I visited the family of 8 (although not everyone was around) for about 6 hours. I tried Egossi Pudding for the first time and it was fantastic! Hopefully I will learn to prepare it next time I visit. After visiting with just Janet* and her son for a couple of hours, her Papa returned from work and was excited to show me the family's garden which was full of orange, mango and coconut trees, corn, egossi and more. Soon after, the rest of the family returned from the farm. One by one her sisters started coming in carrying an assortment of things on their heads. The family was, surprise surprise, extremely welcoming and kind. Dinah has a twin sister who also has a little boy. The 2 boys were showing me some dance moves as their mothers played Nigerian hiphop from their phones. When it came time for me to leave, I did not leave empty handed. They send me along with 2 papayas, a coconut, 3 egossi puddings, a pound of boil groundnuts, more than 20 bananas and more than enough money for transport. I am looking forward to going back for another visit and spending 2 or more days there. I unfortunately still dont have a camera but should be getting one soon. I wish I could have documented the visit with photos, but I will always have visuals in my mind.
Your ears will love to listen to the play list I made of several beautiful African artists from all over the continent and beyond. I made just for you guys, to get a little sense of the talent and diversity that comes from this magnificent and breathtaking land called Africa. Watch their dance moves and give it a try yourself! The Azonto is a dance everyone should learn.
(it wont allow me to post the video compilation so just click the link and enjoy!)
Let your hands touch the ingredients and prepare Mbongo Chobi while your taste buds savor the results of this delicious masterpiece and my favorite Cameroonian dish:
Mbongo (T)Chobi
Ingredients
5 Mud Fish (any fish will do, but this kind is traditionally used)
2-3 Mbongo Chabi Spice Packets (can find at African herb stores)
2-3 small onions
3-4 garlic cloves
White pepper
6-8 tomatoes
150 grams njansang/djanssan (also found at African herb stores)
10 ripe plantains
optional: 3 cubes Maggie and/or salt (to taste)
Directions
Cut fish into small pieces, clean and gut.
Wash and peel garlic and ginger and place in a blender with onions.
Blend together white pepper and small amount of water.
First prepare you spices by placing djanssan in a coffee grinder (or pestle and mortar) and grind to a powder.
Chop tomatoes into 1inch cubes or smaller.
Add tomatoes to blended mixture and blend again.
Put oil in pot and simmer.
Add 2-3 mbongo spice packets and djanssan into the tomato puree and blend until its properly mixed into a dark paste.
Add 1 spoonful of pepe, salt and Maggie to taste. Mix well.
Poor sauce over fish.
Add sauce and fish to pot with oil.
Cover and cook until fish is done but do not stir because the fish will break into small pieces.
Add a little water if the sauce is too thick then cover and cook on a low heat for 30 minutes.
Peel and boil plantains until done.
At the end of the cooking time check the consistency of the sauce then serve immediately with plantains. (Also served with rice and dodo)
This weekend I went to a funeral in Kumba. I traveled to Kumba in 2011 but I have very faint memories or the city (or 'big village' as its referred to) itself - it was around Christmas time and there was a trade fair going on. My friends/family from the wedding in Douala came from Douala to pick me and other family members to head to Kumba together. It took about 1 hour to get there, but that was private car - public transport would naturally take longer since it stops often. Upon arriving we stopped at a relatives house to quickly greet, drop off some things and have a glass of wine. Then we dropped off some family off at one house and the 5 that were left continued to my friend Josh*, Amanda* and Michelle's* house. The three of them are siblings and it was their Grandma who passed.
Friday was the "Keep Wake" which is a huge outside event (rain or shine) at the deceased's house. There were tons of tents put up, a marching band, DJ and live singer. It was huge!! We visited with family, ate and danced all night. It's called a "Keep Wake" because you are supposed to stay awake all night. The marching band moved from tent to tent. When it would head towards another tent, people would pick up all the chairs, move them to the outside and from a dancing circle around the band who would play in the middle. I was getting dance lessons from a few people and had some fantastic conversations (a lot of it in Pidgin!) with new friends. I made it until about 3am, which was better than the wedding (where the same 'all nighter' tradition is practiced).
Everyone seemed to have a slow start of the morning but soon the women were cooking/cleaning and the men took their post relaxing/sleeping in various places around the house. There was a pig slaughtered in the late morning, I watched intentivly like at the wedding. After the funeral service there was the burial. Afterwards, I went to the market with a friend so I could see a bit of Kumba before I left. Their market is huge, beautiful, cheap and PAVED! dat makit no git poto poto. Muea makit git plenty poto poto pas dat won. A feast was prepared for all guests, subsequently we drove back to Buea arriving just around night fall.
Good news, 2 friends/sisters of mine are getting married this December/January!! I'm so happy I will be there for them, can't wait to attend!
I have a busy couple of weeks. Last day with Green Cameroon, Yaounde for visa/residence permit questions, Douala for a craft market and good Indian food, then to Bamenda for the weekend for Angel's first communion. Come back for maybe a day before heading to Kumba then Mamfe for a cultural festival!
Hope to be getitng a camera in the mail soon..
I miss taking and posting photos! Hope this
isn't too boring to read without photos!
* Names changed for privacy purposes.
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