Pelekani pelekani

After 6 children and 12 grandchildren, the man who sells me tomatoes has married his wife, 38 years after "taking her from the village".

Most of the reception is taken up with pelekani pelekani, the giving of money to the couple. This is an extended affair where a DJ and master of ceremonies exhorts people to give generously, calling up small groups at a time (neighbours, wife's relatives, church friends, etc etc) to dance up and throw a lot of small denomination notes in the general direction of a collecting bowl.

Since no-one has enough small notes, those that are thrown are collected-up and re-cycled through money changers at the side.

Collecting the small notes
 and trading large notes for small ones

        


 Everyone can dance; young, grandparents, but babies stay asleep.

The MC welcomes the couple

I think I'll wait

When I eventually got to my haircut appointment, I asked after Ann, the old lady who used to do men's hair. "She's had a stroke", they said, "but she came in last week to see us and she can stand upright now. She should get better in a few months and then she can come back to work".

"Isn't she getting old enough to retire?", I asked.

"Why would she do that?, she's only 73!"