Lessons from Rama-by-night

Hello hi. I am back. Yep after almost a year. Sjooo...alright,lets proceed.

I promised to discuss Rama-by-night and its awesomeness after I feel that I've had enough rest after the great weekend I had.Well..here!

For those who don't know, Rama-by-night is a name of a tarven, (yes, a tarven) in Senwamokgope township, a place located in the east of Sekgosese district just outside Modjadjiskloof in Limpopo. This is a place I call home (although we've relocated to another area).I call this place home because I am who I am because of the lessons I picked up on the streets of this township from 1990 to mid 2007.The community of this township made,inspired and taught me a lot.Okay, now- back to Rama-by-night.  The tavern is very small,just three rooms and a covered up veranda. The place can host up to as many people as it likes, because entrance in a township tavern is forever free. Forget your upper class clubs and pubs and whatever you call them- Rama-by-night is the real deal. 

It took me nine years, a seven hour trip to attend a funeral and a few conversations with the people I used to hang with to learn the lessons I've learnt this past weekend. These are lessons that can be learnt anywhere, by anyone- but to me it happened at a very random place.Who would have thought? Okay now listen. Here's the list:

1. Wine will leave you feeling  sheepish, but whiskey will pick you up.Lol.

Not that I didn't know this, but I can spend a very long time with just one glass of wine once in while in my own space- but when you're at a tavern you want to finish the 5 litre 4th Street box (Don't judge). Finishing that 5 litre would happen as a result of a process, a process that requires one to drink one glass after another continuously and shem...soon afterwards rena o tlo re makatsa. I heard some people cry after drinking a few glasses of whiskey- mara le ge go le so... I learnt a lesson and will always remember it when I have to buy booze. Whiskey anytime, please.

2.  Life is such an unpredictable thing.

With its ebb and flow, this life thing will humble you shem. When we are young we tend to think for today and today only, without even thinking about the future consequences of our choices. Some things work for the best as life's journey continues, and others just blow up in our face, leaving us hopeless and forcing us to resort to certain measures that we think are better suited for our situations, when actually they become factors that worsen the situation. Re tla reng mara? Ke vutomi. 

3. I have a big fan-and I didn't know it until I went to Rama.

So, this guy was gushing about how awesome I am. Me. Yes, awesome.  About my work (a few articles I wrote for Mega Artist Magazine...find them  www.megaartists.com and 1 for Vivmag.com) as well as the humour dripping off my facebook timeline. I knew people read my work, but I had never thought that I have this under ground biggest fan who even follows me on fb.(Please advice on how we know who is following us on fb). You guys, please tell us while we are still around gore re le shaya ding dong.. this life thing is unpredictable, and short. But then, I am happy, grateful and so humbled by this fellow, a few minutes of a tipsy conversation and bam!! I am educated. I can still hear his Castle Lite reeking  " awesome.....awesome......awesome" in between every other word he said. Shem, you should have seen the smile on my face. 90 degrees curve!!!

4. Honesty and appreciation can be located anywhere,even at taverns.

Most people probably associate township taverns with botsotsi and all..but shem...there's honesty as well. A dear guy, who once bullied me in standard 2 (grade 4 ya semanjemanje) kept on telling me to be careful as some of the people who were smiling with me were actually not genuine. He kept telling me gore I shouldnt leave my glass unattended, not because of drug spiking but poisoning. His exact words "O ska tshepa everyone in your circle, batho ke bo mabolaya ba sega". Lesson learnt! I appreciated his honesty, Lord knows why he kept telling me that. 

5. Local music ke mmapa!

By local music I'm not talking about bo AKAwinanga et al, I'm taking about King Monada and Janisto le genge ya Bolozwi ya go opela banna! Those guys know how to make music. I've listened to enough of King Monada's music this past weekend to last me a good three months, but I wouldn't mind continuing listening to him to last me three years. He's the big deal. Okare ke a mo dhwa akhere " Oska bhora moreki..o ska bhora moreki..go reka nna". Once his music starts playing, ke moka kosha ke lerole and we all remember to use our twerking tools ka mokhwa wa maleba. Lol.  

6. Rama by night hasn't lost its touch.Even after 9 years.

I don't know if this is a lesson, mara shem..modhefo wa Rama o khatša ka mafika.


7. Some of the things that happen in Rama stay in Rama.

Bare diila go apiwa, ga di ile go boniwa. Including the fact that a kid hit on me. By a kid I mean that- a kid. I'm still overwhelmed. But I wont go into it. So, yes I saw, but some of the things I will not go into.

Overall, it was a great weekend and experience- I am glad I finally had this Rama discussion. I might have something to write about again in another 9 years, well...after visiting Rama-by-night again. It was great! and refreshing.

Happy reading.

Okay. Thanks.Bye.