YPO Harare Chapter : Culture of the Marketplace | Members and Partners Event | 6 October 2012
The Culture of the Marketplace was set to be our keypoint "Culture" event in the Education Year 2012-13. Our members were told to prepare themselves for a "Culture Shock" in their unique invitation which was printed around a "skud", the nickname for the 2 litre containers of the local traditional beer named ‘Chibuku’. A beaded Zimbabwean flag and chicken, along with a tag in the shape of Africa, invited members and their partners to join us in this out of comfort adventure through the market.
We all met at Cresta Lodge Harare, and had a cup of tea or coffee along with a selection of traditional muffins, roasted pumpkin, cheese ‘sticks’ and ground nuts. Each lady was allowed to select a brightly coloured "BAG" which enclosed all the items from hand wipes, branded “Culture” water, tissues, lip balm, a sack and shopping list required for the "Shopping Challenge" in the marketplace. Each gentleman received a hand-painted "Mbare" (the name of the Harare traditional Marketplace) wallet with business cards, drivers’ details, grampa headache powder and $50.00 in well used US Dollars, along with a pencil, their shopping list and 2 enormous shangan bags to carry all purchases. Guests were briefed that they had a “Shopping Challenge” (there is nothing like a challenge or competition to get YPOers engaged and attentive!) ahead of them, with a list of items to be purchased for VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE and to have all Five of their Senses alert while experiencing the Sounds, Sights, Textures, Tastes and Smells of Mbare Market. The aim included experiencing fresh and engaging perspectives of places, people and things that are right on our doorsteps, but far from our everyday comforts.
Our first stop was at the Siyaso "Hardware" market, where each attendee endeavoured to buy the items on their list while bargaining for a good deal. Our members were forced to interact and engage with the marketeers, considering the prices they should be paying, and just how much haggling was enough! Items each person had to purchase included a hammer, a saw, a flat screwdriver, a star screwdriver, screws, nails, wood glue and a garden implement. A variety of items from spades, hoes, picks, hacksaws and woodsaws, and even a wheelbarrow were then loaded into the trailer behind one of the buses.
We then travelled through the Mbare hostel areas, learning the history of the Mbare market from our guide/drivers, through the market and thriving hub and bustle of people on their normal Saturday missions. The "Durawall" market included challenges to find buckets, 1kg Matemba (dried kapenta fish from Lake Kariba), bunches of rape (vegetable leaves), $1 of tomatoes, Seeds, 4 cups dried beans and a packet of dried vegetable leaves (pea-shoots / pumpkin leaves / other dried vegetable leaves that are dried and curled, and aptly called “mafushwa’ which means “hair” in Shona.) The marketplace gave of itself as it burst at the seams with "Culture" and welcomed our shoppers.
The curio “Rufaro” market offered an astounding variety of "musical instruments" to choose from, to complete the shopping challenge and brooms for outside and inside finished off the lists in a tightly-timed race. When 11h00 arrived, everyone duly assembled at the vehicles as we loaded up every corner of the busses and trailer to head to our next venue.
Our guests arrived at the Chiedza Child Care Centre, just outside Mbare, to the reliably friendly welcome of Marko Ndlovu and his volunteer staff, who run this orphanage centre that directly looks after 1450 orphans, of which over 95% are AIDs orphans. A tour around these incredibly maintained and managed facilities bared each and every heart to the realities of these grateful children in need. Each and every item on our shopping lists at the market, were specifically pre-selected from the Child Care Centre's Wish List, and YPO Harare generously donated each and every item bought at the market, along with some additional amazingly generous donations (including 1450 packets of 4 kinds of seeds, fertilizer, biscuits, 300kg cement, 40kg sugar and additional musical instruments.) Each and every item was received with immense gratitude and humility. In particular, the carpentry goods obtained in the Hardware market, were appreciated by the Chiedza Child Care Centre management and recipients, as they are embarking on a woodworking / carpentry skills learning project. In addition, $700 cash was handed over to assist in the purchase of wood for this project.
The children performed a wonderful array of songs and music in their appreciation, and since the visit, many of our members have since offered their assistance and donations towards the vast and comprehensive Wish List for the Centre. This includes a WiMax connection and monthly broadband access for their computer room. There is no doubt that every single person present. experienced a learning and tackled attitude changing thoughts, and hopefully actions and knowledge on the subject.
Overwhelmed with emotion, YPO Harare Chapter members and partners returned to the buses to drive to a traditional restaurant, named "Garwe" (crocodile in Shona.) Here our members arrived to drumming and the traditional hand-washing ceremony performed by ladies with jugs and bowls on brightly coloured java prints. They were then encouraged to sit down and interact in a traditional environment, with the sounds of the Mbira and drums with the background entertainment from the vibrant Hope Masike. Beers, Softdrinks and Wine were cracked open, to accompany the traditional snacks of roasted ground nuts, dried cooked Matemba (small kapenta fish – similar to white bait, caught on Lake Kariba and dried in salt), and Nhopi, a mashed pumpkin and peanut butter delicacy that was much enjoyed. New tastes and smells were enjoyed by most of those present. Hope Masike then engaged our members to participate in the learning of how to place the “hosho”, traditional music ‘shakers’, to much laughter, enjoyment and dubious music skill and rhythm. This was followed by an auction of 4 paintings by local Zimbabwean painters, of Market specific scenes. Our auction raised an additional $1275.00 for the Chiedza Child Care Centre, much support and applause.
Lunch was then available, with a selection of Traditional items on offer. No cutlery was present and most items on the luncheon buffet were unknown to the majority of our members. We delighted in trying new tastes and textures, while learning from our fellow members about the vast variety of traditions and cultures within our own chapter.
Starters / Nibbles
Matemba ~ Kapenta
Nhopi~ Mashed pumpkin with Peanut Butter
Starches/Mains/Vegetables
Sadza reZviyo ~ Rapoko Sadza
Rice rine Dovi ~ Rice with Peanut Butter
Muriwo ~ Mixed Vegetables
Fried Covo ~ Fried vegetable leaves
Muboora ~ Pumpkin leaves
Huku yechi vanhu ~ Road Runner Chicken
Nyama ~ Brisket
Biltong ine Dovi ~ Biltong with Peanut Butter
Nyama yaka gotchwa (Mbabvu) ~Grilled Pork Ribs
For the more ADVENTUROUS— orders directly with the waiters, from the a la carte Garwe Menu Lists, which include:
Tsuro ine Dovi~ Rabbit with Peanut Butter
Dhadha ~ Duck
Hanga ~ Guineafowl
Mbudzi ~ Goat Meat
Guru and Matumbu ~ Tripe / Offal
Mazondo /Pork Bones / Port Trotters
Muskwe we mombe ~ Ox Tail
Liver and Kidneys
Whole Kariba Bream
Our aim to tackle an event that would affect every one of our senses, push our comfort zones, deeply touch hearts, as well as bring the cultures of our Chapter together, was most successful, and achieved a fine 9 out of 10 rating.
