7th Day Ceremony

Last month we reported the tragic death of our neighbor and landlord, Mister Nelson, and how his family was left in limbo, not knowing what would become of his possessions, including the house they lived in and two rentals, including ours. A week after the funeral, his extended family held a 7^th Day Ceremony, in which they all gathered together and decided the fate of Marcelina, the widow, and her five young children. Traditionally, they would have all passed to Nelson's brother and become part of his family. Nowadays, polygamy is less accepted, so this was not considered a viable option. An uncle from the city wanted to sell the houses and split the money between the male relatives. This would have left Marcelina and her kids in a very precarious situation, and us without a home. Luckily, our neighborhood chief and some of the more reasonable family members prevailed with an alternative plan that let the family stay in their current home and live off the rent from the other properties. So despite the massive tragedy of losing Mr. Nelson, at least our neighbors will be able to continue to live an independent life with financial security, or at least as much as can be expected in rural Africa, instead of being condemned to destitution and dependence as is so often the case when a head-of-household dies so prematurely. Marcelina continues to mourn and lounge listlessly in the various shady spots in her yard, while girlfriends and family visit frequently to give her moral support. She publically blames her husband's death on witchcraft, which she claims some jealous relative comissioned, but like most people in town, she knows it was AIDS.