Graduation

Jackson, a friend of mine and cousin of the family, invited me to his graduation from architecture school. The actually ceremony was the day before, but he was having another ceremony for the rural folk who couldn’t make it into the city. I went up with some other family members to the house compound where my host father grew up. The houses were situated on top of a hill overlooking a valley below. Apparently there had been a river in the valley below, but since then people had irrigated so much that all you could see were crops. Their land had been subdivided among the six sons of my host grandfather, although my host father is not sure what will become of it since all his brothers save one have moved to the city or out of the country.

No sooner had I arrived than I was offered goat meat straight off the grill. I was handed a rib, and from what I could tell it looked like it had just be pried from the living animal. The taste was rather interesting, and the difference reminded of the difference between cow’s milk and goat’s milk. I was honored to be offered this piece of meat, however, since no one else ate for another 3 hours. We ate around 3 pm or so, then the ceremony began. First the minister spoke, then a woman outdid him praying, then an elder, aunt, both parents, colleagues and finally Jackson spoke. The entire service lasted about 3 hours and was in Kikuyu. I understood three words: “Jack”, “graduation” and “thengu” (Kikuyu form of “thank you”). The experience was fascinating, if only since there were enough people for a family reunion in the states – about 70 or so people.

Graduating here is a big deal, as I witnessed in the ceremony, but it doesn’t mean the same thing as it used to. According to my host father, more and more people have gotten degrees, yet many of them go unemployed and end up finding work in “unskilled” labor. Even when they do find jobs, there is only a minimal difference in income. Most successful persons seem to make money in various businesses, such as Ben, Jack’s uncle, who imports second-hand shoes from Canada. Nonetheless, the entire family was still very proud of Jackson and what he represented. Currently, he as an interim job with the UN on neighborhood design in poor areas.