Zambians Looking out for Each Other

Our counterpart, ba Godfrey, is currently hosting a woman and her infant child at his house. We had met the woman the other night, but she was very hesitant to greet us. We had assumed the woman and child were relatives of ba Godfrey's. It wasn't until yesterday we learned that in fact our counterpart did not know this woman much at all. He'd met her while he was in Mwense boma the other day checking on when fertilizer would be coming in.

The woman lives in Lukwesa, about 35km away. She walked, with bare feet and her baby on her back, to Mwense boma, where she is awaiting the judgment about her husband. A few days ago he was arrested and thrown in jail for (allegedly) stealing goats. Her husband, allegedly, set up trails of maize and other food that would lure goats into his house. As most people in these parts do not house or tie up their goats from May to December, goats roam free. So eventually, some goats came across the food laid out for them and followed it straight into the man's house. When the goats were inside, the man would shut the door and lock them in. Then, he slaughtered the goats for food to eat or sell.

Ba Godfrey told us that in Zambian culture, if he meets someone in need of shelter for a night, he must help that person by providing a place to sleep for a night or two, if he has one. Ba Godfrey and his family are good, generous people so they naturally offered this woman a place to sleep at their home in Chebele while she waits for the judgment against her husband. The judgment should come in the next couple days, and then she'll head back to her home Lukwesa.

I should add that in Zambian tradition, while ba Godfrey and his family have the social obligation to take in strangers in need, they also have the prerogative of saying, “OK, we've hosted you a few days. Next time you need a place to stay, you need to ask another family in the community because we can't support you all the time. We have our own family to support, house and feed.” When ba Godfrey added this bit to the end of his story, I thought it sounded quite reasonable and reminded me once again of  the practical side of Zambian culture.