Starry starry night

I’m writing this blogpost in a dugout canoe with a 15 HP motor attached, cruising down the part of the Bitiri river that leads to Limol. 

The stars are so bright outside and the moon is just a sliver like a fingernail. Wagiba blows out through her mouth while patting her lips at the moon. I’m leaning back on my packs of gear in the honorary seat that is the only seat in the canoe. In front of Wagiba is her son Winson, and behind the packs is her husband Warama and our friend Sali who is operating the boat. In Ende we call the operator gall onyang and the frontman, Winson today, the nyongo taempägag “way shower=navigator”. When the motor is going and on such a long canoe, the navigator and the operator can’t hear one another, so they rely on a series of hand signs just like we do when helping someone park a car. I got all these signs on video and Wagiba helped explain them. Then she started giving me other signs: for example a hand rubbing stomach sign means “I’m going to the bathroom” and patting the air sign means “she’s here or she arrived or be quiet”. 

I’m finishing up this post in the village. We just arrived and I’ve bathed, eaten, and hydrated (which entailed setting up a bucket shower, setting up the water filters, and grabbing a fork because Sarbi brought me delicious banana cake (up mubine).) I nearly cried when I walked into the village about two hours past dark and I saw everyone’s house filled up with light. Wagiba and Warama told me that everyone is very happy with the solar lanterns. Makes for a very starry starry night. 

Kate