ English accent reminds me of an assistant my husband advertised for. He duly arrived, Ghanaian by birth, and to my utter surprise had the most delightful Oxford Accent! He had been trained in Horticulture at Kew Gardens and minded not in the slightest when the children dubbed him affectionately ‘Black Charles!!’ and he would roar with laughter … His wife Elizabeth on the other hand was the most elegant lady with a beautiful personality. She was indeed a Ghanaian Princess by birth as her carriage indicated.
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