As the “Fab Four” quickly go from babies to toddlers, they are learning all sorts of new skills, including dancing. Kananelo definitely leads the pack in this skill-set, wiggling wildly back and forth at the slightest humming, but all of them get into the action when a song is playing. The bo’m’e (caretakers) have a bunch of songs that they sing – songs that sounds like Sesotho versions of “If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.” They are big crowd pleasers with the under 18-month crowd.
Reid has broken out his guitar a few times to get in on the fun (I think he kind of misses feeling like a rock star—and babies might be an even more appreciative audience than Rectorpalooza revelers). When this happens, Kananelo runs the risk of actually jarring her head loose from her body, Retsilisitsoe squeals appreciatively, Lerato tries to eat the guitar, and Thoriso is convinced that he could play even better than Reid.
The band is expanding, and the other day we had a pretty good show, with Will accompanying on the plastic bucket and Ellen and me on vocals. Though we need to brush up on children’s songs, we played a couple good-old American rock tunes for the kids and bo’m’e. Not surprisingly, I suppose, “Brown Eyed Girl” was the fan favorite. “Sha La La La La La La La La La La-la Ti Da” works in any language.
(I apologize for the very shoddy filming–I can only hope my poor skills as a videographer are redeemed by the extreme cuteness of the subjects!)
(Oh, and Dad, do you hear the song in the video? Quite possibly the first time John Prine has been heard in these parts!)
The TTLF Fellow is a representative of the North American organisation The Tiny Lives Foundation. Based for one year in Mokhotlong, Lesotho, the TTLF Fellow serves in an administrative support capacity for the Basotho charity TTL.
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