Graduation

Saturday, July 16th, 2011
(Hamle 9, 2003, ec)

The steely gray skies of rainy season gave way to sunshine and brilliant blue, today is graduation. The last graduation ceremony was at least 10 years ago and the tradition is being revived by Brother Belaynah. No one seems to remember why it was stopped, not even Mr. Galila, the deputy headmaster. The caps and gowns are a new addition at any rate. Four tents are set up on the dirt of the soccer field, tables and chairs are brought from the classrooms, flags are strung all over (which later will un-cap many of the new graduates as they are hung pretty low.

We were told the ceremony was to start at 9:00, but that was arrival time. The 10:00 ceremony began at 10:20, when the Bishop arrived. The entertainment consisted or recitations and small dramas by the elementary school children in English. The them was that parents should love their children and children should love their parents. Holy Family had their place in the program and sang “Sanctuary”. Then there were speeches by Brother Belaynah, who spoke in Amheric, Brother Esayas, the Visitor of the Lwanga District (read: Head Brother in East Africa) who addressed the graduates in English and finally the Bishop, who in deference to the American guests, spoke in English. The diplomas were handed out and special students recognized. A representative from one of the NGO's who sponsors 100 children was on-hand. Then the teachers passed out cookies and soda to all in attendance. Then a little more dancing and it was all over in just over 3 hours...short by African standards. But it was a grand day.

After lunch, we drove to the farm. It was kind of a time warp as on the way we passed men carving traditional stools with adzes, women winnowing grain with flat winnowing baskets—throwing the grain in the air to let the breeze carry away the chaff and letting the grain fall back on mats on the dirt, and fields being plowed with oxen. The farm, on the other hand owns the only tractor I have seen in Ethiopia. The herd of dairy cows provide milk which is converted to cheese and yogurt. Their “other” by product into bio-gas and fertilizer. The farm produces strawberries which are made into jam and a variety of other fruits and vegetables. The were mangoes, papaya, tomatoes, and grapes. Eventually, there is a plan of wine-making, but the vines are not cooperating. The goal of the farm, beside teaching sustainable agriculture is to provide a lasting source of income for the schools here.

I was invited out to eat with the Brothers, the deputy headmaster, Mr. Galila, the activity directors and the secretaries, essentially everyone who had planned graduation. After gathering in the garden of the hotel, where we waited for everyone to arrive, we went inside for a traditional Ethiopian celebratory meal: meat! Large trays were placed before every four diners. The trays were lined with ingera, the bowls of meat were then dumped in the middle of the platters, cooked goat and fitir (raw beef with seasoned ghee). I think the kids are going to go to the same place on Monday...I will take pictures. God help the vegetarians. But it was very good.