So this week I had an African dress made for Christmas by
Atwooki, a woman who makes school uniforms for Moreau Primary School.
Although I had never seen any of the dresses she had made one of the Sisters
told me that she could do a good job in a short time, and with one week till
Christmas I decided she would be my best chance of getting the dress made in
time. I had bought beautiful blue fabric with silver sequins all over it in
Fort Portal over the weekend and had an idea in mind of what I wanted, but
wasn’t quite sure what to call it or how exactly to explain it to her with her
limited English and my limited Rutorro. We met at the clinic and after she took
my measurements I handed the fabric over to her with plans to pick it up in a
few days.
The next day she called and told me I needed to get lining
for underneath the dress which was news to me, but okay. So with the help of
one of the clinic workers, Janiffer, she was able to walk around Kyarusozi town
with me searching for fabric. Unfortunately we did not find any, but she knew
someone going to town the next day who could pick some blue fabric up. Keep in
mind this woman had no idea what shade of blue I wanted, and when she came back
with a baby blue material I was a bit skeptical of what it would look like, but
Christmas was nearing and I figured this would be my best bet. So the next day
Atwooki’s daughter came to pick up the lining for sewing. On Friday Atwooki had
finished the dress, and it looked beautiful, only problem I had no idea how to
put it on. Our work Christmas party was about to begin and I had worn a red
skirt and red headband in preparation for the party. However, when Atwooki
started dressing me two of the clinic workers, Ciari and Enid, saw and came
into help dress me/wrap me up. Atwooki had even made a sparkling headband to
match the dress. Once the dress came on I realized I had to pee and keep in
mind the dress is like a wedding dress, where it is not easy to manage so off
it came. When I was finished Ciari insisted I wear the suka to the party so she
helped me put it back on again and off we went to the party room. Cleaphus one
of the lab workers grabbed my arm and we started stepping to the music.
Cleaphus is a goofy girl so I thought she was just being herself, however, soon
as I turned the corner I saw all the workers sitting along the walls and
clapping as we entered. I was not prepared for that or for the fact that they
sat me right center in the middle of the room like I was some special guest!
The party began with introductions, a magic trick, and a few speeches. Then we
played a game similar to hot potato where we passed around a bag that contained
a saying in it that the person with the bag when the music stopped had to
complete. For example, one worker had to jump for Jesus, Anne had to do a
dance, and another had to sing a song. The final paper said that the nursing
assistant, Goretti, had to name who in the room she thought was Ms. Christmas,
and she picked me…it must have been the dress. After the game we ate and
danced. Now I love the dress Atwooki made, but the only problem is that it is
not easy to manage; I really have to act “like a lady!” I am used to walking
fast, but now I have to take small steps, and the backside drapes over like a shawl
so I have to keep my arms tucked in at all times to keep it from falling off
(Ciari was my ‘husband’ during the day as she was the one sitting next to me
and was constantly fixing my dress and making sure it looked okay.) Today was a
festive day and it was nice to see all the workers eager to decorate their
respective rooms in the clinic and to see them dressed up so fancy for the
party.
Oh by the way, I have worn the dress a few times since the
party, and I still cannot figure out how to put it on. I think I am going to
need an African to come back with me to America.
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