Ngomakurira Rock Paintings

view on our hike to Ngomakurira

Ngomakurira or "Mountain of Drums"  is an hour or so north of Harare and home to some of Zimbabwe's best rock paintings. We had been before to another location nearby called Domboshawa. The huge, bald granite rock-face was the sit of Eliza's "christening"  in one of our early day trips here. In the dry season, the landscape is browner but still as beautiful.

Our HIS "buddy family" (a project initiated by the PTO - whoot whoot - to help new families find their way) came along: Sheryl and Vaughn, Miles's classmate. They're American and recently from DC but lived in Kenya for years.

Other than us, there were no tourists climbing on the hill or in the valley shadowed by the tall sheer face of the rock where we saw the paintings. The few guys we passed on the trail were just taking the shortest route between villages. One group were barefoot old men dressed in the long white robes of the Apostolics. They were singing in perfect African harmony, the deepest bass vibrating in our hearts as they passed.

view about half way there...kids walked the whole way

It had been Miles's idea to go there. He talked for days about the spirits of the people he imagined were there, which made Vaughn less enthusiastic about the trip. We were all the way up the hill (see above) before we came across the arrows indicating the way to the paintings...and letting us know we were headed in the right direction. The kids loved hunting for the arrows and leading the way.

MIles, Vaughn & Eliza

at base of this high, sheer rock-face are the paintings

archaeologists estimate they are 4000-13,000 years old

Miles with the zebras

Getting Back to Basics

We’ve been home in Harare for around 6 weeks now. Eliza started Early Childhood class (EC1) at HIS, so David takes her and Miles to school together every morning.  Classes start at 7:15. Eliza has Ms. Gayle (Zimbabwean), and Miles is in Grade 1 with Mrs. Breathnach (pronounced Bre-nok, Irish). They are both great teachers, so we feel lucky and relieved to be just at the start of a whole year with them.

I pick up Eliza every day at 11:45 (yes, still the a.m.!). On Thursdays, I take her to swimming lessons after school, but otherwise, she is usually tired and ready to chill at home with a dvd and then play with Panache, Herbert’s 4-year-old son. Miles finishes classes at 2 but has an activity until 3 MWTh. This year he chose clay molding, stone carving and marimba, a local instrument that resembles a xylophone. He is very happy with his activities.

When Miles gets home, he usually heads for the trampoline, the center of life for all the kids: Eliza, Panache, Miles & Shepherd. Miles usually has 45 minutes of homework (!!) which we start promptly at 4:30...and so begins the night-time routine of dinner, bath, books and bed. Eliza crashes as early as 6:45. Miles goes to bed at 7:15. 

Ah, routine.

Miles on the trampoline

Eliza, Shepherd and Panache in front of the Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow flowering bush

Eliza convincing the boys to play dress up