Skip to main content

A lil bit of Habisha in a lil corner of India

A few nights ago our kids Ryeika and Neeira had their annual day in school. This is a much anticipated night in the school calender. Every class puts on a show and remarkably every single child gets up on stage to either narrate, act, sing or dance. The auditorium is filled with parents cheering, many have tears streaming down their faces as they watch with pride and joy.
For me it was all that more special. As I watched Neeiras second grade class take the stage I was filled with nostalgia for a land I left six months ago but fierce pride for, in the next twenty minutes they brought a little piece of Ethiopia to India.
It all started a few months ago when Neeiras teacher invited parents to come and tell the kids a moral story set in their home country. I decided to tell the kids an Ethiopian story called' The Perfect Orange.' Though not technically my home country, it is the land of my birth and I had just had the privilege of having lived there for the last three years. So I thought it would be extremely interesting for the children to listen to a story set in an Ethiopian village. Armed with all the shamas and gabis in my wardrobe, I went to school that afternoon and  the kids had a great time dressing up like little habisha kids. Most importantly they loved the story. It is a story of a little village girl called Suhai who is generous and humble. She gifts a perfect orange to the Great king Nigus who is so overwhelmed with her sincerity that in return he gives her gold and riches. And then theres the evil Hyena king who is so greedy and is taught a lesson by Nigus. The teachers too loved the story and decided to perform the story for Indus day.
And so there I was in the audience, waiting with baited breath as Ethiopia came to life and a few hundered people were introduced to Injera and wot, Hyenas and Shamas. Our little corner of India  became Habisha for the next twenty minutes and was I proud !
I now truly understand all the many theories on third culture children and global families. This is how we bring the world closer. We always carry a part of where we have been with us and are proud to share the kalidisscope of cultures with those we encounter. So my  Ethiopian friends....I thank you for sharing your culture with me, for your love and warmth. When I left I promised to carry a part of you wherever I went....Well I do, with pride and delight. I miss you dear friends.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We didn't just raise a strong girl, we raised a warrior

Neeira-in the last 18 years you have brought us much pride, love, and laughter. We watched you become a remarkable person with a strong moral compass. You often taught us, that speaking up for something even in the most uncomfortable of situations was ALWAYS worth it. You never hesitated to break the silence for what needed to be said. You took on stigmas and cycles and chains for you believed they needed to end. Your loyalty to your sisters, your mother tongue, and your mother land is inspiring. And your diligence and discipline for anything you take on is admirable. As you celebrate this milestone birthday on the cusp of the new adventure that awaits you, we wish that all your dreams come true. We hope a spicy plate of biryani will always bring you comfort, that you meet your favorite Bollywood stars someday, that you get to travel and travel and travel and go do a semester at sea.  You have heard us saying ever so often 'life is unfair' and you will experience this yourself ...
5 comments
Read more

Technological displays of affection strictly prohibited!

Its Saturday morning....Would have loved to sleep in but have been up since 6.30. We had three kids over for a sleepover last night and of course since its not a school day, they have to wake up on their own much before they really need too:) But that's fine, it gave me a chance to have an early morning lengthy cuppa out on the terrace. Though the younger kids are up and about my TEENAGER is fast asleep. Its the one day she gets to sleep in. I tell the younger kids to play quietly but its a tall order and though they are not extremely loud, their laughter, chatter and Lirayas periodical Liraya screams fill the house. I am on my computer by now and catching up with emails and Facebook. Suddenly there is a ping- new email alert. Who's it from? The TEENAGER! Apparently she is awake and sending me an email asking me to forward her her homework which comes to me weekly from school(another post on this later). She is directly below me. She doesn't think it necessary to walk up ...
4 comments
Read more

Lobo Rebello Christmas Update 2021

As I begin to write this years update, it's Friday evening in mid December and  I have officially begun my month long vacation. Quite excited and apprehensive about our plans for the next few weeks. We will be leaving our home cave, to get on a plane and travel to a far away land, where people who share our last names and DNA await us with baited breath. What used to be a journey we have done effortlessly so often, from locations more far flung and unpredictable, is feeling almost unsurmountable this time around. Multiple changes in our itinerary, cancelled flights rebooked, changing restriction's and entry protocols; all a strong reminder of the new normal. In fact if this year has taught us anything it is that the old normal is unlikely ever to return anytime soon.  So what was our life like under this new normal? For the most part it seemed tedious, monotonous... days that rolled into one another, each week was pretty much just like last week. But looking back now, I see th...
6 comments
Read more