The colourful world of the Zambezi – A photographic essay (Part 2)

Words Manni Goldbeck & Ron Swilling, Photos Lambert Heil & Ron Swilling

Travelling around Namibia, we always appreciate the opportunity of getting to know Namibia’s beautiful people. We have over the years met members of all the ethnic groups that make up our marvellous Namibian tapestry. This time we headed to the Zambezi Region in the far north-eastern corner of the country.

Bedecked in their bright cotton dresses, the four baker sisters, were waiting for us in the Kapolota Village as we made our way northwards from Chobe River Camp near the Ngoma border. They had a table laid out with the ingredients, the fire had been ignited in the clay oven, chickens scampered about, dogs and puppies watched the proceedings impassively and children crafted a variety of animals out of claY.

The Saisai sisters, Doreen, Erica, Celia and Constance, related their story of how they had been baking trays of delicious breadrolls for the last three years, selling them to the village and school children, and donating some to the local kindergarten.

They greeted us warmly, leading us to the table to demonstrate how they make their mixture, adding salt and a bit of sugar for good measure, then kneading it and forming the dough into rounds which they placed on the greased baking tray. Lambert’s father, Willie, had accompanied us to the village and being a baker by trade, he plaited a few pieces of dough, showing the women some of the skills he had picked up over the years. Laughing, they gave it a try.

When the fired had burned down to glowing coals, they placed the baking tray in the oven. While the men tended the fire, the radio was turned on and the sisters couldn’t resist dancing, swirling their beautiful dresses as they did so.

We weren’t disappointed when we were offered the hot breadrolls as they came out of the oven to eat with the tilapia and relish the sisters had prepared for us. It also happened to be Willie’s 78th birthday, so it was the perfect celebration for the contingent of bakers.

The sisters had invited us to their church service on the Sunday at the nearby St. Anna Catholic Church and we arrived there early to first visit the adjacent God’s Treasure kindergarten. Hedwig Saisai, the teacher – and fifth sister – proudly showed us around.

People were arriving at the church in dribs and drabs, a man rode up on his bicycle parking it next to the building as the service began. The singing and prayers wafted up above the heads of the congregation and out of the windows where the breeze took them further up into the blue Zambezi sky and away.

And then it was time to bid our farewells, leave the blessings hovering over the small church and depart. We still had to search for the lost capital of the region and reach the mighty Zambezi River where we had planned to meet the Sikunga Fish Guards before the ruby sun set in the dusty sky.