Acholi Ma Riek

Acholi Ma Riek 6/21/07

When we got here they told us water was limited. And I guess last night, the water was cut off again. As they all say here TIA(This is Africa). There was water at 4 am when I crawled out of my top bunk. I have to do it carefully as this “man of large mass” makes the hole frame shake, and if I do it wrong, I may pull the whole bed over. Last night, was the best night of sleep I have gotten in Africa, I slept from 11:30 pm until sometime after 4 am, I seemed wide awake after visiting the pit latrine. I am going to learn how to use the pit latrine, because the toilet does not work that well, and water seems to be at a premium. A pit latrine for those of you who don’t know is just a hole in a concrete floor. It smells and there are a lot of flies around, but it is what my students will use all day each and every day. So I am trying to share their experience (????). I am teaching Math at Awere High, the high schools have levels from Senior 1 through Senior 6 similar to the English system of forms. Today I learned how to take “a shower” with baby wipes, as we sat around the table and “showered together” at breakfast. Some of our group is meeting with some of their students with U.S. Ambassador today, the ideas as David said today in his talk is to get knowledge and information to the U.S. David said, “ The U.S. has a large presence in the world, and when the U.S. takes an action it greatly affects the world. So he was happy to see us that we could bring the story of Northern Uganda back to the world. David’s talk about colonialism was amazing. Including the African idea of “mato oput” where the Ugandans harmed by Joseph Konen and the LRA would find a way to forgive them. I came here with the U.S. cultural idea that the World Court bringing Konen to justice was the way for justice to be served. It is amazing how the idea of “mato oput” would work. Just forgiveness and then the country moves on in a productive manner. Amazing isn’t it! David quotes an old man of Uganda who has lost his entire family, saw his descendants sliced up in front of him, and the women of his klan brutally raped. The man’s quote was, “If the pain, I am feeling right now, can end with me, then I say we should forgive Joseph Konen.”
In Acholi, the words for a wise Acholi are “Acholi Ma Riek”