It's a little difficult to get into the spirit of Mardi Gras given that there aren't too many Catholics around here and it's not something many Americans know about much less residents of Namibia. Additionally, it's the middle of the summer here, so that makes it a little strange trying to celebrate this holiday. Fortunately, there's a die hard group of Louisianais (or Louisianais by association) who are determined to continue the tradition. Dawn Broussard, a Lafayette native who now works for the CDC here, gave a Mardi Gras party that rivaled many a Mardi Gras party from home. She prepared shrimp étoufee, jambalya, red beans and rice, and bread pudding. There were even crawfish pistolettes as appetizers!!! But best of all were the hurricanes which were free flowing. I had thought that I'd make a King Cake, but the recipe proved to be far too complicated for our little kitchen, so I made French Crêpes instead and filled them with apple pie filling, nutella and brown sugar --in the true French spirit of Mardi Gras.
Many of the staff who work for the CDC here are alum of Tulane, so they came dressed in their holiday finery. Beads were handed out to Americans and Namibians alike and the Mardi Gras mambo music thumped well into the night. Unfortunately, we had to leave just when things were getting really cranked up because we had the kids with us. Haven't yet found a sitter. Nevertheless, we enjoyed it thoroughly and our hats are off to Dawn and her husband who worked so hard to reproduce one of our favorite Louisiana traditions. I wonder what the Namibians who were in attendance thought of it all--wonder if there's any chance they'll carry it on next year??
On Sunday, we took a drive outside of the city to the taxidermist's shop. The term shop really doesn't do this place justice. It's more like a mini-factory. The hunters who come to Namibia for the game safaris have their kill sent to this place to be processed, treated and mounted into wall trophies. We aren't big on hunting, especially when some of the prey are giraffes and leopards, but this is truly a most interesting place. The staff is exceedingly friendly and will tour one through the workshop areas where one can view the elaborate process of making a trophy--from where the skins are treated and stretched to where the workers sew the hide onto the casts/molds. Each hunter usually waits several weeks or even months for his trophy/trophies to be sent back to him in his country of origin. The finished trophies await thoses still being processed, usually they are hung in the workshop display area for visitors to view, and the entire kill is then packaged up and shipped or air freighted back to the hunter in his home country. Needless to say, none of this is cheap and so one must really have a good deal of money to engage in such sport.
There is a souvenir shop which is fun to visit as well. There are zebra and springbok skins for sale. Furniture made from the horns of kudu grace the upper floor. Reid and Augustus both purchased belts made from ostrich which the tanner sized for them on the spot. The girls of course got stuffed plush animals for themselves, a zebra and a leopard. I didn't buy anything...yet. I'm saving my money for a zebra hide that I can take back and use in my living room at home! Won't that be a conversation starter?!
No comments:
Post a Comment