It's Cultural Appropriation Night!

Last night, Help Lesotho hosted a few members of the community at the new centre for a dinner as a way to say thank you for their support. I don't actually know who most of the people were. Easily identifiable was an Anglican Reverend, a Catholic Priest and a bunch of nuns. Otherwise there was the site supervisor for the construction of the site and his wife and a bank manager from some bank, obviously. Oh and a chief from Pitseng who wasn't actually supposed to get invited. The rest of the people, well I have no clue who they were. The food was good though and by the time we ate, that was really all that mattered to me.

To be perfectly honest, Tara and I, were the main event. Okay, I'm joking but amongst my co-workers we were a hit. Why you may or may not ask? I'm gonna tell you. Because, apparently, in Lesotho, cultural appropriation goes down a storm. Peg had instructed us all to wear our Seshoe-shoes - pronounced se shway-shways - the traditional get up for Basotho women. You see them all the time in a variety of colours, patterns and styles. The majority of the styles are a little, shall we say, old fashioned - mostly because of the sleeves. Tara and I had 2 days to pick fabric and get our dresses made. We stated firmly that under no circumstance would be get a full Seshoe-shoe, we were getting skirts and only skirts...okay skirts and head scarfs.

For someone who is decision-making challenged, picking seshoe-shoe fabric is kind of a nightmare. My favourite Masotho hat one is virtually impossible to find. A few workers in the shop, Goldern Wonder, recommended one with King Letsie III on it. Hilarious, Tara and I laughed and then of course, I went for it. I'll stop talking about it but I'm including photos. Oh and I'll mention the skirt making lady, seamstress if you will, mixed up my measurements with Tara's and vice versa. Luckily the measurements were comparable...but I have a little more room in the hips than required, for now anyway.