Friday 28 September 2012

Calheta de São Miguel, Cape Verde - the handing out of the presents (cont.) - the 16th of September 2012



(...)

The birthday party was scheduled for midday and I was beginning to get worried that I wouldn't have to prepare everything the way I wanted to, as I had to continuously interrupt what was being done in the room where the birthday party was going to be held to welcome and talk to the the children and the mothers who kept on showing up at the pension to collect what I had been sent for them.


Valter came around to collect his photographs and along with him his mother to be handed out the money Telma sent for his school. Because of a previous set up agreement between Telma and Valter, his mother conveyed a message to Telma, which I filmed in which she reassured her he was doing really well at school.


















Valter (left) and his mother (right)





Carla, who is always very emotional when it gets to either receiving or reading anything Rosario, Nair and the grandmother send her, came around with her mother this time, so she sort of concealed her feelings, irrespective of the fact that I have the distinct feeling (knowing her as I do) that her facial expression still shows she is almost on the verge of crying, as she always does.


















Carla's mother (left) and Carla (right).





Eduardo, who came around with his mother to collect the photos and the money for the school sent by Maria João was entitled to a new school bag brought by Marie Hélène, taking into account the fact that there had been a special bond with him last time she was there. I filmed them both, though I forgot to take his mother's photograph.






Eduardo






Soon after the mess Nélida came around to collect the birthday present sent to her by Catarina. She was visibly happy and would later show up with an elder brother to collect the money for the school.










Nélida











Veinilson showed up with his mother to collect the money sent by João and was surprised in a rather shy way to be given an extra present by Marie Hélène, who knowing he has got some extraordinary skills to build up things, brought him a highly complicated wooden construction puzzle.





Veinilson with his mother







Sonia and her sister Jessica showed up to collect the photos and soon came back with a cousin to collect the money for the school sent to them by Telma and Dina respectively.






 





 Sonia (left) with her cousin and sister Jessica (right)







I don't think Liliane Rosy was expecting me to bring her something we had spoken of last time and which her "godmother" Teresa bought for her. As she started unwrapping the presents she seemed rather curious  and nervous, but the moment she realised what it was her face lit up and she  couldn't help hiding her happiness. She later came with her mother to collect the money for the school and once more after the birthday party to show me the artistic works she had already finished doing and to learn how the other ones had to be done.




















Liliane Rosy































Liliane Rosy and her mother






Simone's mother, whom I had met very early in the morning came around for the money sent by Margarida for Simone's school. Simone had been around the previous night when there was a power cut, so she didn't come around this time.






Simone's mother





Just before the birthday party started Eveline Natalina, who had already been to see me to collect the photos came around with her mother to collect the money Bell had sent for her school. It was actually the first time her mother and I met and spent some time talking to each other.



















Eveline Natalina with her mother














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