Children in Matema

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I arrived in Matema village on the shores of Lake Nyasa/Lake Malawi and set myself up in a 10,000 shillings (9 dollars) accomodation right on the beach--it was a splurge of an extra five bucks or so because I was alone, there are only 3 accomodaton options, I didnt have my passport on me so I didnt want to make problems for myself with the border police, it was my last few days...After justifying the expense and realizing how disapointing it really is to not negotiate and argue and make up stories for the hotel-owners, I took my marimba (wooden hand piano with great atonality and lets you play the rythms of your body not just notes) and kanga and went to sit with the water at my toes.
there were about ten children playing in the water to my left, more towards the center of the village, and I was watching them while swimming out to make sure they dont take my kanga and marima, until i realized that they wouldnt want those things anyway. so i swam toward them and spoke a little in swahili, but of course they refused to understand me and I had to say "Najua, Nafahamu Kiswahili! Kweli! Kuja Hapa" I know swahili, really, come here. One got excited and tried to convince the others, but i swam toward them instead and we met half. I said something like Unataka sikiliza marimba?-do you want to listen to marima. they all came to the beach with me and one i told to sit on my kanga. I played loud and with strength and they all listened intently. I told one "Jaribu"-try. SHe did but was too bashful and I said "Unahitaji nguvu"-you need strength. I put my hands on hers and i played with her and when I took off my hands she was still playing-I guess like a parent teaching a kid to ride a bike here. but when she realized i was just watching and listening and she could do it all on her own she looked down quickly and stopped.
usually children here need little coercing to interact with strangers-but these children were a little different.
i played and asked more to try and none refused. One really liked it and said "Give me marimba" and I said "Hapana wewe, unajua ninahitaji marimba yangu sana. ninapiga marimba kila asubuhi nipokuamka na kila usiku nipolala. Ninapenda marimba sana, lakini unaweza kupiga leo." -no you, you know i need my marimba alot. i play every morning when i wake and every night when i sleep. i love my marimba alot, but you can play today." -there is always one of these types in the groups of children. but when i used to be angry and say "YOU ARE SO RUDE" from the train on the way to kigoma when the child said "Give me money now" now i can just calmly explain and when they see that you are like them, they calm too. they remind me more of myself when i was a child-firey and impatient.
after playing marimba one child was playing with a plastic cup she found on the beach. these children play on the beach all the time when they arent helping at home. many were naked and the ones with clothes their clothes were dirty and holey and wet and dirty as children's clothes should be.
they reminded me of the children on the beach in zanzibar where we did gymnastics and i helped them impress me with cartwheels and walking on the hands. these beach children were all so free.
to the girl with the plastic cup i asked "unajua unaweza kujenga nyumbani"-you know you can build a house.
she gave me the cup and I filled it with wet sand and put it down in dry sand. started building a castle and they all laughed when it fell over.
Suddenly, an old lady came over with a stick and the kids started getting proud and their eyes narrowed--like the teacher who came to beat the children who gathered to watch us in our train window on the way to kigoma or the crazy old man who came to beat the children in zanzibar but instead the children hit him.
she told me something about them needing to go home and the children, looking more and more disobedient, looked to me as their friend. but of course i had to take the side of the mama and I told them to return home. i went inside too and took a nap.

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