The Great Granny Revolution

Shooting Diary 1

First Impressions:

This is high altitude. Coming from the tail end of a Canadian winter with its sterilizing qualities and long nights, Robert and I found the light intense, the smells awesome if not always pleasant and the daily temperature of 25° debilitating especially after traveling continuously for 36 hours. We are adjusting rapidly.

Alexandra Township - "Security is an issue" Security is an issue. It comes up all the time, car and house doors are kept permanently locked whether you are inside or out. There are security walls everywhere. We were told that they keep no office equipment in the Clinic because it would be stolen. In discussion with three or four Community Workers we said we said that we wanted to follow Lucia to the pensioners office to show daily life and immediately there was a vehement response that we couldn't - all the women agreed it was too dangerous. When we were stubborn and held to the importance of the footage to the story all of them then decided that they would accompany us en-mass.

The first couple of days have been so overwhelming that it wasn't until this morning when Susan Bazilli - our colleague on the shoot and our host - asked Robert if he was going to be able to drive on the left hand side of the road. I hadn't even noticed!!

I have been taking pictures and coping with the world of technology although I have yet to get the email working properly and land lines are not very reliable here. No wonder Rose has so often failed to respond or write to us.

We arrived Wednesday and spent the day recovering from the flight and dealing with the dizziness and mild nausea caused by the altitude.

Thursday we went to the township to meet Rose Letwaba, who runs the GoGo program out of the East Bank Health Centre. Magdeline, my writing partner, also arrived dressed in blue wool from head to foot. Her husband has died Brenda & Magdeline meet only a few weeks ago and in their tradition the woman shaves her head and wears this "uniform" of blue dress, shawl, and hat. The other women say that when you are wearing that you are "bad luck" and everyone stays away. Most of the time this "uniform" is worn for a year but because Magdeline has been unwell her husband's family said she would wear it for only three months. As long as she is in mourning she cannot go out to church or sing or participate in community life.

I think that because of our arrival the family has allowed Magdeline to spend time at the clinic where she can sit and watch if not get up and dance with the rest of us. My affection for her is so strong I am amazed. She said yesterday that we are sisters in the heart and I thought yes - even over all the distance and dissimilarities we have so much in common it doesn't matter.